Abstract:
A method for distributing data among automotive dealers, including selecting the data from the dealers, processing the data, and providing the processed data to the dealers while maintaining confidentiality of individual data of each dealer. The selecting of the data further includes collecting data indicating which vehicles are in demand. The data includes at least one of a number of a vehicle&#39;s make a dealer has in stock, a vehicle identification number, a vehicle&#39;s year, a vehicle&#39;s make, a vehicle&#39;s model, a vehicle&#39;s body style, a vehicle&#39;s exterior color, a vehicle&#39;s interior color, a vehicle&#39;s mileage, a vehicle&#39;s retail asking price, a vehicle&#39;s transactions cost, a vehicle&#39;s reconditioning cost, a vehicle&#39;s age, a vehicle&#39;s selling price, a vehicle&#39;s gross profit, an acquisition need of a vehicle, a selling need of a vehicle, a vehicle&#39;s image, a vehicle&#39;s turnover rate, or an aggregate of any of the above-listed data. The distributed data may provide optimization on return on investments to the dealers.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/244,522, filed Oct. 2, 2008, entitled Data Distribution Method and System, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/867,416, filed May 31, 2001, and entitled Data Distribution Method and System, the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention generally relates to E-Commerce, and more specifically, to apparatuses, systems, and methods for distributing data. 
         [0004]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0005]    Doing business on the World Wide Web (“Web”) has become increasingly popular and is one of the fastest growing uses of the Internet, which is a collection of numerous individual networks. Each network cooperates with other networks to direct Internet traffic so that information can pass among them. The protocols used on the Internet are the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and the Internet Protocol (IP, which are frequently referred to as TCPIIP. TCP breaks down and reassembles packets of information, whereas IP ensures that the packets are sent to the right destination or network. 
         [0006]    The Web generally operates on a client/server model; that is, a user (e.g., a client) runs a piece of software on his/her personal computer to use the resources of a host (e.g., a server computer). The host allows many different users to access its resources at the same time and need not be dedicated to providing resources to a single user. In this model, the client software—e.g., a browser—runs on the user&#39;s computer, which contacts a Web server and requests information or resources. The Web server locates and then sends the information or resources to the browser, which displays the results on the user&#39;s computer by interpreting the received Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) document. 
         [0007]    The addressee reference information on the Web is known as the Uniform Resource Locator (URL). A user&#39;s browser sends the URL using the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), which defines the way the browser and the Web server communicate with each other. When the server finds the requested document, it sends the document back to the user&#39;s browser. The information is then presented to the user via the user&#39;s computer. In effect, the user requests the services of the host, which may involve searching for information and sending it back to the user by querying a database on the Web, delivering requested Web pages, or doing business on-line. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    An embodiment of the invention relates to a method for distributing data among users of the web site (including, e.g., automotive dealers, manufacturers, fleet lease companies), or anyone who may have a use for such data. The method of the invention comprises selecting the data from the dealers, processing the data, and providing the processed data to the dealers while maintaining confidentiality of individual data of each automotive dealer. The selecting of the data may include collecting data indicating, for example, which vehicles are in demand. The data for vehicles may include a vehicle&#39;s make, a number of a vehicle&#39;s make a dealer has in stock, a vehicle identification number, a vehicle&#39;s year, a vehicle&#39;s model, a vehicle&#39;s body style, a vehicle&#39;s color, a vehicle&#39;s mileage, a vehicle&#39;s retail asking price, a vehicle&#39;s transactions cost, a vehicle&#39;s reconditioning cost, a vehicle&#39;s age, a vehicle&#39;s selling price, a vehicle&#39;s gross profit, an acquisition need of a vehicle, a selling need of a vehicle, a vehicle&#39;s image, a vehicle&#39;s turnover rate, or an aggregate of any of the above-listed data. The shared data of the invention may enable dealers to improve return on investments (ROIs). 
         [0009]    The invention may optionally create online trading communities, provide real-time market information, as well as access to a broader market of prospective buyers and sellers who are in need of the vehicles. The invention may also allow dealers to provide each other with any product for which they have a desire for, and notify each other if the product becomes available. In addition, an appraisal of the product may be provided on a web site. The invention may earn revenue by charging member participants fees for usage of its services (e.g., based on a flat rate over a period of time or a per-vehicle rate), as well as earning fees from lenders, insurance companies, transportation companies, and the sales of market information to third parties. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]    The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate exemplary embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, explain various aspects and principles of the invention. In the drawings: 
           [0011]      FIG. 1  is a diagram of a computer network representing an exemplary web site; 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a screenshot of a main menu including a “To Do List” category of the main menu of an exemplary web site; 
           [0013]      FIG. 3(   a ) is a screenshot listing vehicles for “Wholesale Today”, which is a link to a screenshot listing a dealership&#39;s vehicles under the “Wholesale Center” category of the main menu of the exemplary web site; 
           [0014]      FIG. 3(   b ) is a screenshot showing “Wholesale Center Offers” under the “Wholesale Center” category of the main menu of the exemplary web site; 
           [0015]      FIG. 3(   c ) is a screenshot showing how to “Make Your Offer” under the “Wholesale Center  7 ” category of the main menu of the exemplary web site; 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  is a screenshot of “Retail Sales Trend”, which is a link from “Review Retail Purchase Needs” under the “To Do List” category of the main menu of the exemplary web site; 
           [0017]      FIG. 5  is a screenshot of “Vehicles Near[ing] Wholesale Center Move Date (3 Days)”, which is a link from “Retail Today” under the “To Do List” category of the main menu of the exemplary web site; 
           [0018]      FIG. 6  is a screenshot showing “Vehicles to Watch” under the “To Do List” category of the main menu of the exemplary web site; 
           [0019]      FIG. 7  is a screenshot showing review wholesale “Purchase Offers” under the “To Do List” category of the main menu of the exemplary web site; 
           [0020]      FIG. 8  is a screenshot listing vehicles that are “Consider[ed] for Wholesale Center” under the “To Do List” category of the main menu of the exemplary web site; 
           [0021]      FIG. 9  is a screenshot listing “Wholesale Vehicles Needing Description”, which is a link from “Add Wholesale Description” under the “To Do List” category of the main menu of the exemplary web site; 
           [0022]      FIG. 10  is a screenshot of the “Action Plan” under the “To Do List” category of the main menu of the exemplary web site; 
           [0023]      FIG. 11  is a screenshot showing “Activity Summary for Baltimore-Washington Vehicles”, which is a link from “Review Activity Summary” under the “To Do List” category of the main menu of the exemplary web site; 
           [0024]      FIG. 12  is a screenshot of a “Retail Inventory Value Report” under the “Daily Reports” category of the main menu of the exemplary web site; 
           [0025]      FIG. 13  is a screenshot of a “Market Performance by Make and Model” report under the “Daily Reports” category of the main menu of the exemplary web site; 
           [0026]      FIG. 14  is a screenshot of an “Available Inventory Report” under the “Daily Reports” category of the main menu of the exemplary web site; 
