Ford’s Certified Pre-Owned Sales Surge 44% with Amazon Partnership

Partnering with Amazon: A Game Changer for Ford

Around a year ago, a significant yet overlooked partnership was formed between Ford Motor Company (F) and the digital retail titan, Amazon (AMZN). The announcement was made that Ford would offer its Ford Blue Advantage vehicles, also known as certified pre-owned (CPO) vehicles, on Amazon Autos.

A Revolutionary Move Resulting in Increased Sales

This strategic decision has led to a staggering 44% increase in Ford’s CPO sales in the third quarter, surpassing Toyota’s volume for the first time. This expansion in CPO sales is beneficial to long-term investors and here’s why.

Image source: Ford Motor Company.

Ford’s Progress in CPO Sales

Ford is progressing well towards hitting its 500,000 CPO sales goal for 2027, potentially overthrowing Toyota as the industry’s top certified seller. This gain in CPO sales during Q3 coincides with the industry’s CPO sales dropping 2.5% through August, as per Automotive News Data Center. But let’s delve into why this is excellent news for long-term investors.

In 2021, Ford launched its dealer-led CPO program, Ford Blue Advantage, with about 70% of Ford’s 2,800 U.S. dealerships participating. Interestingly, when a customer purchases a non-certified used vehicle, they only return to the manufacturer about 30% of the time. However, when the sale involves a certified vehicle, the customer tends to be brand loyal and returns more than half the time.

The Significance of CPO Sales

CPO sales play a crucial role for Ford, particularly after discontinuing the Escape and Lincoln Corsair last year, leaving fewer entry-level options for consumers. CPO sales help Ford fill the budget-friendly vehicle gap, giving dealers more ways to retain and attract customers.

CPO sales also significantly impact Ford’s overall sales as the Ford Blue Advantage program incentivizes dealers with certificates for each sale, effectively helping to lower new-vehicle prices. Notably, Ford’s CPO sales have grown 96% since starting in 2021 and are on track to double the first six months of 2026 CPO sales during the second half of the year.

The importance of Ford’s expanding CPO program is not to be underestimated. In an industry where consumer loyalty is powerful and acquiring customers from a competing brand can be expensive, increasing loyalty, filling the void of entry-level options, and creating a new car sales pipeline through dealer certificates and incentives can drive new vehicle purchases. If Ford surpasses Toyota in CPO sales next year, it’s just another reason to believe Ford is still evolving into a well-rounded business for long-term investors.