How to understand lead sourcing for Cars.com products in your CRM

How to understand lead sourcing for Cars.com products in your CRM

Shoppers connect with your store in different ways, from quick inquiries to full credit applications. Knowing the exact lead type helps your team respond with the right next step. With CRM integration, you get critical updates for your Cars.com leads in real time, so you can stop lost sales before they happen and close more deals.

How Cars.com leads appear in your CRM

Cars.com lead types are tagged using the ADF/XML “Service” field. These tags help identify the specific product or shopper action that generated the lead, allowing your team to prioritize follow-up and respond with appropriate urgency.

Below is a breakdown of common Cars.com lead types, what each one means, and how to respond:

Lead SourceDescriptionRecommended Response
Cars.comShopper submitted a lead from tracked call, vehicle detail page (VDP), search result page (SRP), email form, or Cars Social native lead formContact as soon as possible using the shopper’s preferred method. Confirm the vehicle, answer questions, and offer appointment times.
Cars.com Finance IntentShopper started the financing process on the vehicle detail page, but did not complete itConfirm interest and send financing options so they can engage when ready. Offer an in-person consultation.
Cars.com PrequalifiedShopper submitted info for a soft credit pull on the vehicle detail page and received financing offersCheck approval status and connect to review terms. Review next steps and set an in-store appointment to finalize.
Cars.com Credit AppShopper started the finance process and submitted a credit app, including full credit pull, from the VDPConfirm receipt of app and discuss next steps for finalizing purchase with trade-in (if applicable) and test drive.
Cars.com AccuTradeShopper requested an AccuTrade Instant Offer for trade-inUse AccuTrade to convert the prospect into an appraisal. Confirm vehicle details and condition within 72 hours to finalize. If they are also looking to buy, offer a test drive while appraisal steps are completed.
Cars.com Shopper AlertExisting lead re-engaged or sent leads to other dealers (automated alert for leads received within past 30 days)Click link to view updated shopper details. Use fresh intelligence about current interests and competitive activity to craft timely re-engagement message.

Troubleshooting common issues

If your CRM isn’t showing leads correctly, here are the most common issues and how to resolve them.

Lead Not Appearing in CRM

If leads are sent via email (ADF/XML):

  • Check your spam or junk folder
  • Verify CRM parsing rules are set up correctly
  • Contact Cars Commerce Support with the lead’s date, time, and shopper name

If using API integration via Fortellis:

  • Ensure your Fortellis app subscription is active
  • Confirm that dealership mapping is correct in AdminDash
  • Cars Commerce receives error logs and can assist with resolution

Source Attribution Is Incorrect

Issue: Financing leads appear as generic “Cars.com” sources instead of tagged by lead type (e.g., Prequalified, Finance Intent)

Most common with: CDK CRM (formerly eLeads) and other CRMs using custom lead source mapping

To resolve:

  • Confirm your CRM is reading the Service field from the ADF/XML vendor node
  • Check if your CRM is overriding that field with a custom “Source” tag
  • Make sure the lead source is mapped to Service, not Source

If the issue persists, contact support with:

  • Affected lead timestamp(s) and shopper info
  • CRM platform name and receiving email addresses
  • Raw ADF/XML copy of the lead
  • Contact info for your CRM admin

Support contact: support@cars.com

Missing Shopper Details

If shopper profiles or prequalification data aren’t appearing:

  • Confirm Shopper Details is enabled in your Cars.com settings
  • Make sure you’re viewing the full lead record (not just a notification)
  • Click the Shopper Details link in the CRM lead notes to access full info
  • Contact your Cars.com account team to verify feature activation

Shopper Alerts Flagged as Duplicates

This is expected — Shopper Alerts are designed to use the same contact info as the original lead, so your CRM links activity to the same prospect.

How to use them:

  • Don’t dismiss them as duplicates
  • Treat them as real-time engagement signals
  • Use the updated information to re-engage or re-prioritize follow-up

To disable Shopper Alerts: Contact Cars Commerce Support to opt out.

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