How the Dealer Inspire financing tools work

How the Dealer Inspire financing tools work

Dealer Inspire’s financing tools help shoppers explore real payment options and submit applications online — directly from your website. Whether using Shop By Payment or Online Shopper, these tools make it easy for customers to get accurate financing details while providing your team with higher-intent leads.

In this article, you’ll learn how Dealer Inspire’s financing tools work, where they appear on your site, how credit pulls are handled, and how to manage lead routing, customization, and user access.

What’s the difference between soft and hard credit pulls?

  • Soft credit pull: Provides estimated offers without impacting the shopper’s credit score.
  • Hard credit pull: Delivers firm lending decisions but does affect credit.
    • Multiple hard pulls within a 14-day window generally count as one inquiry.

Are website credit pulls soft or hard?

Dealer Inspire supports both soft and hard credit pulls based on your current setup:

  • Soft credit prequalification is included with Shop By Payment and Online Shopper by default. Shoppers receive prequalified offers from in-network lenders (e.g., US Bank, Westlake Financial, OEM captives) — no impact to credit score.
  • Hard credit applications are available with an optional RouteOne or Dealertrack integration ($99/month). This allows shoppers to submit a full credit application, triggering a hard pull. The completed application is sent directly to your RouteOne or Dealertrack system and appears in your CRM with a secure link to the full application in Automatic.

What if a shopper isn’t pre-qualified by any lender?

Your Dealer Rate Card displays estimated payment options to help keep the shopper engaged — even when lender prequalification isn’t available.

Where do financing tools appear on my website?

The standard financing experience includes three main placements:

  • Vehicle Results Page (VRP): Financing link appears on every listing
  • Vehicle Detail Page (VDP): “Get Prequalified” or payment-related CTA
  • Apply for Financing Page: A streamlined application experience that adjusts dynamically based on lender availability and shopper inputs

Additional placements, such as within the Online Shopper experience, can be added upon request.

What happens after a shopper submits a financing form?

Once a shopper completes a financing form — whether it’s a soft prequalification or a full credit application — the lead is sent directly to your CRM. Each lead includes a secure link to the shopper’s application within Automatic, where your team can view the financing details, review their responses, and continue the conversation with full context.

What is Automatic?

Automatic is Cars Commerce’s dealer-facing platform that lets you manage Online Shopper, Shop By Payment, financing leads, and more.

How do I add users to Automatic?

Contact support@dealerinspire.com. GM or Dealer Principal approval is required to add new users.

Can I customize payment estimates shown on VDPs?

Yes. Payment estimates on your VDPs are automatically calculated using the shopper’s zip code to account for local taxes and fees. You can further customize how estimates appear by adjusting:

  • Interest rates by self-reported credit score
  • Vehicle age and mileage parameters
  • Financing terms and loan-to-value (LTV) thresholds
  • Markup settings for prime vs. non-prime credit tiers

To request changes, contact support@dealerinspire.com

How do I disable financing tools on my website?

If you’d like to remove financing functionality from your website, contact support@dealerinspire.com.

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