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Used Car Dealer PodcastAuthor: Used Car Dealer Podcast
Welcome to the Used Car Dealer Podcast.You dont have time for another vendor-sponsored podcast. You need actionable insights from people who understand your business inside and out. No sales pitches. No vendors-sponsored content. Just authentic, straight-to-the-point advice for used car dealers.Hosted by industry veterans the Used Car Dealer Podcast is the ONLY show thats 100% focused on YOU.In each episode, we share tips on how to supercharge your used car business. Youll hear interviews with industry experts, hot debates, and must-have news from across the industry.Whether youre in sales, F&I, management, or in the allied industry, youll love the Used Car Dealer Podcast. Subscribe today anywhere you listen to podcasts. Language: en-us Genres: Automotive, Business, Entrepreneurship, Leisure Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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UCDP #80 – Inventory Management, AI & the Future of Used Inventory with Derek Hansen of vAuto
Episode 80
Tuesday, 18 November, 2025
In this episode of the Used Car Dealer Podcast, Zach talks with Derek Hansen, Vice President of Inventory Management Solutions at Cox Automotive and head of vAuto, to dig into how data, AI, and disciplined process are reshaping used-vehicle inventory strategy. Derek shares his non-traditional path from Intel and Bain & Company into automotive, and why he sees dealers as some of the most resilient and entrepreneurial operators in any industry. They dig into variable management, scaling operations across multiple rooftops, and the “hidden variables” that separate top performers — from smarter acquisition beyond the auction lane to tightening up recon and time-to-line. Derek also unpacks the realities of AI in the store, the importance of clean data, and how dealers can build tech-enabled cultures without losing the human touch on the showroom floor. ⏱️ Key Questions & Timestamps 00:29 – Intro & Derek’s background: from Intel and Bain to leading vAuto at Cox Automotive 02:00 – How has your consulting and tech background shaped the way you think about dealer operations and the intersection of data + process? 03:13 – What are the biggest operational gaps you observed early on that still persist today? 05:15 – How does variable management differ from traditional used-car inventory practices? 07:15 – How are you aligning vAuto’s tools and roadmap to help dealers move from reacting to the market to shaping their own market? 08:42 – How do the dynamics differ between used and new inventory strategies, and how are you helping dealers stay competitive in both? 11:09 – What are the standout “hidden variables” dealers are overlooking when stocking and pricing used inventory? 12:42 – What data quality pitfalls do you see when dealerships try to adopt advanced tools – and how should they fix those foundations? 15:02 – What operational or cultural changes are required for a 50+ unit dealership to scale tech and data without losing the human touch? 17:50 – What tech or data trends will have the biggest impact on used-vehicle inventory strategy over the next 2–3 years? 19:26 – How do you see the role of inventory management tools like vAuto adapting, and what should dealers do now to prepare for the “next normal”? 21:26 – What is the “next frontier” of risk management in inventory that dealers aren’t embracing yet but should be? 22:35 – Independents vs. franchise groups: how do their innovation adoption curves differ, and how can smaller dealers stay nimble and competitive? 24:24 – Rapid Fire Q1: What’s the one KPI you think every used-car manager should track weekly? 24:55 – Rapid Fire Q2: Name one piece of tech you believe is overhyped right now – and why. 25:39 – Rapid Fire Q3: In one sentence, what’s your advice for a dealer sitting on 60+ days’ supply of used cars today? 🎧 Listen to more episodes: sellyautomotive.com/podcast 📄 Read the full transcription: https://blog.sellyautomotive.com/blog/inventory-management-with-derek-hansen-vauto
