New and used vehicle inventory drying up due to COVID-19

As dealerships were forced to shut down their showrooms, auction lanes closed, jobless claims peaked, and car sales fell off a cliff in April, the industry was laser-focused on consumer demand. Fortunately, May brought incentives, stimulus checks, and pent-up demand, which drove consumers back to dealership lots. However, because inventory has not been replenished, the industry’s problem has shifted from demand to supply.