Vehicle hire companies are increasingly using e-commerce to dispose of defleet stock straight into franchise dealer networks, reports Epyx.

The company says that a rising number of rental specialists that use its 1link Hire Network platform to manage hire cars and vans are then using its 1link Disposal Network platform to sell them.

Specialists following this trend include A.M.T. Vehicle Rental, Reflex Vans, SSH Self Drive and more.

David Goodyear, commercial director, said: “This is a model that makes sense for everyone in the supply chain.

“Hire companies can dispose of vehicles straight into a highly receptive network of buyers, dealers get access to high quality stock and manufacturers see their residual values boosted by demand.”

Goodyear added that the development was part of a longer term trend toward increasing levels of online disposal that had seen 1link Disposal Network become Epyx’s fastest growing platform.

He said: “We are seeing substantial, ongoing growth in both our seller and buyer communities. The advantages of online disposal platforms are gaining more and more traction in the market.”