Inventory Manager

[Stefan]

Our dealer has been using dealer specialties for few years. About one year ago I decided to take my own pictures...

Now I am looking for an alternative...

I am wondering what are you using? Why? Why? Why? Why else?

Few thinks I am looking for:

A reliable company that wants to work with me!

Ability to load my own Pictures and Video (Video Walk-around...coming in 2010)

Print Labels and Buyers Guides

Custom Craigslist template...

Pricing tool

Integration with Reynolds

Must be competible with Cobalt

All the other things you guys are using and I don't... yet

Thanks,

 

[Matt DoCampo]

I'm using eBizAutos. Not sure about Cobalt integration but eBiz is a pretty big company so I imagine they are compatible.

I shoot all photos and video for our store. I had no issues when we removed their data collectors from our store. They can provide the graphic design for the initial window sticker template. We print our own here with a $50 color printer. My only gripe with their window sticker module is the inability to load Chrome factory options onto it. For example if I have an LS460 here, I can list on the website that it has the Mark Levinson Audio and Nav package, but it will not show on the window sticker. Just general info like power seats, a/c, etc. Their support folks are great, but a bit overloaded.

If I had a choice and could do it all over again, I would probably have eCarList put on another dog and pony show for us. Their pricing tool really impressed me. Especially the ability to monitor competitor's used car pricing. Most of their clients shoot their own photos and video. I am not sure of window sticker compatibility, but I'm sure that's an easy fix.

 

[kansasshaun]

AutoUpLink USA has a great option which includes an integrated camera and great customer service. I own a franchise in Kansas City and have worked with multiple other companies. You might give them a call. They are much cheaper than eBiz and also have video and uTube Video. If you have other questions just let me know. [email protected]

 

[Alex Snyder]

We too do everything in-house. HomeNet was who we started using for inventory control, photo hosting, and sticker printing. They were great! Later, our CRM company (iMagicLab) launched a tool that could handle these needs for us, and it didn't make sense to pay for two tools. However, we still buy our sticker templates from HomeNet even though we shifted to iMagicLab - the quality is outstanding!

Be careful with automatic Craigslist uploaders. There are some new rules with Craigslist that could get you blacklisted if you do too much.

 

[idkmybffamir]

I'm using eBizAutos. Not sure about Cobalt integration but eBiz is a pretty big company so I imagine they are compatible.

I shoot all photos and video for our store. I had no issues when we removed their data collectors from our store. They can provide the graphic design for the initial window sticker template. We print our own here with a $50 color printer. My only gripe with their window sticker module is the inability to load Chrome factory options onto it. For example if I have an LS460 here, I can list on the website that it has the Mark Levinson Audio and Nav package, but it will not show on the window sticker. Just general info like power seats, a/c, etc. Their support folks are great, but a bit overloaded.

If I had a choice and could do it all over again, I would probably have eCarList put on another dog and pony show for us. Their pricing tool really impressed me. Especially the ability to monitor competitor's used car pricing. Most of their clients shoot their own photos and video. I am not sure of window sticker compatibility, but I'm sure that's an easy fix.

eBiz was good, except they tried charging us $150 to paste two lines of text on our homepage. When we asked why they said because it costs $75 an hour and it will take them two hours to copy, paste, save, upload to ftp, and overwrite.

Now we're on TK and have the ability to change our homepage whenever we want

 

[Stefan]

We too do everything in-house. HomeNet was who we started using for inventory control, photo hosting, and sticker printing. They were great! Later, our CRM company (iMagicLab) launched a tool that could handle these needs for us, and it didn't make sense to pay for two tools. However, we still buy our sticker templates from HomeNet even though we shifted to iMagicLab - the quality is outstanding!

Be careful with automatic Craigslist uploaders. There are some new rules with Craigslist that could get you blacklisted if you do too much.

Just got of the phone with DealerSocket... I guess they have their Inventory manager up and running. Since we will start using DealerSocket CRM next month I should probably wait and see what they have.

Anybody using DealerSocket Inventory Manager?

I should check in to the Craigslist new rules... Thanks Alex

 

[Stefan]

DealerSpecialties just emailed me and offered to help out... Great Service

Thanks Andy

 

[joe.pistell]

We're a big Homenet user. Do as much as we can inhouse. 2 thumbs up for HomeNet!

p.s. We've had NO LUCK with automatic Craiglist listing tools. We even built our own and CL still nabbed us.

 

[umer.autojini]

If you want to do buyers guides manually... then grab a PDF from here... and just complete and print...

 

[mattwatson81]

We're a big Homenet user. Do as much as we can inhouse. 2 thumbs up for HomeNet!

p.s. We've had NO LUCK with automatic Craiglist listing tools. We even built our own and CL still nabbed us.

I don't understand why Craigslist doesn't just charge for vehicle listings from car dealers and make a support interface to do the postings....