Carvana to add reconditioning capabilities to N.C. wholesale hub
An omnichannel platform for buying and selling used cars is expanding production capacity and inventory in the Charlotte market.
Carvana plans to bring inspection and reconditioning center (IRC) capabilities to its existing ADESA wholesale auction site located in Charlotte. The site measures approximately 50 acres, has nearly 4,000 parking spaces and has hosted wholesale auto auctions for 30 years.
The company has been announcing plans to expand the auction and reconditioning capabilities of existing ADESA centers around the country. Examples in the past year include metro areas such as Sacramento, Sarasota, Chicago, Syracuse and Long Island, N.Y., and San Francisco.
The integration will establish a new pool of Carvana retail inventory, while wholesale buyers will obtain enhanced on-site inspection and reconditioning capabilities and ongoing access to ADESA’s in-lane and digital auction services.
Carvana’s proprietary CARLI software platform will support the site’s transition to an IRC-enabled facility, which the company expects to employ about 100 people.
How Carvana’s e-commerce model works
All vehicles in Carvana’s national inventory come with a seven-day return policy as opposed to a traditional test drive. According to Carvana, this ensures customers have the right amount of time to determine if the vehicle fits their needs.
Customers can also sell their current vehicle to Carvana and receive an offer in as little as five minutes, without having to purchase a vehicle. To sell a vehicle, customers enter their vehicle identification number (VIN) or license plate number on Carvana.com, answer a few questions, and then Carvana can pick up the vehicle and pay them as soon as the next day.
The e-tailer offers same-and next-day delivery of vehicles, in addition to its "car vending machines" in select markets and seven Stellantis dealerships in cities across the country including its first-ever test drive location in Dallas.
[READ MORE: Online retailer disrupts dealership category with ‘car vending’ machines]
“ADESA Charlotte has been an important part of the local community for more than 30 years, and we’re excited to build on that foundation by bringing new capabilities and jobs to the site,” said Brian Boyd, senior VP of inventory at Carvana. “This integration will strengthen our national network while improving selection and delivery speed for North Carolina customers, strengthening our offering for our wholesale customers, and creating new opportunities for our growing Charlotte team.”
Founded in 2012 and based in Phoenix, Carvana provides as-soon-as-next-day delivery to automotive shoppers in over 300 U.S. markets.
