Wholesale virtual inventory and retail lead generation
First Claim
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1. A vehicle distribution system comprising:
- a database comprising data regarding vehicles for purchase;
a software module embedded in a dealer website associated with a dealer, the dealer website accessible via a dealer website address; and
a vehicle distribution computer system,wherein searches via the software module are routed to the vehicle distribution computer system;
wherein the vehicle distribution system, including the vehicle distribution computer system, is independent of the dealer;
wherein the dealer website is independent of the vehicle distribution computer system;
wherein the vehicle distribution computer system is configured to;
responsive to a vehicle search request submitted by a consumer that visits the dealer website address of the dealer website and submits the vehicle search request via the software module;
generate a filtered set of vehicles from the data in the database according to one or more vehicle filtering criteria set by the vehicle distribution computer system or the dealer, wherein the one or more vehicle filtering criteria are selected to customize the filtered set of vehicles to be a subset of the data in the database according to at least one aspect of the dealer;
return to the consumer via the software module the filtered set of vehicles;
receive, via the software module, an indication of interest from the consumer in at least one vehicle in the filtered set of vehicles;
store the indication of interest from the consumer in at least one vehicle in the filtered set of vehicles; and
transmit to the dealer the indication of interest from the consumer in at least one vehicle via an electronic communication separate from the dealer website.
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Abstract
Embodiments are described herein including systems and methods for presenting vehicles available for wholesale purchase to retail consumers in order to generate a retail “lead” on a specific vehicle prior to acquisition of that vehicle by a dealer. The electronic lead, once generated, is made available to a licensed dealer before the dealer acquires the inventory corresponding to the lead. In contrast to known lead generation models, the lead is created on a specific vehicle that a retail dealer has the ability to purchase, but has not yet taken into inventory.
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Citations
42 Claims
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1. A vehicle distribution system comprising:
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a database comprising data regarding vehicles for purchase; a software module embedded in a dealer website associated with a dealer, the dealer website accessible via a dealer website address; and a vehicle distribution computer system, wherein searches via the software module are routed to the vehicle distribution computer system; wherein the vehicle distribution system, including the vehicle distribution computer system, is independent of the dealer; wherein the dealer website is independent of the vehicle distribution computer system; wherein the vehicle distribution computer system is configured to; responsive to a vehicle search request submitted by a consumer that visits the dealer website address of the dealer website and submits the vehicle search request via the software module; generate a filtered set of vehicles from the data in the database according to one or more vehicle filtering criteria set by the vehicle distribution computer system or the dealer, wherein the one or more vehicle filtering criteria are selected to customize the filtered set of vehicles to be a subset of the data in the database according to at least one aspect of the dealer; return to the consumer via the software module the filtered set of vehicles; receive, via the software module, an indication of interest from the consumer in at least one vehicle in the filtered set of vehicles; store the indication of interest from the consumer in at least one vehicle in the filtered set of vehicles; and transmit to the dealer the indication of interest from the consumer in at least one vehicle via an electronic communication separate from the dealer website. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. An item distribution system comprising:
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a database comprising data regarding items for purchase; a software module embedded in a dealer website associated with a dealer, the dealer website accessible via a dealer website address; and an item distribution computer system, wherein searches via the software module are routed to the item distribution computer system; wherein the item distribution system, including the item distribution computer system, is independent of the dealer; wherein the dealer website is independent of the item distribution computer system; wherein the item distribution computer system is configured to; responsive to an item search request submitted by a consumer that visits the dealer website address of the dealer website and submits the item search request via the software module; generate a filtered set of items from the data in the database according to one or more item filtering criteria set by the item distribution computer system or the dealer, wherein the one or more item filtering criteria are selected to customize the filtered set of items to be a subset of the data in the database according to at least one aspect of the dealer; return to the consumer via the software module the filtered set of items; receive, via the software module, an indication of interest from the consumer in at least one item in the filtered set of items; store the indication of interest from the consumer in at least one item in the filtered set of items; and transmit, via an item distribution computer system website, the indication of interest to the dealer responsive to the dealer logging into the item distribution computer system website. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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Specification