           [0027]      FIG. 15  is a screenshot of a “Top Performing Vehicles” report under the “Daily Reports” category of the main menu of the exemplary web site; 
           [0028]      FIG. 16(   a ) is a screenshot of an “Appraisal Activity” category of the main menu of the exemplary web site; 
           [0029]      FIG. 16(   b ) is a screenshot showing how to place a vehicle to be appraised under the “Appraisal Activity” category of the main menu of the exemplary web site; 
           [0030]      FIG. 16(   c ) is a screenshot showing a vehicle placed under an Appraisal Activity list of the exemplary web site; 
           [0031]      FIG. 17(   a ) is a screenshot of a “Buy List” category of the main menu of the exemplary web site; and 
           [0032]      FIG. 17(   b ) is a screenshot showing how to “Add [Vehicles] to [the] Buy List” under the “Buy List” category of the main menu of the exemplary web site. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0033]    The invention is directed to apparatuses, systems and methods for distributing data among dealers. As an example, in the automobile market, one of the most important factors in profitability is the efficiency with which vehicles are bought and sold. As vehicles for sale remain in inventories, the profit margin on every vehicle is reduced by cost incurred from depreciation, interest, repairs, and floor planning. 
         [0034]    The following description refers to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate exemplary embodiments of the invention. Other embodiments are possible and modifications may be made to the exemplary embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, the following description is not meant to limit the invention. Rather, the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims. 
         [0035]      FIG. 1  is a diagram illustrating one exemplary computer network on which an apparatus, system, and method for distributing data among dealers can be implemented. For example, in the used vehicles business, sharing vehicle data with other dealers provides each dealer the ability to identify which dealers in a region have an immediate need for vehicles that they want to sell right away. For auto dealers, the ability to find and purchase the most desirable and available used vehicles as well as locate prospective retail customers in their region for specific vehicles give them a competitive financial advantage. 
         [0036]    As shown in  FIG. 1 , a computer network  100  representing an exemplary web site may include a first router  110 , a load balancing device  120 , front-end Web servers  140   a  and  140   b , a second router  150 , clustered back-end servers  160   a  and  160   b , an external data storage device  170 , a Wireless Protocol (WAP) server  180 , intelligence servers  190   a  and  190   b , and a voice recognition server  195 . The first router  110  allows communication between the web site and a publicly accessible network such as the Internet  130 . 
         [0037]    The first router  110  is coupled to the load balancing device  120 , which is coupled to the front-end Web servers  140   a  and  140   b  (which mirror each other for fail-over routing), and the WAP server  180 . The load balancing device  120  operates to balance data load and to direct data to the front-end Web servers  140   a  and/or  140   b . The front-end Web servers  140   a  and  140   b  operate to provide a user with requested information, and the WAP server  180  provides wireless capabilities to users as further described below. The frontend Web servers  140   a  and  140   b  and the WAP server  180  are coupled to the second router  150 . The second router  150  operates to connect the front-end Web servers  140   a  and  140   b  and the WAP server  180  to the clustered back-end servers  160   a  and  160   b  and to the intelligence servers  190   a  and  190   b . The clustered back-end servers  160   a  and  160   b  operate to process requests for data that is transactional in nature, while the intelligence servers  190   a  and  190   b  operate to process requests for data that is non-transactional or historical in nature. Of course, servers  160   a  and  160   b  could also process requests for data that is non-transactional or historical in nature eliminating the need for servers  190   a  and  190   b . The clustered back-end servers  160   a  and  160   b  are coupled to the external data storage device  170 , which stores users&#39; data or information to be processed. An example of the first and second routers  110  and  150  are CISCOC® routers. 
         [0038]    The computer network  100  may provide for Web usage, WAP usage, voice recognition usage, pushing data, and other foreseeable functions as further discussed below. When a user enters the web site, the session (e.g. general site navigation, page-to-page, etc.) resides in the front-end Web servers  140   a  and/or  140   b . If a user makes a request for data that is transactional in nature, then the data is collected from the external data storage device  170  and is processed through the clustered back-end servers  160   a  and/or  160   b . The processed data is then returned to the user at the front-end Web servers  140   a  and/or  140   b . If, however, the user makes a request for data that is non-transactional or historical in nature, then the data is processed via the intelligence servers  190   a  and/or  190   b . The intelligence servers  190   a  and/or  190   b  grab data from the external data storage device  170  through the clustered back-end servers  160   a  and/or  160   b  and process the request. The intelligence servers  190   a  and/or  190   b  then send the processed request results (non-transactional or historical data) to the user at the front-end Web servers  140   a  and/or  140   b.    
         [0039]    When a user accesses the system through a WAP device, the data is transferred through the Internet  130  and the first router  110  to the WAP server  180 . The session resides on the WAP server  180 . Requested data is collected from the external data storage device  170  and is processed through the clustered back-end servers  160   a  and/or  160   b . The processed data is then returned to the user through the WAP server  180 . 
         [0040]    Similarly, when a user accesses the system through telephone network  197 , the session would reside on the voice recognition server  195 . When the user requests data via the telephone network  197 , the data is collected from the external data storage device  170  and is processed through the clustered backend servers  160   a  and/or  160   b . The processed data is then returned to the user through voice recognition server  195 . 
         [0041]    With WAP or telephone access, a user is able to perform many of the functions described below relative to access over the Internet. Such functions include locating vehicles; adding, modifying or deleting vehicles to/in/from the inventory; or monitoring recent transactions (e.g., last 24 hours). 
         [0042]    As to pushing data, any information that is pushed from the computer network  100 , e.g., alerts via fax or email, is processed on the front-end Web servers  140   a  and/or  140   b . Front-end Web servers  140   a  and/or  140   b  grab data from the external data storage device  170  through the clustered back-end servers  160   a  and/or  160   b , process the grabbed data, and then send (push) the processed data out of the web site via the same Internet channels on which the user entered, or through a telephone network as a fax. 
         [0043]    The users&#39; data stored in the external data storage device  170  may be shared among users while maintaining the confidentiality of each individual user&#39;s data. Also, dealers managing systems (DMS) of competitive dealers can be networked while maintaining confidentiality of individual data of each dealer. The web site aggregates data from the DMS&#39;s within its own system and provides the aggregate data in various market reports or other views to members. A process of obtaining this data is to dial-in to each member dealer&#39;s DMS a predetermined number of times a week (e.g., six times a week) to get the most up-to-date information. This can be carried out by the web site owner or contracted out to a third party. For example, the third party can extract data from various fields within dealer systems to provide the web site with specific information required for its product. Next, the third party can process the data to eliminate duplicate data, check for new versus old data, and combine the data into a standard file format. The standardized file is uploaded in the web site databases (back-end servers) where the data is aggregated in various market reports and becomes available to the web site&#39;s customers. 
