Ford begins selling certified used cars on Amazon in digital retail push

Ford is now selling used cars on Amazon Autos, letting people shop for certified pre-owned vehicles online, get financing, start the paperwork, and even choose when to pick up the car.

This all launched Monday with about 20 dealers already up and running, and another 10 preparing to go live next week, according to what Ford told reporters.

This move marks a major step for Ford into digital retail, but it still keeps its dealers in the picture. The company said more than 160 of its 2,900 U.S. dealers have jumped into the process with Amazon, though only a fraction have launched.

The rest are coming soon. The company confirmed that the final signature still has to happen face-to-face. That means customers can handle most things online, but still need to visit the dealership before driving off.

Ford targets used-car buyers in Los Angeles, Seattle, Dallas first

At launch, Ford-certified pre-owned cars are only available in Los Angeles, Seattle, and Dallas, but the company said it plans to roll this out to more cities across the U.S. in the coming months.

These CPO cars are not just any used vehicles. They’ve been checked, cleaned up, and certified by either the automaker or the dealer. They also come with warranties, which make them feel a little more like buying new.

Ford is offering three levels of certification, each with its own warranty coverage. It also announced a 14-day or 1,000-mile money-back guarantee, whichever comes first. That gives customers a window to return the car if they change their minds.

No one’s reinventing the wheel here, but it’s a big shift for a company that still relies on its franchise dealers to close the sale.

This comes two years after Amazon said it was opening its site to car sales, starting with Hyundai. That deal was for new vehicles, not used. So while the Hyundai partnership focused on factory-fresh cars, Ford is aiming for shoppers looking for better-quality used ones.

Earlier this year, Amazon also started selling rental cars through a deal with Hertz, showing that the company is serious about turning its car section into a bigger business. But what’s different about Ford’s approach is how it leans into certified pre-owned rather than brand-new inventory.

The big catch? The sale still has to go through a Ford franchised dealer. That’s not just tradition, in many U.S. states, it’s law. Car companies like Ford legally can’t bypass dealers and sell new vehicles directly to customers.

But when it comes to used cars, the rules are looser. That’s why companies like Carvana, Hertz, and others can sell pre-owned cars directly online without as much red tape.

With the Ford-Amazon partnership, the online buying process is faster and more modern, but it still fits within the legal structure that protects dealers.

As Fan Jin, head of Amazon Autos, said, the collaboration opens up “thousands of quality vehicles backed by Ford’s inspection and warranty programs.”

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