J.D. Power is entering the auto auction business.

The market research firm is collaborating with Superior Integrated Auctions to launch J.D. Power Marketplace, an online auction marketplace for auto dealers designed to “bring the traditional auction process online,” the companies said in a news release, giving dealers access to more than 30,000 front-line ready vehicles.

The companies said thousands of those vehicles are only available on the J.D. Power Marketplace.

“Dealers still struggle with the lingering effects of the pandemic, global supply chain disruptions and semiconductor shortages that continue to impact new vehicle production,” Superior Integrated Auctions chief operating officer Jeremie Beckner said. “The ability to strategically acquire and dispose of used vehicles has become crucial to success. … Bringing auctions online eliminates the need for dealers to travel to physical locations to find and purchase the vehicles they need.”

SIA said the J.D. Power Marketplace offers dealers a “unique and comprehensive auction experience” featuring vehicles from fleet providers affiliated with J.D. Power, as well as inventory from dealerships, leasing companies and car rental companies.

That large supply of inventory, the companies said, creates more competitive prices than local auctions.

“Prices for used vehicles at physical auctions have skyrocketed due to high demand,” J.D. Power Dealer Technology president Phillip Battista said, “straining dealership budgets and reducing profitability. J.D. Power Marketplace offers a large volume of the high-quality, low-mileage vehicles consumers desire, and those vehicles deliver better margins for dealers.”

J.D. Power Marketplace provide real-time search, live simulcasts, intragroup websites, automated bidding and an activity tracker for monitoring bidding and purchases. Notifications alert dealers to important events and sellers benefit from advanced reporting, account management, and auction management tools, the companies said.

The SIA platform is designed to integrate with third-party inventory management applications and has a built-in integration with J.D. Power solutions, as well as OEMs, financial institutions, and various third-party technologies that service consignors and auctions.

The platform is also available as a white-label program, allowing dealerships to customize marketplaces to meet the needs of their customers and partners.

Currently, the companies said, more than 11,000 dealerships have access to the J.D. Power Marketplace at no cost.

J.D. Power said the auction platform is a product of its 2021 acquisition of Darwin Automotive and its parent company Superior Integrated Solutions, combining J.D. Power’s industry data and analytics with Darwin’s technology.