{"version":"1.0.0","episode":{"title":"“Think Instacart for inventory!” — How Digital Platforms Are Reshaping Auctions & Profitability | Justin Zane, SVP, US Marketplace & Services at OPENLANE.","url":"http://getcarcurious.com/episodes/think-instacart-for-inventory-how-digital-platforms-are-reshaping-auctions-profitability-justin-zane-svp-us-marketplace-services-at-openlane","audioUrl":"https://chrt.fm/track/C6AG88/traffic.megaphone.fm/CREUR2371347522.mp3","description":"Today Sam D'Arc is joined by Justin Zane, SVP, US Marketplace & Services at OPENLANE. \n\nWe unpack why digital auctions have overtaken physical lanes in reach and efficiency, and why old habits—not economics—are keeping brick-and-mortar alive. \n\nJustin explains how off-lease inventory is reshaping acquisition strategy, where AI improves condition accuracy, and why speed is now the dealer’s most valuable asset.\n\n\n\nThis episode is brought to you by:\n\n\n\n1.  Wikimotive  - Wikimotive delivers organic and paid search solutions to hundreds of dealerships from rural rooftops to multiple top-5 national dealers. Their focus is simple: get your store in front of people already searching for a car or service, and measure success by the leads and appointments that follow — not vanity metrics. Visit @ https://wikimotive.com/CDG/\n\n\n\n2.  Openlane - The world’s best online dealer marketplace for used cars, bringing you exclusive inventory, simple transactions, and better outcomes. Learn more @ openlane.com/cdg\n\n\n\nCheck out LotGPT here: https://lotlinx.com/lotgpt-waitlist/\n\n\n\nCheck out Car Dealership Guy’s stuff:\n\n\n\nFor dealers:\n\nCDG Circles ➤ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://cdgcircles.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠\n\nIndustry job board ➤ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://jobs.dealershipguy.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠\n\nDealership recruiting ➤ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://www.cdgrecruiting.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠\n\nFix your dealership’s social media ➤ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://www.trynomad.co⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠\n\nRequest to be a podcast guest ➤ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://www.cdgguest.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠\n\n\n\nFor industry vendors:\n\nAdvertise with Car Dealership Guy ➤ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://www.cdgpartner.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠\n\nIndustry job board ➤ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://jobs.dealershipguy.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠\n\nRequest to be a podcast guest ➤ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://www.cdgguest.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠\n\n\n\nTopics:\n\n04:06 How does Openlane help dealers win?\n\n05:16 What's happening with off-lease EV prices?\n\n07:31 What are the key tips for buying EVs?\n\n09:09 How can dealers move aged inventory?\n\n11:56 Digital auctions versus physical lanes\n\n15:25 How is trust built in online buying?\n\n18:54 What AI features does Openlane use?\n\n22:04 What are the key takeaways for 2026?\n\n\n\nCar Dealership Guy Socials:\n\nX ➤ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠x.com/GuyDealership⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠\n\nInstagram ➤ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/cardealershipguy/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠\n\nTikTok ➤ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠tiktok.com/@guydealership⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠\n\nLinkedIn ➤ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠linkedin.com/company/cardealershipguy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠\n\nThreads ➤ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠threads.net/@cardealershipguy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠\n\nFacebook ➤ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠facebook.com/profile.php?id=100077402857683⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠\n\nEverything else ➤ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠dealershipguy.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠"},"annotations":[{"startTime":390.0,"endTime":394.4,"type":"term","title":"EVs","url":"/glossary/ev","quote":"And one of the things we've talked about is EVs through the rebate, allowed vehicles to be super, uh, affordable. They did.","canonicalId":"term:ev","priority":0.9,"confidence":0.9,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-4o-mini","data":{"explanation":"EVs, or electric vehicles, are cars that are powered entirely or partially by electricity instead of traditional gasoline or diesel fuel. They are known for being more environmentally friendly and often have lower operating costs compared to conventional vehicles.","simplifiedExplanation":"EVs stands for electric vehicles. These are cars that run on electricity instead of gas, making them better for the environment and often cheaper to maintain."}},{"startTime":390.0,"endTime":394.4,"type":"term","title":"rebate","url":"/glossary/rebate","quote":"And one of the things we've talked about is EVs through the rebate, allowed vehicles to be super, uh, affordable.","canonicalId":"term:rebate","priority":0.5,"confidence":0.85,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-4o-mini","data":{"explanation":"A rebate is a partial refund to someone who has paid too much money for tax, rent, or a utility. In the context of EVs, government rebates can significantly reduce the purchase price, making these vehicles more affordable for consumers.","simplifiedExplanation":"A rebate is money that you get back after you buy something. For electric cars, the government sometimes gives you money back to help lower the price you pay."