Here's how the Amazon-Hertz deal could threaten dealers

Hertz's partnership with Amazon is another step in the e-commerce giant’s march into auto sales. Hertz wants to sell cars directly to consumers. But the broader shift toward direct online sales could spell trouble for dealerships, even large ones such as AutoNation, Group1, Sonic Automotive, Penske, and Asbury. Wholesale auction companies such as Manheim and AVC are also liable to be watching the deal, as direct to consumer sales could threaten their inventories.