         [0044]    The aggregate data may be used by dealers to benchmark the dealers&#39; market situations, to streamline their vehicles among the dealers&#39; dealerships, and to better understand the dealers&#39; marketplace. The aggregate data includes aggregates of at least one of each dealer&#39;s sales history and inventory, other dealers&#39; inventories, a list of vehicles a dealer needs to sell, data relating to how certain dealers do with specific vehicles, book values of vehicles, description of vehicles, and offers on vehicles from other dealers. 
         [0045]    Other organizations that would also benefit from the aggregate data or access to this group of dealers include credit unions, banks, leasing companies, auto auctions, automotive aftermarket suppliers, automotive insurance carriers, lenders who offer indirect lending programs to dealers, direct mail companies, and transportation and towing companies. For example, this feature allows dealers to use the aggregate data to determine which bank is most profitable to finance a vehicle. The aggregate data can also be put up for bid to dealers that do not participate in the DMS network. 
         [0046]    The requests by dealers may require determination of a Smart Score, which is a method of ranking prospective buyers to determine those with the greatest probability of making an offer on a vehicle. The method of determining Smart Score is further described below. If the requests do not require determination of a Smart Score, then router  150  routes data such as dealer data to the external data storage device  170  via back-end servers  160   a  and  160   b  for storage. Back-end servers  160   a  and  160   b  operate as a database interface to the external data storage device  170 . 
         [0047]      FIG. 2  is a screenshot  200  of a main menu  202  of an exemplary web site providing dealers with an ability to view, for example, their daily “To Do List”  204 . The main menu  202  includes the following categories: To Do List  204 ; Daily Reports  206 ; Dealer Inventory  208 ; Appraisal Activity  210 ; Retail Showroom  212 ; Wholesale Center  214 ; and a Buy List  216 . A dealer elects a category by clicking on one of the categories and control then proceeds to carry out the selected category as illustrated and described in screenshots shown in  FIGS. 2-17 . 
         [0048]    Each screenshot or page of the web site provides a dealer with information, and some screenshots may link to other screenshots which can be accessed by clicking on the desired buttons. 
         [0049]    Screenshot  200  includes the To Do List  204  category of the main menu  202 . The To Do List  204  provides an instant view of the dealership status and subsequent steps the dealership can take to attain higher productivity. The To Do List  204  may include a number of Total Vehicles in Stock  220 , a Recommendation  230  to the dealership in order for the dealership to attain its goals, a Summary  240  of the dealership status, and a Day Supply  260  of the dealership. The number of Total Vehicles in Stock  220  includes a number of Wholesale  222  vehicles in stock, a number of Retail  224  vehicles in stock, and a Total  226  number of vehicles in stock, which is the sum of the numbers of Wholesale  222  and Retail  224  vehicles. The Recommendation  230  is a number of vehicles  232  the web site recommends the dealer to increase or decrease its retail inventory by. This number of vehicles  232  is based on a dealer-specific Target Day Supply  264  (the dealer-determined number of days that it should take to sell the entire inventory given its historical sales data). In particular, the system recommends the dealer to buy or sell its retail inventory by the number of vehicles  232  in order to meet its predetermined target retail inventory which matches the Target Day Supply  264 . The number of vehicles  232  is determined by subtracting the number of Retail  224  vehicles from the predetermined target retail inventory to achieve the Target Day Supply  264 . 
         [0050]    The Summary  240  includes the following categories: a number of vehicles in Wholesale Today  242 ; a number of vehicles needing Review (for) Retail Purchase Needs  244 , which links to Retail Sales Trend; a number of vehicles nearing Wholesale Center move date (Retail Today)  246 ; a number of Vehicles to Watch  248 ; a number of Wholesale Purchase Offers  250  needing review; a number of vehicles that should be Consider(ed) for Wholesale Center  252 ; a number of wholesale vehicles needing additional information (Add Wholesale Description)  254 ; an Action Plan  256 ; and a Review Activity Summary  258 . 
         [0051]    The number of vehicles in Wholesale Today  242  is the same as the number of Wholesale vehicles  222 . Clicking on the Wholesale Today  242  category links a dealership to  FIG. 3(   a ), which is a screenshot  300  of a listing of vehicles in the Wholesale Center  214 . Vehicles in the Wholesale Center  214  are available for wholesale purchase. The Wholesale Center  214  listing includes each vehicle&#39;s Year  302 , Make  304 , Model  306 , Stock number  308 , Mileage  310 , Color  312 , Number of Bids  314 , and Buyers  316 . Clicking on the Buyers  16  provides the dealer with a list of potential buyers and their Smart Scores. The Smart Score is further described below. The Wholesale Center list can be sorted by year, make, model, stock number, mileage, and color by clicking on the corresponding Sort buttons  318 . 
         [0052]    Moreover, clicking on the Total Number of Bids  314  on a vehicle  352  with at least one bid links a dealership to  FIG. 3(   b ), which is a screenshot of Wholesale Center Offers  350  for the vehicle  352 . The Wholesale Center Offers  350  lists the VIN  354 , Year  356 , Make  358 , Model  360 , Mileage  362 , and Color  364  of the vehicle  352 . In addition, Wholesale Center Offers  350  lists the offers for vehicle  352  including High Offer Amount(s)  366 , Site Area(s)  368 , Offer Date(s)  370  (and time), and Dealer Name(s)  372 . Clicking on a value amount  374  under the High Offer Amount(s)  366  provides information on the dealership that made the offer, and clicking “Sell Now-?”  376  under High Offer Amount(s)  366  to sell the vehicle under the elected bid. The dealer making the bid never sees bids from other dealers, so the dealership as the seller can select to whom the dealership wants to sell the vehicle. Thus, the dealership can maintain its wholesale relationships while ensuring that it always gets fair market value for every vehicle. Thus, dealers have the ability to offer vehicle inventory for wholesale much earlier in their inventory cycle (when the vehicle is, e.g., 15-30 days old, instead of the typical 60 days), while still continuing to offer the vehicle for retail sale. This allows dealers to analyze the wholesale value of all used vehicle inventories on a daily basis (wholesaling and retailing vehicles are not mutually exclusive). Accordingly, dealers will have the ability to sell their used vehicle inventory before they suffer large wholesale losses resulting from depreciation. Dealers can also view other regional dealer vehicles up for auction or bidding by clicking on Market Vehicles  320  on screenshot  300  ( FIG. 3(   a )). 
         [0053]    Dealers can also make offers on the Wholesale Center vehicles as shown in  FIG. 3(   c ). A dealer can enter a Minimum offer  375  and a Maximum offer  380  or just a Maximum offer  380 . A dealer can also enter comments in box  385  and click on Submit button  390  to submit the offer. If a dealer enters both a Minimum offer and a Maximum offer  380 , then the offer will be displayed to the seller as the dealer&#39;s minimum offer or a predetermined amount of dollars (e.g., $50) more than a competing offer up to the maximum offer. The seller will notify the bidding dealer if the offer is accepted. 
         [0054]    The number of vehicles needing to be considered under Review Retail Purchase Needs  244  in the To Do List  204  is the same as the number of vehicles  232  recommended to be bought or sold in order for a dealer to meet its target retail inventory. Clicking on Review Retail Purchase Needs  244  links a dealership to  FIG. 4 , which is a screenshot  400  listing Retail Sales Trends of vehicles, which include, for example, a vehicle&#39;s Make  402 , Model  404 , quantity of vehicles sold over a predetermined number of days and/or months (Quantity Sold)  406 , and current number of vehicles in stock (Current Stock)  408 . The Retail Sales Trends review the dealership&#39;s volume dealers over multiple time periods and compare to the current retail inventory. 
