Quick question for the Toyota Guys in the Room.

[ArtMorris]

@Rick: Thank you for sharing your idea. We both benefited, 'cause I'm implementing the same thing for my Toyota stores.

@Jeff, MBisset, bzweifel: I think the Ford approach to the window stickers is best: free public access for the last ten model years. It would be nice to have that for all manufacturers.

 

[MBissett]

Art, couldn't agree with you more. Kudos to you and Rick for working out an alternative and sharing it with the rest of us, very much appreciated!

 

[bzweifel]

Did anyone else receive an email or it is a coincidence?

 

[Rick Buffkin]

Email from who?? I haven't received any emails yet. Still working with DDC to get the VSPEC's linked. I keep running into a wall.

BZ- did you get all your VSPEC's Downloaded?

 

[Rick Buffkin]

Ok guys. This is where I'm at so far with this project. I haven't gone over this with DDC yet but I'm pretty sure this should not be an issue to plug into the website. I orginally wanted DDC to set up a link on their side that would autofill the link once the user clicked on the "Get Window Sticker" icon on the website but I kept running into a wall. So here is my other idea. Have a form field on the page so the user can copy and paste the vin # into the form field. Once the user clicks on submit, it will autofill the text from the form into the section of the link I tell it to (Link to the specific URL where the VSPEC is hosted) and remove the empty spaces from the form. Here is the javascript that will do just this.

<script>
function convertURL() {
document.go.url.value = document.go.url.value.replace( /\s/g, "");
var url = document.getElementsByName( "url")[0];
var fullurl = document.getElementsByName( "fullurl")[0];
fullurl.value = "http://www.YOUR-URL.com/"+ url.value +".pdf";
}
</script>
<form name= "go" onsubmit='convertURL();location.href=fullurl.value;return false'>
<input name='url' type='text' /> <input name='fullurl' type='hidden' />
<input type='submit' value=" Get Window Sticker " />

</form>

I do need a little help from you guys. This script works fine. I want it to open a new window once the user clicks on Submit. Right now it opens in the parent window. So the user can open the new page but it takes them off of my primary website. the user has to hit the BACK button to go back to the page they were on. Where and how do I plug in the
"onClick=window.open ()" peice into my current script?

 

[yagoparamo]

Not that I know of, but a great idea none the less.



Maybe we could find enough Toyota dealers that use the same website provider, and then synchronously send that provider the request to automate this [a petition of sorts]. They would probably make it if enough dealers ask for it. Is this wishful thinking?

I use Cobalt... anyone else?

I think that the largest website provider for Toyota dealers nationwide is Naked Lime (believe it or not!)

 

[Rick Buffkin]

Well guys, I finally got the links placed onto my inventory pages today for window stickers. They are working exactly as planned from the beginning. I did have to go a few rounds with my account manager at DDC to get this in place after being told that it wasn't possible. It is up and running and working well. Have a look! Pick a car and click into the details page.

Beaman Toyota | Nashville Camry, Corolla, Prius, Sienna, Tundra - near Franklin, Murfreesboro & Madison TN

 

[mcampo2501]

Wow! I was with a Toyota store forever and would have loved having that ability. That saves countless hours of downloading the pdf from dealer daily and attaching it to an email. Could this work for certifieds as well?

 

[MBissett]

Well guys, I finally got the links placed onto my inventory pages today for window stickers. They are working exactly as planned from the beginning. I did have to go a few rounds with my account manager at DDC to get this in place after being told that it wasn't possible. It is up and running and working well. Have a look! Pick a car and click into the details page.

Beaman Toyota | Nashville Camry, Corolla, Prius, Sienna, Tundra - near Franklin, Murfreesboro & Madison TN

Awesome work Rick! I'm working with our website vendor now to see if we can implement the same functionality. Thanks again for sharing!!!