}},{"startTime":397.9,"endTime":401.5,"type":"term","title":"leasing","url":"/glossary/leasing","quote":"There were some great deals in leasing and just with the rebates out there.","canonicalId":"term:leasing","priority":0.5,"confidence":0.8,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-4o-mini","data":{"explanation":"Leasing a vehicle means you pay to use it for a set period, usually a few years, without owning it. At the end of the lease, you return the car, which can be a more affordable option for many drivers compared to buying a car outright.","simplifiedExplanation":"Leasing is like renting a car for a few years. You pay to use it but don't own it, and when the time is up, you give it back."}},{"startTime":401.5,"endTime":404.8,"type":"term","title":"demand","url":"/glossary/demand","quote":"That went away and a lot of that EV demand dried up.","canonicalId":"term:demand","priority":0.5,"confidence":0.75,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-4o-mini","data":{"explanation":"Demand refers to how much of a product or service is desired by consumers. In the automotive context, high demand for EVs means more people want to buy or lease them, often leading to higher prices.","simplifiedExplanation":"Demand is how much people want something. If a lot of people want electric cars, we say there's high demand for them."}},{"startTime":404.8,"endTime":410.1,"type":"term","title":"coming off lease","url":"/glossary/coming-off-lease","quote":"A lot of pundits are saying that as those, those EV vehicles come off lease, they're going to be very inexpensive.","canonicalId":"term:coming-off-lease","priority":0.5,"confidence":0.8,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-4o-mini","data":{"explanation":"When a vehicle comes off lease, it means the leasing period has ended, and the car is returned to the leasing company. This can lead to an influx of used vehicles in the market, potentially lowering prices.","simplifiedExplanation":"When a car 'comes off lease,' it means the time you rented it is over, and you have to return it. This can make more used cars available for sale."}},{"startTime":451.7,"endTime":453.2,"type":"term","title":"EV","url":"/glossary/ev","quote":"...a lot of people have a hard time going back away from the EV. They like that experience.","canonicalId":"term:ev","priority":0.9,"confidence":0.9,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-4o-mini","data":{"explanation":"EV stands for electric vehicle, which is a car that is powered entirely or partially by electricity. This technology is becoming increasingly popular due to its environmental benefits and lower operating costs compared to traditional gasoline vehicles.","simplifiedExplanation":"An EV, or electric vehicle, is a car that runs on electricity instead of gasoline. They are known for being more environmentally friendly and can save money on fuel over time."}},{"startTime":455.52,"endTime":456.86,"type":"car","title":"Dodge Charger","url":"/cars/dodge/charger","image":"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8f/1970_Dodge_Charger_R-T_Hirschaid_22-20220709-RM-120204.jpg","quote":"...ey like the driving experience.  They've bought a charger for their house.  They're used to overcoming the ...","canonicalId":"car:dodge:charger","priority":0.5,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-4o-mini","data":{"explanation":"The Dodge Charger is a full-size sedan known for its powerful performance and muscular design. It has a rich history dating back to the 1960s and is often celebrated for its blend of style, speed, and practicality, making it a popular choice among car enthusiasts and families alike.","simplifiedExplanation":"The Dodge Charger is a big car that looks sporty and can go really fast. It's popular because it combines a fun driving experience with enough space for passengers and luggage, making it great for families or anyone who likes a powerful ride.","imageAttribution":"Ermell (CC BY-SA 4.0)"}},{"startTime":576.78,"endTime":577.62,"type":"car","title":"Ford F-150 Lightning","url":"/cars/ford/f-150-lightning","image":"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/56/2022_Ford_F-150_Lightning_Rear.jpg","quote":"...I still got hung up on the, on the Ford Lightning story. I got so hung up on that and I've retold the battery replacement.","canonicalId":"car:ford:f-150-lightning","priority":0.5,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-4o-mini","data":{"explanation":"The Ford Lightning is an all-electric version of the Ford F-150, known for its performance and utility. It represents Ford's push into the electric vehicle market, combining the capabilities of a pickup truck with electric power.","simplifiedExplanation":"The Ford Lightning is a type of electric truck made by Ford. It's designed to be powerful and useful like a regular truck but runs on electricity instead of gasoline.","imageAttribution":"UltraTech66 (CC BY-SA 4.0)"}}],"speakers":[{"id":"s1","name":"Car Dealership Guy","role":"host"}],"transcripts":[{"url":"http://getcarcurious.com/episodes/think-instacart-for-inventory-how-digital-platforms-are-reshaping-auctions-profitability-justin-zane-svp-us-marketplace-services-at-openlane/transcript.vtt","type":"text/vtt"}]}