         [0055]    Clicking on Retail Today  246  under the To Do List  204  links a dealer to  FIG. 5 , which is a screenshot  500  indicating Vehicles Near(ing) Wholesale Center Move Date  502  as defined by each dealer (e.g., three days). Screenshot  500  provides a warning message that the vehicles under this list are nearing the Wholesale Center move date, and will automatically be moved to the Wholesale Center within a predetermined period as defined by each dealer. The screenshot further provides a Stock number  504 , Year  506 , Make  508 , Model  510 , Mileage  512 , Age  514 , a query to edit Description  516 , and a query to move to Wholesale Center  518  for each vehicle. A user may also sort the vehicles in screenshot  500  by Stock number, Year, Make, Model, and Age by clicking on corresponding Sort buttons  520 . To edit the description of a vehicle, a dealer can click on Edit button  516  for that vehicle. Similarly, to confirm a move of a vehicle to Wholesale Center, a dealer can click on Move button  518  for that vehicle. 
         [0056]    Clicking on the Vehicles to Watch  248  under the To Do List  204  links a dealership to  FIG. 6 , which is a screenshot  600  listing vehicles that do not meet the dealership&#39;s administered settings, for example, vehicles that are nearing a predetermined Wholesale Center move date based on the vehicles&#39; current days in stock  602 , vehicles with no history available  604 , vehicles having a below minimum ROI  606  (the calculation of ROI is discussed below), vehicles needing description  608 , and/or vehicles that are overaged  610 . In other words, this screenshot provides a Warning message  612  that these vehicles will be moved to the Wholesale Center  214  within a predetermined number of days. In addition, screenshot  600  provides the vehicles to watch Stock Number  614 , Year  616 , Make  618 , Model  620 , Average Days in Stock  622 , Average Gross Profit  624 , and Average ROI  626 . 
         [0057]    Clicking on the Review Wholesale Purchase Offers  250  under the To Do List  204  links a dealership to  FIG. 7 , which is a screenshot  700  listing Purchase Offers  702  made for vehicles within a date and time range  704  to be reviewed. Screenshot  700  further provides for each particular vehicle, the Year  706 , Make  708 , Model  710 , Stock number  712 , and Details  714 . Moreover, screenshot  700  lists for each vehicle  716 : Site(s) of the offers  718 ; amounts of the Offer(s)  720 ; Date(s) and time of the offers  722 ; and Dealer(s) that made the offers  724 . A selling dealer can get more detailed information regarding each vehicle by clicking on details  714 . Similarly, a selling dealer can get more detailed information on the dealership making the offer by clicking on that dealership, e.g., Farrish Daewoo-Suzuki  726  in screenshot  700 . 
         [0058]    Clicking on the Consider for Wholesale Center  252  under the To Do List  204  links a dealership to  FIG. 8 , which is a screenshot  800  listing vehicles that the dealership should consider moving to the Wholesale Center  214  because the vehicles fall under at least one of the following exemplary categories: the vehicle&#39;s make and model historic average ROI does not meet the dealership&#39;s minimum ROI; the vehicle&#39;s mileage exceeds the dealership&#39;s set maximum mileage; the dealership has no history available for this vehicle&#39;s make and model; the vehicle is considered surplus retail inventory (overstock); or the vehicle is within a set days of the default Wholesale Center move age, e.g., three days. In particular, this feature of the system determines whether a vehicle meets its dealer&#39;s predefined goals; flags vehicles that do not meet their dealers&#39; predefined gods; and places a Smart Score ranking of potential buying dealers for each of the flagged vehicles. 
         [0059]    The Smart Score is described below and is based on a scoring model that a dealer or a potential buyer can update anytime and the scores that make up the Smart Score can be weighed and changed by a dealer or a potential buyer. It should be noted, however, that a selling dealer sets the scores that make up the Smart Score for a buying dealer. Screenshot  800  provides for each vehicle considered for Wholesale Center a vehicle&#39;s Stock number  802 , a vehicle&#39;s Year&#39;  804 , a vehicle&#39;s Make  806 , a vehicle&#39;s Model  808 , a vehicle&#39;s Mileage  810 , Current Days of vehicle In Stock  812 , a predetermined period Average Gross Profit  814  of a vehicle, a predetermined average ROI Percentage  816  of a vehicle, a Warning  818  of why a vehicle should be considered for Wholesale Center  214 , and a query whether to move the vehicle to the Wholesale Center  820 . 
         [0060]    Clicking on the number of vehicles under Add Wholesale Description  254  under the To Do List  204  links a dealership to  FIG. 9 , which is a screenshot  900  listing vehicles in the Wholesale Center that do not have a text or voice description. The dealership can add text description of these vehicles by clicking on add button  902  on the screen. Screenshot  900  further provides for each vehicle needing a description a Stock number  904 , Year  906 , Make  908 , Model  910 , Mileage  912 , and Text  914 . The dealership may also add voice description of the vehicles through the telephone network  197  and voice recognition server  195 . 
         [0061]    Clicking on the Action Plan  256  under the To Do List  204  links a dealership to  FIG. 10 , which is a screenshot  1000  providing the dealership with warnings of vehicles in retail inventory. Screenshot  1000  provides each vehicle&#39;s Stock Number  1002 ; Year  1004 ; Make  1006 ; Model  1008 ; Warning  1010  such as add description to vehicles, vehicles are overaged, and/or vehicles are below minimum ROI; Current Days in Stock  1012 ; and status of ROI  1014 . Based on the warnings of the vehicles in retail inventory, the dealership can take appropriate action such as moving the vehicles to the Wholesale Center as necessary. 
         [0062]    Clicking on the (review) Activity Summary  258  (for a predetermined community, e.g., Baltimore-Washington) under the To Do List  204  links a dealership to  FIG. 11 , which is a screenshot  1100  providing a summary of a total number of dealer inventory of a make  1102  of vehicles, a total number of offers  1104 , and a total number of recently added (new) vehicles  1106  and a total number of recently deleted vehicles  1108 . The total number of dealer inventory of a make  1102  of vehicles includes a Retail Showroom number of vehicles  1110 , a Wholesale Center number of vehicles  1112 , and an Appraisal Activity number of vehicles  1114 . Similarly, the total number of offers  1104  includes a Retail Showroom number of offers  1116 , a Wholesale Center number of offers  1118 , and an Appraisal Activity number of offers  1120 . The total number of recently added (new) vehicles  1106  and the total number of recently deleted vehicles  1108  each includes a number of Retail Showroom new vehicles  1122  and deleted vehicles  1124 , a number of Wholesale Center new vehicles  1126  and deleted vehicles  1128 , and a number of Appraisal Activity for the new vehicles  1130  and the deleted vehicles  1132 , respectively. 
         [0063]    The Day Supply  260  under the To Do List  204  provides the number of Current Day Supply  262  and the number of Target Day Supply  264 . The Current Day Supply  262  is the number of days it would take to sell a dealership&#39;s inventory based on the dealership&#39;s sales history and that dealership&#39;s current inventory. For example, the Current Day Supply  262  can be calculated by dividing the total retail inventory by the number of vehicles sold over the last predetermined number of days and multiplying the result by the predetermined number of days. The Target Day Supply  264  is a dealership-specific setting established by the dealership as a goal for the number of days of inventory on hand. The system helps dealers make their Current Day Supply  262  match their Target Day Supply  264 . 
         [0064]    The ROI is defined based on each vehicle, i.e., how much a dealership paid for a vehicle, the profit the dealership made from selling the vehicle, and the number of days the vehicle spent in inventory. In determining the ROI, the Actual Cost of Vehicle (ACV) is calculated first, which is: 
         [0000]      ACV=(Purchase Price of the vehicle+Reconditioning Cost) 
         [0000]      or 
         [0000]      ACV=(Selling Price−Gross Profit).
 
