New pricing data is putting numbers behind a trend independent dealers have felt coming for years: more car buyers want to skip the salesperson entirely. A Catalyst IQ analysis found Carvana charging up to $4,533 more than local competitors on select Stellantis models, such as the Ram 2500, while still turning inventory nearly twice as fast as traditional dealers (69 percent versus 39 percent). Buyers are paying a premium to avoid the negotiation table altogether.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That fits a broader shift away from the sales floor. According to McKinsey research cited by ConsumerAffairs, 29 percent of car buyers now say they want an entirely online purchase experience. That preference is strongest among younger buyers: 34 percent of Gen Z shoppers say they’d order their next vehicle online with no dealership visit at all, compared with just 19 percent of buyers 45 and older. A 2026 Urban Science\/Harris Poll found that a quarter of buyers are more likely to buy entirely online than they were just a year ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The traditional salesperson pitch isn’t dead, but for a growing share of shoppers, it’s something to avoid rather than seek out. Many buyers increasingly want a transaction that feels closer to “add to cart” than a negotiation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For independent used car dealers, that’s the real headline. Customers aren’t only comparing prices anymore; they’re comparing experiences. Independents can’t out-scale a national retailer, but they can out-simplify the process, with transparent online pricing, digital paperwork, and a lower-pressure buying journey. The dealers who make buying feel less like a negotiation and more like a transaction will be the ones who keep today’s browser-first buyers coming back.<\/p>\n
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