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Episode #1113: Today we cover Amazon’s push into used car sales, Rivian’s legal battle to sell direct in Ohio, and Ikea’s first-ever retail partnership with Best Buy. 

Show Notes with links:

• Amazon Autos now includes used and certified pre-owned vehicles. Starting in Los Angeles with Hyundai dealers, the program will soon roll out to more cities nationwide.
  • Hyundai dealers can now list used and CPO cars, including non-Hyundai models.
  • Vehicles come with a 3-day/300-mile return policy and a 30-day/1,000-mile warranty.
  • Amazon promises transparent pricing, history reports, and no hidden fees.
  • Customers can browse inventory within 75 miles and schedule test drives online.
  • Amazon’s Fan Jin: “This move continues our commitment to support local dealerships, now connecting dealers with more prospective customers online across new, certified pre-owned, and used vehicle categories.”
  • Todd Caputo on LinkedIn: “Amazon sells purchases — not just eyeballs, phone calls, and form fills. Most dealers still make car buying way harder than it has to be. Amazon won’t.”
    
    
    
• Rivian is taking Ohio to court, arguing the state’s 2014 ban on direct-to-consumer sales is unconstitutional — especially since Tesla was granted a carve-out to sell under the very same law.
  • Tesla was allowed to operate three Ohio stores under a special exemption.
  • Rivian already runs service centers in the state but must sell cars elsewhere and deliver them in.
  • Rivian says the law shields franchised dealers and seeks an injunction to stop enforcement of the ban
  • Rivian’s filing states: “It reduces competition, decreases consumer choice and drives up consumer costs and inconvenience — all of which harm consumers — with literally no countervailing benefit.”

• For the first time ever, Ikea is teaming up with another retailer — and the partner is Best Buy. The collaboration will bring mini Ikea showrooms into electronics stores, starting with kitchens and laundry setups.
  • The first 10 hubs launch this fall in Florida and Texas, averaging 1,000 square feet each.
  • Customers can shop Ikea furnishings paired with Best Buy appliances and get design consultations.
  • Two locations will serve as Ikea order pickup centers, expanding fulfillment options.
  • The partnership mirrors Target’s Ulta and Kohl’s Sephora mini-stores — aiming for “one-stop home solutions.”
  • Ikea COO Rob Olson: “This new partnership is really allowing us to bring the Ikea experience closer to where people live.”

Join Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier every morning for the Automotive State of the Union podcast as they connect the dots across car dealerships, retail trends, emerging tech like AI, and cultural shifts—bringing clarity, speed, and people-first insight to automotive leaders navigating a rapidly changing industry.

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