         [0065]    Next, the Gross Profit is downloaded directly from the DMS or calculated as follows: 
         [0000]      Gross Profit=(Selling Price of vehicle−ACV).
 
         [0066]    Finally, the ROI is calculated as follows: 
         [0000]      ROI=(Gross Profit/ACV)×(365/Days in Stock).
 
         [0067]    There are a couple of different ways that the ROI can be utilized. One way that this number is used is to average the ROIs for all the vehicles of each make/model/year/mileage range/price range, or any combination thereof of a given dealer. The dealer&#39;s average ROI by make and model, for example, is calculated as follows: 
         [0000]      Average ROI=(Sum of ROIs of vehicles sold by dealer, make and model over last predetermined period of time)+(number of vehicles sold by dealer, make and model over last predetermined period of time) 
         [0000]      or 
         [0000]      Average ROI=(Avg(Gross Profit)/Avg(ACV))×(365/Avg(Days in Stock)).
 
         [0068]    To extend the calculation of ROI to a market ROI, the dealer is removed from the above equation. 
         [0069]    The historical ROI may be based on at least one of a local marketplace, a regional marketplace (e.g., a county, a metropolitan area, a couple of states), or a national marketplace. The system further allows the dealer to limit bids from any unwanted bidders. Thus, the dealers have control over what dealers and wholesalers they do business with. 
         [0070]    Smart Score is a method of ranking prospective buyers by multiplying weight and rank. Weights are values derived by applying the evaluation criteria under the categories as follows: how often a buyer bids on the web site; buyers with highest make and model sold in last 90 days; buyers with highest ROIs on any combination of make, model, year, price range, and/or mileage range; how often a buyer buys vehicles of the same year, make, and/or model; how often a dealer bids on a particular year, make, and/or model; whether a buyer is a member of a same dealer group; and whether a buyer has the year, make, and/or model on its Buy List. Ranks are values a dealer may place on the categories above to add additional biases beyond the web site weights assigned. Ranks may be updated in the web site. 
         [0071]    As to the category of how often a dealer bids on the web site, each dealer is scored based on how many bids it made in the last predetermined number of days. For example, all dealers with at least five bids in the last 30 days are assigned a score of one for every five bids, with a maximum score set to 10. An exemplary weight calculation for this category is as follows: 
         [0000]    
       
