Wholesale virtual inventory and retail lead generation

US10074061B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• OPENLANE, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Zachary E. Hallowell · San Francisco, US
• Andrew Iorgulescu · San Francisco, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Apr 6, 2015
• Grant date: Sep 11, 2018
• Expiry date: Nov 2, 2036

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G06Q30/0601
• WIPO field: IT methods for management
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

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.