When you’re selling a used car, the price isn’t just about what you paid for it or how many miles are on the odometer. It’s about how long that car has been sitting on the lot-and how many others like it are sitting there too. That’s where market days’ supply comes in. It’s not a fancy term, but it’s one of the most powerful tools you can use to set the right price and sell faster.
What Market Days’ Supply Actually Means
Market days’ supply is simply how many days it would take to sell all the cars currently available, if sales kept going at the current pace. If there are 100 Honda Civics on lots in your area and you sell 10 per week, that’s 10 weeks’ supply, or about 70 days. Simple math. But the impact? Huge.
Think of it like a grocery store. If you walk in and see 20 cartons of eggs on the shelf, and you know they sell 5 a day, you know those eggs will be gone in four days. If you’re the store owner, you’re not going to raise the price. You’re going to run a deal before they go bad. Cars work the same way.
High days’ supply? Buyers have options. They’ll wait. They’ll compare. They’ll lowball. Low days’ supply? Buyers are desperate. They’ll pay more. They’ll skip the inspection. They’ll buy sight unseen.
How to Find Market Days’ Supply for Your Car
You don’t need a fancy database or a dealership license to find this. Start with the big listing sites: Autotrader, Cars.com, CarGurus. Search for your exact make, model, year, and trim. Filter by your ZIP code or a 50-mile radius.
Count how many listings show up. Then check the average number of sales per week for that model in your area. You can estimate this by looking at how many listings disappear every week. Or check the seller’s history-if a dealer lists 15 of the same model every month, that’s roughly 3-4 per week.
Example: You’ve got a 2020 Toyota RAV4 LE with 45,000 miles. You search your area and find 68 listings. Last week, 12 sold. 68 divided by 12 = 5.7 weeks. That’s about 40 days’ supply. That’s high. You’re not in a seller’s market.
Now compare that to a 2018 Subaru Outback with the same mileage. Only 12 listings. 10 sold last week. That’s 1.2 days’ supply. Buyers are snapping those up. You could price yours higher and still sell fast.
What High Days’ Supply Does to Your Price
When supply is high, buyers hold all the power. They know there are 10 other RAV4s just like yours down the street. They’ll check every one. They’ll ask for $1,500 off because “this one has a scratch.”
If your car sits for more than 30 days, the price drops. Not because it’s getting older-because buyers assume it’s been sitting for a reason. They think it’s overpriced. Or it has a hidden problem. Or the dealer is desperate.
Real data from a dealer network in the Southeast shows that cars sitting over 45 days drop in value by 6-8% on average. That’s not inflation. That’s perception. And it’s avoidable.
Here’s the rule: If days’ supply is above 45, you need to price 5-7% below the average listing. Not below the average sale. Below the average listing. Buyers are comparing listed prices, not sold prices. You want to be the first one they click on.
What Low Days’ Supply Lets You Do
Low days’ supply is your golden ticket. If there are fewer than 15 cars like yours on the market and they’re selling in under 10 days, you’re in a sweet spot.
Buyers are racing to get one. They’re not waiting for a better deal. They’re not haggling over $300. They’re calling you before they even test drive.
That’s when you can price at or even above the average sold price. You don’t need to undercut. You don’t need to offer free oil changes. You just need to make sure your photos are clear, your description is honest, and your price reflects scarcity.
One dealer in Asheville priced a 2019 Ford Mustang GT with 32,000 miles at $2,000 above the average sold price because there were only three others in a 60-mile radius-and all three sold within 48 hours. He got his price. No negotiation.
How to Adjust Your Price Based on Days’ Supply
Here’s a simple system:
- Find your car’s current market days’ supply (using the method above).
- Set your price based on this:
- Under 15 days: Price at the top 20% of recent sales. You’re in a seller’s market.
- 15-30 days: Price at the median sold price. Fair market. No pressure.
- 31-45 days: Price 3-5% below median. Start lowering to attract attention.
- Over 45 days: Price 7-10% below median. You’re fighting for attention.