         
               
               
               
             
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                 Quantity of Bids Made Over Last 30 Days 
                 Weight 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 0-4 
                 0 
               
               
                   
                 5-9 
                 1 
               
               
                   
                 10-14 
                 2 
               
               
                   
                 15-19 
                 3 
               
               
                   
                 20-24 
                 4 
               
               
                   
                 25-29 
                 5 
               
               
                   
                 30-34 
                 6 
               
               
                   
                 35-39 
                 7 
               
               
                   
                 40-44 
                 8 
               
               
                   
                 45-49 
                 9 
               
               
                   
                 50+ 
                 10 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
         [0072]    As to the category of which buyer has the highest number of make and model sold in the last predetermined number of day, each dealer is scored on how many vehicles of the same make and model it sold over the last, e.g., 90 days. The score is then assigned according to the following exemplary ranges: 
         [0000]    
       
         
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                 Quantity Sold Last 90 Days 
                 Weight 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
                 &lt;=3 
                 0.0* 10 * 5/3 
               
               
                   
                 &gt;3 and &lt;=7 
                 0.1* 10 * 5/3 
               
               
                   
                 &gt;7 and &lt;=11 
                 0.4* 10 * 5/3 
               
               
                   
                 &gt;11 and &lt;=15 
                 0.6* 10 * 5/3 
               
               
                   
                 &gt;15 and &lt;=19 
                 0.8* 10 * 5/3 
               
               
                   
                 &gt;19 
                 1.0* 10 * 5/3 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
         [0073]    As to the category of which buyers have the highest ROIs on any combination of make, model, year, price range, and/or mileage range, each dealer is scored based on what its ROI for the make, model, year, price range, and/or mileage range has been over the past predetermined period (e.g., 6 months). The scoring is then assigned according to the following exemplary ranges: 
         [0074]    1. For Make and Model: 
         [0000]    
       
         
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                 ROI: Make/Model 
                 Weight 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
                 &lt;75% 
                 0.0* 10 * 5/3 
               
               
                   
                 &gt;75% and &lt;100% 
                 0.1* 10 * 5/3 
               
               
                   
                 &gt;100% and &lt;125% 
                 0.4* 10 * 5/3 
               
               
                   
                 &gt;125% and &lt;150% 
                 0.6* 10 * 5/3 
               
               
                   
                 &gt;150% and &lt;175% 
                 0.8* 10 * 5/3 
               
               
                   
                 &gt;=175% 
                 1.0* 10 * 5/3 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
         [0075]    2. For Make, Model, and Year: 
         [0000]    
       
         
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                 ROI: Make/Model/Year 
                 Weight 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
                 &lt;75% 
                 0.0* 10 * 5/3 
               
               
                   
                 &gt;75% and &lt;100% 
                 0.1* 10 * 5/3 
               
               
                   
                 &gt;100% and &lt;125% 
                 0.4* 10 * 5/3 
               
               
                   
                 &gt;125% and &lt;150% 
                 0.6* 10 * 5/3 
               
               
                   
                 &gt;150% and &lt;175% 
                 0.8* 10 * 5/3 
               
               
                   
                 &gt;=175% 
                 1.0* 10 * 5/3 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
         [0076]    3. For Make, Model, and Price Range: 
         [0000]    
       
         
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                 ROI: Make/Model/Price Range 
                 Weight 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
                 &lt;75% 
                 0.0* 10 * 5/3 
               
               
                   
                 &gt;75% and &lt;100% 
                 0.1* 10 * 5/3 
               
               
                   
                 &gt;100% and &lt;125% 
                 0.4* 10 * 5/3 
               
               
                   
                 &gt;125% and &lt;150% 
                 0.6* 10 * 5/3 
               
               
                   
                 &gt;150% and &lt;175% 
                 0.8* 10 * 5/3 
               
               
                   
                 &gt;=175% 
                 1.0* 10 * 5/3 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
         [0077]    4. For Make, Model, and Mileage Range: 
         [0000]    
       
         
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                 ROI: Make/Model/Mileage Range 
                 Weight 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
                 &lt;75% 
                 0.0* 10 * 5/3 
               
               
                   
                 &gt;75% and &lt;100% 
                 0.1* 10 * 5/3 
               
               
                   
                 &gt;100% and &lt;125% 
                 0.4* 10 * 5/3 
               
               
                   
                 &gt;125% and &lt;150% 
                 0.6* 10 * 5/3 
               
               
                   
                 &gt;150% and &lt;175% 
                 0.8* 10 * 5/3 
               
               
                   
                 &gt;=175% 
                 1.0* 10 * 5/3 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
         [0078]    As to how often a buyer buys the same year, make, and/or mode, each dealer is scored based on how many and what combinations of the same year, make and model it has purchased over the last predetermined of days (e.g., 90 days). The scoring is assigned according to the following exemplary criteria and combinations: 
         [0000]    
       
         
               
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                   
                 Purchased Over 
                   
               
               
                   
                 Attribute Combination 
                 Last 90 Days 
                 Weight 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
                 Year and Make and Model 
                 &gt;=6 
                 1.0* 10 
               
               
                   
                 Year and Make 
                 &gt;=6 
                 0.7* 10 
               
               
                   
                 Make and Model 
                 &gt;=6 
                 0.7* 10 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
         [0079]    As to how often a buyer bids on a particular year, make, and/or model, each dealer is scored based on how many and what combinations of the same year, make and model it has bid on over the past predetermined number of days (e.g., 90 days). The scoring is assigned according to the following exemplary criteria and combinations: 
         [0000]    
       
         
               
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                   
                 Bids Over Last 
                   
               
               
                   
                 Attribute Combination 
                 90 Days 
                 Weight 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
                 Year and Make and Model 
                 &gt;=6 
                 1.0* 10 
               
               
                   
                 Year and Make 
                 &gt;=6 
                 0.7* 10 
               
               
                   
                 Make and Model 
                 &gt;=6 
                 0.7* 10 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
         [0080]    As to being a member of a same dealer group, each dealer is scored based on its membership to any group that the vehicle&#39;s dealer belongs to. An exemplary scoring of this category is as follows: 
         [0000]    
       
         
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                 Common Dealer Group 
                 Weight 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
                 Yes, Buyer is member of Seller&#39;s Group 
                 10 
               
               
                   
