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Imports

General Import Information

We import inventory information into Dealer Car Search from many possible sources.

There are three main processes that can be used to import inventory information for a dealership:

  1. File Imports - We receive inventory information in a delimited file sent to us from a third party via FTP transfer
    1. 1. FTP Post - These imports consist of a single file delivered to an individual FTP folder for each dealership. Example: Frazer
    2. 2. FTP Get - These imports consist of individual inventory files for each dealership delivered to a central FTP location for third party company. Example: vAuto
    3. 3. HTTP Imports - These imports consist of multiple inventories contained in a single file. Example: Finance Express / Dealer Socket iDMS
  2. Spider - We use an internally developed process to read inventory information into an account from an external website
  3. DMS Integration - These are API integrations we have developed with select partner companies. As each integration works differently these are listed with the individual Import Sources.
Changing Import Source

If a dealership wishes to change from one import source to another import source the authorization for the change needs to come from either the Dealer Principal or Dealership Primary Contact of the account, unless the dealership's account access notes in system admin state otherwise.

If a third party company is requesting the change we would prefer written authorization from the dealership to be sent to Imports@dealercarsearch.com

Requests for account mirrors (copies of inventory from one DCS account to another) should be sent to either the Data Team Lead, the Customer Experience Manager, or (and this is preferable) both for review. Authorization for such a request needs to come from the Dealer Principal or Dealership Primary Contact of the account that currently holds the inventory (the source account).

File Imports
Import Process

The process to get a dealership's non-spider import established varies slightly depending on source but generally will follow the below pattern:

  1. Order comes in with import case from a specified source
  2. Case is assigned to a member of data team
  3. Data Team contacts the Import source to request they send feed
  4. Import source responds to request
  5. File is received from import source
  6. Import processing is established on account
  7. Import processing settings are confirmed with dealership

As a significant portion of this process is dependent on the Import source company so there is no standard time frame for an import setup. Some import sources will send a file within the next 24 hours after receiving the request from us, others can take up to ten business days. Depending on the requirements of the import source company the dealership may not be eligible for feeds to be sent, these requirements vary by import source. (ex. Wayne Reaves customers must maintain a Wayne Reaves website or feed site for that company to send inventory feeds.)