Director Jeremy Nowling oversees sales, digital retailing, and tech implementation across all the Rohrman Auto Group stores in Illinois and Indiana.
The group just launched all 20 of their rooftops on Amazon Autos, and they’ve already had a car deal get signed, sealed, and delivered.
Driving the news: Nowling and his team set up the digital storefronts over a span of 60 to 90 days. He considers it a free opportunity for dealers.
"When you think about the millions of consumers that currently have a garage or a Prime account, our inventory potentially is now in front of all of those customers as they search," Nowling told Daily Dealer Live host Sam D'Arc.
Amazon Autos allows dealers to sell all brands of pre-owned vehicles, as well as new vehicles from Hyundai, Kia, Mazda, and Subaru. The Rohrman stores participate accordingly.
Why it matters: Nowling said he doesn’t frame it as an Amazon vs. third-party listing sites but rather as an Amazon vs. Carvana.
He thinks dealers who build storefronts and earn reviews now will get the competitive advantage over those who don’t.
"We all remember when Carvana was trading for $3 a share, and they were selling cars hard,” Nowling said. “Think about the model five years down the road, or three years down the road when more and more consumers believe in that end-to-end purchase — and our storefronts have been live for years, gathering reviews and building a model process."
Plus, he said, it’s a cheap entry, given that there are no fees, no separate pricing strategy, and no new infrastructure.
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The nuts and bolts: Customers find inventory, see pricing, complete financing, select F&I products, and arrange pickup through Amazon.
Wet signatures still happen at the store.
Pricing flows directly from Rohrman's merchandising tool, so the price on Amazon matches the website and third-party listings exactly.
Amazon has three lending partners; deals that fall outside those can be worked through the dealer's own channels.
Rohrman also gets first right of refusal on trades: if they pass, Amazon routes it through ACV.
And because there are no fees at this time, Rohrman keeps all profit on the vehicle, financing, and F&I.
Per Nowling: The Illinois stores went live first, and then Indiana. Within days of the Indiana launch, Rohrman had its first customer, which was a Chicago-based buyer.
The customer completed the transaction in the app and then drove to the group's Schaumburg location for delivery.
"She didn't want to be videoed as our first Amazon customer," Nowling said. "But the rest of the experience was phenomenal. We had balloons, a bow. They were welcomed by everybody and celebrated."
Bottom line: Nowling suggests that skeptical dealers compare it to third-party close rates, and remember Amazon isn't taking a cut.
"You keep all your profits on the financing, the products, and the vehicle. So what do you have to lose?"
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