Photo: Jim Farley on Twitter / Ford Finder / autoevolution edit
Ford is officially joining the online sales party. Although looking at inventory online has been a thing for quite some time, what the Blue Oval is trying to do here with "Ford Finder" is adopt a modified version of Tesla's direct sales model. It's an important step, but it might have come a bit too late. Here's the gist of it.
In 2022, a Ford F-150 Lightning Pro all-electric work truck was being offered at $36,000 over sticker. A year and a month later, the brand was struggling to move inventory and cut prices across the board. But prospective buyers struggled with absurd market adjustments for far too long and were almost ready to throw in the towel.
The automaker announced an ultimatum for dealerships that wanted to continue selling its EVs, but nothing of substance happened.
Fortunately for Ford, no economic crisis came, and the new pricing policy coincided with a renewed dealer appetite for selling more cars at lower prices. Things are now rather stable price-wise. Markups, bogus fees, and questionable add-ons are no longer common. Discounts or sweeter deals are once again the norm.
All that makes the new no-haggle sales platform's silent debut a bit underwhelming. Americans needed it most two years ago when middlemen were playing all sorts of tricks to squeeze more dollars out of potential buyers.
However, it's still a good step forward. Dealerships that have the Model e Certified Elite status and agreed to invest $900,000 in charging infrastructure can list their F-150 Lightnings or Mustang Mach-Es on that dedicated website and attract more customers.
Tesla made ordering a new vehicle as easy as buying an iPhone. Rivian followed suit. Ford wants to do it, too. The problem is that sales aren't going very well at the moment. Many middlemen are already offering discounts, especially since the battery-electric crossover SUV is already filling many parking lots.
A car that's sitting for too long isn't making anyone money, and over 260 days of inventory for the Mustang Mach-E is a clear sign that something's not going right. Dealers might be willing to negotiate more if you're paying them a visit. But if you're buying online, you have to agree to the price that appears on the screen or back out.
Photo: Ford.com
It almost feels like Ford timed the launch of this thing to help its dealers make more out of each F-150 Lightning or Mustang Mach-E sale.
Even more interestingly, the disclaimers you automatically agree to say that Ford "makes no warranties, representations, or guarantees of any kind, express or implied, including but not limited to, accuracy, currency, or completeness, the operation of the Site, the information, materials, content, availability, and products." Basically, it's up to you and the authorized seller you chose to figure things out and make everything work.
Still, the new online platform is a great way to find your ideal spec, check for deals, and eventually buy a new zero-emission ride. As more dealers join, the search will become simpler. It also shows that Jim Farley keeps his promises. But the pricing policy will also stabilize, and generous discounts might become hard to find as more and more third parties rally behind Ford's cost strategy.
Participating dealers have until July 2024 to learn how the platform works, add their available units on there, and accept an order if it comes through. It remains to be seen if this venture will be successful now that factories are running normally and there are no supply chain troubles.
Car shows on TV and his father's Fiat Tempra may have been Florin's early influences, but nowadays he favors different things, like the power of an F-150 Raptor. He'll never be able to ignore the shape of a Ferrari though, especially a yellow one. Full profile
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