Check the market every two weeks. If your car hasn’t sold and days’ supply has gone up, drop the price. If days’ supply dropped because three similar cars sold last week? You might be able to raise it.
Why This Works Better Than Kelley Blue Book
Kelley Blue Book, Edmunds, NADA-they give you a number based on national averages. But national averages don’t care about your town. If 80% of the RAV4s in Charlotte are selling for $21,500, but you’re in Boone and there are 50 listings and only 3 sales a week? Your car is worth less than the book says.
Market days’ supply tells you what’s happening right now, right where you are. It’s local, real-time, and ruthless. It doesn’t lie. If your car’s been sitting for 60 days, the book doesn’t know that. Buyers do.
Use the book as a starting point. Then adjust based on what’s actually moving in your area.
What to Do If Your Car Is Sitting Too Long
If your car has been listed for more than 45 days and no one’s biting, it’s not the car. It’s the price. Or the photos. Or both.
First, drop the price by 7%. Then, take new photos. Natural light. Clean interior. Show the tires, the brakes, the spare key. Buyers don’t trust listings with blurry pictures.
Also, update the description. Don’t just say “great condition.” Say “no accidents, full service history, fresh oil, new tires in October 2025.” Specifics build trust.
If it’s still sitting after 60 days? You’re not going to get your original price. Accept that. Move on. Price it to sell. You’ll make more in the long run by turning inventory fast than by holding out for a dream buyer.
How Dealers Use This to Make More Money
Smart dealers don’t just list cars. They track days’ supply for every model they carry. They know when to mark up and when to discount. They know which models are hot and which are dead weight.
They’ll buy a car at auction for $15,000 and sit on it for 90 days if the days’ supply is low. They’ll sell it for $19,000. But if the days’ supply spikes? They’ll sell it for $16,500 and move on.
They’re not gambling. They’re calculating. And you can do the same.
Even if you’re selling privately, you’re still running a tiny dealership. Your inventory is one car. Your goal? Sell it fast, at the best possible price. Market days’ supply is your compass.
Final Tip: Watch the Trend, Not Just the Number
Don’t just check days’ supply once. Check it every two weeks. Is it going up? Down? Stable?
If days’ supply for your car model dropped from 50 to 25 in a month, that’s a signal. Maybe a recall was fixed. Maybe a new model came out. Maybe people are starting to like this year again. That’s your chance to raise your price slightly before the market catches up.
If it went from 18 to 42? Something’s wrong. Maybe the model has a known issue. Maybe fuel prices changed. Maybe buyers are shifting to EVs. You need to react fast.
Market days’ supply isn’t a one-time number. It’s a live dashboard. Check it. Adjust. Sell faster. Make more.
What’s a good market days’ supply for a used car?
A good market days’ supply is between 15 and 30 days. That means the car is moving at a healthy pace-buyers are interested, but not desperate. Below 15 days is a seller’s market-you can price higher. Above 45 days means you’re in trouble and need to lower your price.
Does market days’ supply change by season?
Yes. SUVs and trucks often see lower days’ supply in late winter and early spring as people prepare for road trips. Convertibles and sports cars drop in supply during summer. Sedans tend to stay steady. Always check the trend for your specific model and season.
Can I use market days’ supply for new cars too?
Not really. New cars are controlled by manufacturer allocations and dealer quotas. Days’ supply matters more for used cars, where inventory is unpredictable and pricing is driven by local demand. Stick to used vehicles for this method.
How do I know if I’m pricing too high?
If your car has been listed for more than 30 days with no serious offers, you’re likely overpriced. Check the days’ supply for your exact model. If it’s over 45, you need to drop your price by at least 5%. Also, compare your listing to the top three most viewed cars in your area.
Is market days’ supply the same as inventory turnover?
Yes, essentially. Inventory turnover is a business term for how quickly stock sells. Market days’ supply is the same idea, just flipped-it tells you how many days the current inventory will last at current sales rates. Both are used to manage pricing and avoid dead stock.
