Sourcing That Sells: Turning Your Dealership Into a Buying Machine

Inventory sourcing is the beating heart of any used car operation—and right now, it’s the issue keeping dealers up at night. In Season 2, Episode 10 of LotTalk, hosts Erik Vigil, John Anderson, and Renaldo Leonard dig into the sourcing challenges dealers face and share practical ways to stay ahead. Their conversation is filled with insights on avoiding aged inventory traps, shifting sourcing strategies, and training staff to treat every interaction as an opportunity to acquire vehicles.

The Inventory Dilemma: Don’t Just Fill the Lot

The panel agreed that today’s market requires dealers to be more intentional than ever. As Vigil put it, “I can’t just fill my lot to fill my lot. I can’t just fill a hole and hope and pray that that car sells. They have to go into it with intentions” .

Too many operators are still buying based on habit or panic after a few strong sales days. That reactive approach leads to poor acquisition decisions, mismatched inventory, and eventually—aged cars sitting on the lot. Dealers need to stop thinking about “filling holes” and start thinking about stocking what actually sells in their market.

Rip Off the Band-Aid on Aged Units

Leonard emphasized the importance of addressing aged inventory quickly. Vehicles that bleed into the 45- or 60-day buckets rarely become more profitable. The longer they sit, the smaller the margin gets. His advice: be willing to admit a mistake, move on, and avoid repeating it .

This is where using recent sales data is critical. By analyzing which vehicles sell fastest in your market—and at what price points—you can set tighter stocking plans. The goal isn’t to overload the lot but to match your fresh inventory to your actual two-week sell rate.

Think Like a Buying Center

One of the strongest themes in the episode was the idea of shifting dealership culture. Dealers put enormous effort into telling the world they sell cars, but not enough into telling customers they also buy cars.

“Everybody knows that we sell cars as a dealer,” said Leonard. “But how many times do we convey that message to the consumer out in the street—that we also buy cars?”

Some actionable takeaways:

• Train every salesperson to ask about trades on every deal, even when the customer says they’re keeping their old vehicle.
• Market your buying message. Make sure “We Buy Cars” shows up on your Google listing, social media, and dealership signage.
• Pay employees to source vehicles. Instead of spending $500 in auction fees, consider giving that money to staff who bring in quality cars. It motivates the team and expands your sourcing network.
• Treat service lanes as sourcing opportunities. Every customer with a vehicle in your shop is a potential seller.

One dealer built a full-fledged buying center and now acquires hundreds of units monthly—even though they’re not in a major metro. That level of success took years, but the principle applies everywhere: sourcing starts with mindset.

Stop Waiting for Thursdays

Another pitfall is sticking to outdated buying rhythms. Too many dealers still wait for “auction day” each week. Vigil warned that this approach means you’re constantly chasing the market. Instead, dealers should review inventory daily, match buying decisions to their two-week sales rate, and adjust based on live data .

As Leonard said, sometimes you have to slow down to speed up. Looking at the data every day allows you to make small, intentional purchases instead of bulk panic buys that rarely line up with customer demand.

Don’t Ignore the Lower Price Point Market

A shortage of vehicles under $15,000 continues to plague the industry. Many dealers shy away from these cars, worried about potential problems and customer complaints. But as Leonard pointed out, that hesitancy may be fueling the gap. With the right reconditioning strategy and F&I protection products, those vehicles can still serve a valuable role in your inventory mix .

The key is not to assume customers won’t buy them. Data shows demand is strong in that $15K–$20K range. Ignoring it risks leaving money on the table.

Action Steps Dealers Can Take Now

1. Audit your messaging. Does your online presence clearly say you buy cars? If not, change it.
2. Build sourcing into daily culture. Incentivize staff to bring in vehicles, from porters to salespeople.
3. Use a two-week sell rate strategy. Match new acquisitions to what’s actually moving, not just what you hope will sell.
4. Don’t delay addressing aged units. Rip off the band-aid and reinvest in fresher, faster-moving cars.
5. Revisit overlooked price points. Don’t avoid affordable vehicles—they may be your fastest movers if managed correctly.

Conclusion: Intentionality Wins

The used car market isn’t short on challenges, but as the hosts made clear, opportunities are everywhere if you train your team, leverage data, and treat your store as both a selling hub and a buying center. The days of casually filling the lot are over. Dealers who embrace intentional sourcing will be the ones with cleaner lots, faster turns, and healthier profits.