A vehicle sourcing plan helps dealers decide how many cars to order from Japan, when to buy again and how much cash to keep available. Start with the cars your customers already ask for. Limit the first order to a batch you can fund through arrival and sale, then use the results to plan repeat purchases.
Key takeaways
- Choose a first batch that tests a clear sales assumption and leaves cash for arrival costs.
- Count suitable cars already on sale, in preparation and on order before buying replacements.
- Set both a vehicle limit and a total spending limit for every buying period.
Define what the first order should test
A first bulk vehicle order from Japan should answer a specific business question. Can you sell a familiar model at your planned price after all costs? Can your workshop prepare the cars without a queue? Can you pay the next invoices before the first sales money arrives?
Choose a narrow selection so you can interpret the results. If every car has a different price, age and buyer, a slow sale will tell you little about what to reorder. Keep an unfamiliar specification to a small part of the batch.
- Sales evidence: use your completed sales, actual selling prices and customer enquiries. A local listing price alone does not show what buyers will pay.
- Vehicle limits: specify model alternatives, age, mileage, condition, equipment and defects you will not accept.
- Destination checks: have your local specialist confirm eligibility for the exact vehicles before purchase. Start with the relevant country page, then check current official requirements.
- Review point: set a date to compare the batch with the plan, including any cars still unsold.
Set a cash limit before a vehicle limit
Do not divide your bank balance by auction prices. Money will also be needed for transport, freight, local charges and preparation. Some invoices may fall due before a car reaches your forecourt.
Build a dated cash forecast. Record each payment when it is due and each receipt when you reasonably expect to collect it. Keep the costs of the first batch separate from rent, salaries and other operating commitments.
Illustrative example only, not a Sumotori price or recommended budget: a dealer allocates 60,000 units of local currency to an import trial. The dealer keeps 12,000 uncommitted for uncertainty. That leaves 48,000 for the full cost of the vehicles through sale preparation. At an estimated 8,000 per car, the initial limit is six cars. If the estimate rises to 8,800, five cars fit; six would require 52,800 and use part of the reserve.
This is a first budget check. Next, place the payments on a calendar. If the balance falls below your minimum cash reserve in any week, reduce or delay the purchase. Use the landed-cost guide for the cost categories; the task here is to decide how many vehicles you can fund at the same time.
Put payment dates and shipment dates on separate lines
An order for six cars does not mean six cars will be purchased or shipped together. Agree how long the exporter should search, how many purchases you can approve and what happens if only part of the batch is ready.
For auction buying, ask your exporter for the relevant sale days and the deadline for your instructions. The USS auction process separates the auction, payment and document handover. Its member procedures are not your exporter’s payment terms, so obtain those terms in writing.
| Date to record | Question to resolve |
|---|---|
| Purchase approval | Who approves the car and total commitment? Can several buyers act at once? |
| Payment due | What amount must arrive, in which currency, and by what date? |
| Car and documents ready | What is still missing before this car can join a shipment? |
| Carrier deadline and departure | Which dates are confirmed, and which remain estimates? |
| Ready for sale | What local clearance, inspection or preparation must happen after arrival? |
| Customer payment | When will cleared sales money be available for another purchase? |
Ask for two shipping estimates when consolidation matters: sending the ready cars first, and holding them for the rest. Compare extra storage, a later sale date and any freight saving. Do not buy an unsuitable car just to complete a batch. The post-auction guide explains the export stages in more detail.
Build a recurring vehicle sourcing plan from sales and open orders
For repeat orders, count all suitable vehicles that will be available for the period you are planning. Include cars on sale, cars being prepared and confirmed purchases still in Japan or in transit. Exclude cars already allocated to customers. Separate uncertain arrivals so they do not hide a likely shortage.
Planning calculation: next order = expected sales before the new order is ready for sale + desired stock remaining at that date − suitable unallocated cars on hand and on confirmed orders. If the result is below zero, no additional order is indicated by this calculation.
Illustrative example: you expect to sell eight cars before a new purchase could be ready for sale. You want four cars left at that point. You have five suitable cars locally and three on confirmed orders, all unallocated. The next order is 8 + 4 − 5 − 3 = four cars. Buying eight simply because last month’s sales were eight would overlook the cars already ordered.
Run the calculation by vehicle group. Three vans in transit do not fill a shortage of compact cars. Then apply the cash limit: a calculated need for four cars is not permission to buy four if you can fund only two.
Measure results before increasing the next batch
Keep a row for each chassis number. Record purchase date, total actual cost, date ready for sale, selling price and date you received payment. Leave unsold cars in the review; looking only at completed sales can make a weak batch appear successful.
| Measure | What it tells you to change |
|---|---|
| Actual cost versus budget | Revise the allowance for the specific fee, preparation job or exchange-rate difference. |
| Days from purchase to ready for sale | Adjust how far ahead to order; identify the stage causing the wait. |
| Days ready for sale but unsold | Reduce purchases of slow specifications or review price and condition. |
| Sale proceeds less direct vehicle costs | Check the return before business overheads, finance costs and income taxes. |
| Lowest forecast cash balance | Reduce overlapping orders if upcoming payments leave too little cash. |
Review the forecast weekly while the batch is moving. Before approving a larger order, check both the sold cars and the money still tied up in the remaining stock. If you plan to reach 10–20 purchases a month, test whether your cash, preparation capacity and sales can support that volume. It is a business target, not a minimum order or a promised result.
Give the exporter one set of buying instructions
Send a dealer enquiry to Sumotori Auto with your destination, target vehicle groups, first-batch quantity and total budget. Explain what the budget includes and give the date you need stock available for sale. Sumotori’s dealer service covers auction and stock sourcing, Japan-side export support and shipping coordination.
For ongoing purchases, agree the controls below before several team members start buying:
- One person responsible for the total budget, with a backup contact.
- A maximum number of cars and a total spending ceiling for the buying period.
- A list of substitutions that need fresh approval, such as a different engine or higher mileage.
- A shared record of active bids, stock reservations and confirmed purchases.
- An update schedule that names the next action, responsible person and expected date for each delayed car.
Sumotori’s published Yokozuna dealer tools include purchase tracking, balance monitoring and access for multiple managers. Use those records alongside your own cash forecast. Confirm account features and commercial terms for your arrangement; terms offered for one destination or dealer programme should not be assumed to apply to another.
Frequently asked questions
What if the next suitable car is above the approved budget?
Ask for a new approval before committing. Show the extra total cost and its effect on available cash. If the limit stays unchanged, wait for another vehicle or agree a different specification.
Can customer deposits fund the next batch?
Keep deposits tied to the relevant customer orders until you have checked refund obligations, local rules and the cash needed to complete those orders. Do not treat a refundable deposit as collected profit.
This article provides general planning information for business buyers. The calculations are illustrative, not Sumotori quotations or forecasts. Confirm purchase terms with your exporter and current import, tax and accounting requirements with the relevant local specialists. This article does not constitute a public offer.