                 No, Buyer is not a member of Seller&#39;s Group 
                 10 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
         [0081]    As to whether a buyer has the year, make, and/or model on its Buy List, a dealer is scored based on whether a vehicle the dealer is searching for matches an entry in its Buy List, scoring different values based on how close the match is. The scoring is assigned, for example, according to the following combinations: 
         [0000]    
       
         
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                 Attribute Combination 
                 Weight 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
                 Year and Make and Model 
                 1.0* 10 
               
               
                   
                 Year and Make 
                 0.7* 10 
               
               
                   
                 Make and Model 
                 0.7* 10 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
         [0082]    The Smart Score for each prospective buyer is the sum of the scores of any combination of the above categories based on: how often a buyer bids on the web site (quantity of bids made over the last predetermined number of days); how many vehicles of the same make and model a buyer (dealer) sold over the past predetermined period of time; buyers with the highest ROIs based on any combination of make, model, year, price range, and/or mileage range over the past predetermined period of time; how often a buyer buys vehicles of the same year, make, and/or model; how often a buyer (dealer) bids on a particular year, make, and/or model; whether a buyer is a member of a same dealer group; and whether a buyer has the year, make, and/or model on its Buy List. 
         [0083]    The Daily Reports  206  of the main menu  202  is described next. The Daily Reports  206  include a Retail Inventory Value Report  1200  as shown in  FIG. 12 , the Action Plan report  1000  as shown in  FIG. 10 , a Market Performance by Make and Model report  1300  as shown in  FIG. 13 , a Dealership Performance by Make and Model report that is similar to the Market Performance by Make and Model report  1300  but shows dealership performance (not shown), an Available Inventory report  1400  as shown in  FIG. 14 , the Retail Sales Trends report  400  as shown in  FIG. 4 , the Vehicles to Watch report  600  as shown in  FIG. 6 , and a Top Performing Vehicles report  1500  as shown in  FIG. 15 . The Retail Inventory Value Report  1200  provides a list of all the vehicles in a dealership&#39;s retail inventory. Specifically, the Retail Inventory Value Report  1200  provides the vehicles&#39; Stock Number  1202 , Year  1204 , Make  1206 , Model  1208 , Mileage  1210 , Retail Price  1212 , Vehicle ACV  1214 , average Black Book Value  1216 , National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) trade value  1218 , and Current Days in Stock  1220 . The Action Plan report  1000  is described above with regard to the Action Plan  256  under the To Do List  204 . 
         [0084]    The Market Performance by Make and Model report  1300  shows the make  1302  and model  1304  of a vehicle, and provides information regarding the number of vehicles sold of the make  1302  and model  1304  over the last predetermined period of time  1312  (e.g., months and/or days), the current number of the vehicles in stock  1314 , an average gross profit over a period of time  1316  (e.g. six months), an average days to retail over a period of time  1318  (e.g., six months), and an average ROI over a period of time  1320  (e.g., six months). The information  1312 ,  1314 ,  1316 ,  1318 , and  1320  are provided for each of the categories of price range  1306 , mileage  1308 , and year 1310. Moreover, each of the price range  1306 , mileage  1308 , year 1310, and the information  1312 ,  1314 ,  1316 ,  1318 , and  1320  can be sorted by clicking on the corresponding sort buttons  1322 . 
         [0085]    The Dealership Performance by Make and Model report (not shown) provides similar information to the Market Performance by Make and Model report  1300  except at a dealership level rather than the market level. 
         [0086]    The Available Inventory Report  1400  is a list of Wholesale Center or Appraisal Activity vehicles that match the dealership&#39;s Buy List as described below with  FIG. 17 , or vehicles that have an historic ROI higher than the minimum dealer ROI as well as a mileage under the dealer&#39;s maximum mileage setting. The Available Inventory Report  1400  includes the vehicles&#39; Year  1402 , Make  1404 , Model  1406 , Mileage  1408 , Color  1410 , Area  1412 , Dealership Name  1414 , Dealership Contact Name (e.g., salesperson)  1416 , and Dealership Contact Number (e.g., telephone number)  1418 . Each of the information  1402 ,  1404 ,  1406 ,  1408 ,  1410 ,  1412 ,  1414 ,  1416  and  1418  of the Available Inventory Report  1400  can be sorted by clicking on the corresponding sort buttons  1420 . Moreover, a dealership can also print the Available Inventory Report  1400  by clicking on the “Printer friendly version of this page”  1422 . 
         [0087]    The Top Performing Vehicles report  1500  provides a list of top performing retail vehicles by dealership  1502  and a list of top performing retail vehicles by market  1520 . Each of the top performing retail vehicles by dealership  1502  and top performing retail vehicles by market  1520  provides the vehicles&#39; Year(s)  1504  and  1522 , Make(s)  1506  and  1524 , Model(s)  1508  and  1526 , Volume(s) Sold  1510  and  1528 , Average Gross Profit(s)  1512  and  1530 , Average Days to Retail  1514  and  1532 , and Average ROI(s)  1516  and  1534 , respectively. The Top Performing Retail Vehicles by Dealership further provides a Click button  1518  to sort the Dealer Top Performance Report. Similarly, the Top Performing Retail Vehicles by Market provides a Click button  1536  to sort the Market Top Performance Report. 
         [0088]    The Retail Sales Trends report, the Vehicles to Watch report, and the Action Plan report are described above and shown in  FIGS. 4 ,  6 , and  10 , respectively. 
         [0089]    The Daily Reports  206 , either alone or in combination, provide the dealers with important information to optimize their business. That is, the Daily Reports  206  provide the dealers with various reports and comparisons that are based on at least one of a local marketplace, a regional marketplace, a national marketplace, a like-size dealership (e.g., comparisons of similar-sized dealers), and a like-make dealership (e.g., comparisons of dealers selling similar or same make vehicles). For example, the Inventory Value Report  1200  and the Action Plan report  1000  provide the dealers with information to evaluate and manage their inventories, develop strategies to limit depreciation and retain maximum resale value, and determine which vehicles need to be sold most urgently. Another example is the Retail Price  1212 , Vehicle ACV  1214 , Black Book value  1216 , and NADA value  1218  together provide a dealership with real time market value of a used vehicle versus the book value of the vehicle. The market value provides the dealership with a value a buyer is willing to purchase that vehicle for versus a book value that lets the dealer know what the average price buyers have been paying in the past predetermined number of days for a similar type vehicle. That is, a dealer can instantly see its cash value of every used vehicle in inventory. 
