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Exports

General Export Information

Inventory Exports from Dealer Car Search are handled by one of three systems:

  1. New Exporter System - This is our current export system run through DCS systemadimn. Data Team members can create and modify these imports. Example: AutoTrader
  2. Old Exporter System - This is a legacy system, and changes to exports running through this system must be made by development. Data Team members can only add dealerships to these exports. Example: Trader.ca
  3. Bulk Export Feeds - These are imports that are sent to various 3rd parties for ALL active Dealer Car Search customers unless the account has been specifically excluded. These exports are specifically programmed and can only be modified by development. Example: Vast

Exports are setup by company not dealership. Individual dealers do not have exports, Dealer Car Search has exports the dealers may be added to. This also means exports are run on a set schedule and cannot be run off-schedule at the request of an individual dealership. Only the third party company may request their feed be run off-schedule.

All inventory feeds to and from Dealer Car Search must be requested by the dealership directly with us. Dealership feed requests can be submitted to DataExports@DealerCarSearch.com or by phone at 888-263-7201 ext 757. Email requests must include the dealership name, address, phone number, and the full name and job title of the authorizing person at the dealership.

Despite the fact that we do require dealership authorization for export requests, we do honor requests from third parties once they have been verified by the dealership in question.

The reason for this is that many listing sites and services do not process inventory directly but rather use "aggregator" companies to process inventory information. Two examples would be Cars.com who use DMi/CDK and Carfax Used Car Listings which are run through Vast. For this reason the dealership must actually initiate export requests with the third party. Once Data receives the request we will verify it with the dealership.

Also of note: "Custom Exports" - this is when a dealer wants an export built specifically for them, that can only ever be used by them. Request for custom exports must be escalated to management. We do not support exports to Wordpress, Wix, or similar DIY website services.

Export Request Process and Procedure

If we receive the request from the 3rd party company our process is as follows:

  1. Email is received and case is automatically created in systemadmin
  2. (Day 1) An email response is sent to the 3rd party company with the dealership copied. We call the dealership ourselves to ask for authorization to send the export feed. Note: ALWAYS VERIFY THE CORRECT DEALERSHIP BY BOTH NAME AND ADDRESS!
    1. If this is the 1st time we have received a feed request from the 3rd party company send the following email response:
      Hello, Thank you for contacting Dealer Car Search. All requests for exports from Dealer Car Search should be directed to DataExports@DealerCarSearch.com. It is our company’s policy to only process data feeds that are directly initiated and authorized by our customers. Dealer Car Search customers can submit their data feed requests to DataExports@DealerCarSearch.com and must include the Dealership’s Name, Address, and Phone Number. The request must also include the First and Last Name of the person at the dealership that is authorizing the data feed, as well as, their position at the dealership. If this is a new exporter, we will need to verify the format of the file we will be sending out.
    2. If this is a 3rd party we already export to send this email response:
      Export to [Third Party Name] for [Dealership Name] can be established as soon as dealership authorization is received. Dealership can either reply to this email with a statement authorizing export feed or can call us at 888-263-7201 ext 757 to provide verbal authorization of request.
    3. (Day 2) Check to see if dealership authorization has been received
    4. (Day 3) Check to see if dealership authorization has been received
    5. (Day 4) Call the dealership again to try and get authorization; send the following to the 3rd party:
      We have yet to receive dealership authorization for this request and must now close service case # [Case Number] in our system.
    6. (Day 5) If there has been no response to the last contact attempt close the case.

      7. Exporter Format Information

      We generally send feeds using a flat-file (.txt, .csv) format. Feeds are delivered via FTP transfer. Images are sent in the form of image URLs which can be resolved by the feed recipient. We most commonly send feeds in the form of a quote-qualified .csv file. Other format options include pipe delimited, tab delimited, or semicolon delimited. Image URLs and vehicle options are most commonly in single columns and are sub-delimited by either comma, pipe, tab, semicolon, or space characters.

      While our preference is to send a single bulk file to the 3rd party company, we have the ability to send individual files to either a single FTP location or multiple FTP locations depending on the specifications we have worked out with the 3rd party who will be receiving the feed.

      XML is available upon request and we will need to know the Root Element and Vehicle Element tags that feed recipient requires.

      Our default FTP transfer mode is Plain FTP in Passive mode. We can send in active mode when required and can support SFTP for single file exports only.

      Approved Exporters

      There are a certain small numbers of companies that are allowed to request inventory without our requiring direct dealership authorization.

      • Adicio (DMI Feed)
      • Authenticom
      • AutoTrader
      • Cargigi
      • Cargurus - this is a bulk feed we send all active dealers inventories to, and is enabled in the dealership's account settings
      • Cars.com (DMI Feed)
      • Chrysler Five Star LLC (DMI Feed)
      • Cobalt (Honda sites, etc.) Cobalt is now part of the DMI/CDK Data network
      • Credit Acceptance Corp
      • CUDL
      • Dealer.com
      • Dealercenter / Carzing
      • Dealers United / Buyer Bridge / Acxtive Engage
      • DMI Dealer Portal (aka Ford Direct)
      • Edmunds Direct
      • Reynolds & Reynolds
      • Reynolds - Naked Lime
      • Homenet
      • Inventory Command Center - This company handles inventory for multiple companies
      • JTZ
      • OpenLane
      • SmartAuction
      • TrueCar
      Exports to Competitors and Past Due Accounts

      Some of the exports in our system go to companies that directly compete with DCS services. The exports are marked as competitor. Adding dealers to the export feeds is sometimes used to alert Client Services about "At Risk" dealers that may be trying to cancel.

      If a dealership is past due and a feed to a competitor is requested create an "At Risk Dealer" cancellation request case assigned to either Jim Wells or Rick Brady depending on the account's contract status.

      New Export Builds

      Data Team members are able to build new export services through DCS systemadmin. If a dealership is requesting an export to a company that we do not have an existing export service to we need the contact information to the 3rd party company in question, and the normal turn around time on these requests is 7-10 business day after format and FTP information for the request have been verified.

      Misc Export Information

      In response to the questions:

      - What software or system is being used to upload the file?

      We use a C# library for uploading.

      - If custom code is involved, what platform or library is used? Is it possible to share sample code for the FTP connection and file upload?

      We use a C# library for uploading.