         [0090]      FIG. 16(   a ) illustrates an Appraisal Activity screenshot  1600  of the Appraisal Activity category  210  under the main menu  200 . The Appraisal Activity screenshot  1600  displays vehicles that dealers need to value quickly, for example, vehicles that a dealership may need to take in trade to finalize a deal. The list of vehicles includes each vehicle&#39;s Year  1606 , Make  1608 , Model  1610 , Mileage  1612 , Condition  1614 , number of Bids  1616 , and whether the vehicle has been removed or Deleted  1618 . A dealership can view the list of vehicles submitted by it (Dealership Vehicles  1620 ) or vehicles submitted by all dealerships by clicking on Market Vehicles  1622 . Appraisal Activity allows the dealership to have all of its trade-ins or in stock inventory instantly appraised by hundreds of dealers and wholesalers in a region by clicking on an “Appraise a Car” button  1602 , which provides a link to screenshot  1650  as shown in FIG.  16 ( b ) to be filled out in order to post a vehicle for view by other dealers. Screenshot  1650  allows the dealership to enter all relevant information of the vehicle (e.g., VIN  1652 , Exterior Color  1654 , Mileage  1656 , Condition  1658 , etc.) and to click on Appraise a Car button  1660  in  FIG. 16(   b ) to enter the vehicle to be appraised as shown in  FIG. 16(   c ). This allows the dealership to quickly gauge interest in a particular vehicle before accepting it as a trade-in. That is, the appraisal list allows a dealer to determine the value of each vehicle based on how much other dealers are willing to bid for it. All bids are instantly sent to the selling dealership and a bidding dealership is notified if the selling dealership accepts the bid or offer from the bidding dealership. 
         [0091]    Dealers can also obtain historical data on recent trade-in values for a particular vehicle in their market via book values and aggregate market performance, which minimizes the price risk of selling used vehicles. Many dealers do not have accurate market values for their vehicles and suffer large wholesale losses by overvaluing used vehicle trade-ins, and miss retail sales opportunities by undervaluing used vehicle retail prices. With the appraisal and get book values features, the undervaluing price risk problem is minimized. 
         [0092]    A dealership can also get book values on a vehicle by pressing the “Get Book Value”  1604 , which provides the dealership with appraisals from, e.g., NADA and the Black Book. The dealership can see various body type/options combinations available for the vehicle by following the prompts on subsequent pages. For example, the dealership can receive a Vehicle Appraisal Report adjusted for vehicle options (not shown since body types and options combinations are information owned by third parties and licensed to the web site). 
         [0093]      FIG. 17(   a ) is a Buy List screenshot  1700  of the Buy List category  216  under the main menu  200  of the exemplary web site. The Buy List is a list of vehicles that a dealership wants to buy. The Buy List  1700  provides a list of vehicles by their Make  1702 , Model  1704 , Year From  1706  a make of a vehicle, Year To  1708  a make of a vehicle, Miles From  1710  (minimum mileage of a vehicle), Miles To  1712  (maximum mileage of a vehicle), Notes  1714  on a vehicle, number of Hits  1716  on a vehicle, and Alert  1718 . A dealership can add vehicles to the Buy List  1700  by clicking on Add Vehicle to Buy List  1720 . 
         [0094]      FIG. 17(   b ) shows a screenshot  1750  that is a link from Add Vehicle to Buy List  1720 . Screenshot  1750  allows a dealership to add a vehicle to Buy List screenshot  1700  by querying the dealership to select a Make  1752  of the vehicle, Miles From  1754  (minimum mileage of a vehicle), Miles To  1756  (maximum mileage of a vehicle), Year From  1758  make of the vehicle, Year To  1760  make of the vehicle, Model  1762  of the vehicle, and Add to Buy List button  1764 . Alert  1718  provides an alert to a dealership when any other dealer in the dealership&#39;s region adds to the web site a match either into their inventory or Appraisal Activity that the dealership has not reviewed. The number of Hits  1716  indicates the total number of matching vehicles in the web site&#39;s database, including the dealership&#39;s vehicles. Moreover, the web site provides the dealership with information such as the other dealers&#39; needs and their locations, etc., in order for the dealership to complete its transaction. The web site can also have the dealership&#39;s Buy List linked to a WAP device so the dealership will always know when a vehicle it needs is available. 
         [0095]    Specifically, a potential buyer of a used vehicle is alerted using at least a fax device, a desktop computing device, a portable message device, a portable voice device, a telephone, a pager, or the WAP device while maintaining confidentiality of individual data of each dealer. This wireless capability allows dealers and re-marketers to communicate and transact with their business-to-business partners. The dealers and re-marketers can conduct all their daily operations wirelessly, thus achieving tremendous cost and time savings. Dealers will have access to real-time vehicle information anywhere and anytime. The wireless extension provides dealers access to core functionalities of the web site using the WAP enable device. Currently, WAP is available for cellular phones, but it is foreseeable that the wireless extension will also work for any wireless device such as Palm Pilots, Pocket PCs, etc. The feasibility of wireless development exists with the web site due to the scaleable nature in which the site is developed. That is, each dealership is provided with a UserID and password, which it can use for both the desktop web site and wireless device. For example, a dealership can view a vehicle, offer details, and make and confirm vehicle offers via the desktop web site or a WAP device. In addition, each dealership can use the UserID provided to go online and get or provide additional data on the vehicles. 
         [0096]    Dealers and re-marketers can also conduct many of their daily operations wirelessly. Dealers may have access to real-time vehicle information anywhere and anytime. The wireless extension provides dealers access to core functionalities of the web site using a WAP enable device. 
         [0097]    While this invention has been described in conjunction with the specific exemplary embodiments outlined above, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the exemplary embodiments of the invention, as set forth above, are intended to be illustrative, not limiting. Various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. 
         [0098]    It will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that the embodiments as described above may be implemented in many different embodiments of software, firmware and hardware in the entities illustrated in the figures. The actual software code or specialized control hardware used to implement the present invention is not limiting of the present invention. Thus, the operation and behavior of the embodiments were described without specific reference to the specific software code or specialized hardware components, it being understood that a person of ordinary skill in the art would be able to design software and control hardware to implement the embodiments based on the description herein.