Vehicle lead generation system using byer criteria

Abstract

The invention is directed to a system for generating a lead by determining an estimated for a vehicle. The system may receive vehicle identifying information; receive seller identifying information; receive information for a sample of vehicles of the same make and model as the vehicle; determine a value for vehicle using the vehicle identifying information and the historical information, wholesale sales through auctions and at dealerships; (and also vehicle condition information if provided), and determine an estimated value, estimated value range, or offer price for the vehicle using predetermined buyer criteria and the determined value. This offer may then be transmitted to the seller in the form of a price certificate, appraisal report, etc., and the seller identifying information may be transmittal to the buyer as a sales lead.

1 . A method of generating sales leads as a service for one or more vehicle dealerships, the method comprising: 
 maintaining a web site that is accessible over a computer network by a consumer who may be considering selling or trading in a first vehicle and potentially purchasing a second vehicle;    offering to the consumer while the consumer is accessing the web site to provide the consumer with an estimated value of the first vehicle, wherein the consumer must provide the consumer's contact information before the estimated value is provided;    maintaining one or more processors in association with the web site, the one or more processors performing the following steps 
 (a) receiving information indicative of the first vehicle transmitted from the consumer over the computer network, the information indicative of the first vehicle comprising one or more selected from the group consisting of make, model, options and condition of the first vehicle,  
 (b) receiving contact information of the consumer transmitted from the consumer over the computer network, and  
 (c) actively transmitting the contact information of the consumer to the one or more vehicle dealerships as a sales lead;  
   the one or more vehicle dealerships and consumer following up with one another about the one or more dealerships potentially purchasing the first vehicle from the consumer, or the consumer using the first vehicle as a trade in, and the one or more dealerships potentially selling the second vehicle or another vehicle to the consumer; and    the one or more dealerships providing an estimated value of the first vehicle to the consumer in accordance with the prior offer given to the consumer.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of determining the estimated value of the first vehicle comprises considering buyer criteria selected from the group consisting of a price control option, vehicle specific criteria, historic vehicle issues, and a price offset for state sales tax.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of determining the estimated value of the first vehicle comprises considering historical data, adding for optional equipment, subtracting for excess mileage, and subtracting for physical and/or mechanical condition flaws.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said vehicle identifying information is used to generate an appraisal report.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said estimated value is determined as an estimated value range.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein a low end of said range is a wholesale value derived from auction data from wholesales vehicle sales, and a high end is calculated as a percentage above said low end range.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein said percentage is between about 8 to 10 percent.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said estimated value is provided as a trade-in allowance accounting for state sale tax.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the consumer's contact information comprises one or more selected from the group consisting of name, street address, phone number, and email address.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the estimated value of the first vehicle is determined by comparing the information indicative of the first vehicle received from the consumer against a database of vehicle value information contained in one or more data sources in communication with the one or more processors.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the estimated value of the first vehicle is determined by the one or more dealerships.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more dealerships provide the estimated value to the consumer when the one or more vehicle dealerships and consumer following up with one another.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the one or more dealerships determine the estimated value from one or both of the information indicative of the first vehicle received from the consumer or information obtained by an inspection of the first vehicle, which is compared against one or more data sources of vehicle value information available to the one or more dealerships.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the data sources of vehicle value information is selected from the group comprising one or more of a reference book of vehicle value information, database of vehicle value information, Black Book, NADA, or Kelly Blue Book.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the web site is maintained independently of the one or more dealerships, in order to communicate to the consumer that the web site is unaffiliated with the one or more dealerships.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the web site is maintained without indicating to the consumer whether or not the web site is affiliated with the one or more vehicle dealerships.  
     
     
         17 . A system of generating sales leads as a service for one or more vehicle dealerships, the method comprising: 
 maintaining a web site that is accessible over a computer network by a consumer who may be considering selling or trading in a first vehicle and potentially purchasing a second vehicle;    offering to the consumer while the consumer is accessing the web site to provide the consumer with an estimated value of the first vehicle, wherein the consumer must provide the consumer's contact information before the estimated value is provided;    maintaining one or more processors in association with the web site, the one or more processors performing the following steps 
 (a) receiving information indicative of the first vehicle transmitted from the consumer over the computer network, the information indicative of the first vehicle comprising one or more selected from the group consisting of make, model, options and condition of the first vehicle,  
 (b) receiving contact information of the consumer transmitted from the consumer over the computer network, and  
 (c) actively transmitting the contact information of the consumer to the one or more vehicle dealerships as a sales lead;  
   the one or more vehicle dealerships and consumer following up with one another about the one or more dealerships potentially purchasing the first vehicle from the consumer, or the consumer using the first vehicle as a trade in, and the one or more dealerships potentially selling the second vehicle or another vehicle to the consumer; and    the one or more dealerships providing an estimated value of the first vehicle to the consumer in accordance with the prior offer given to the consumer.    
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the step of determining the estimated value of the first vehicle comprises considering buyer criteria selected from the group consisting of a price control option, vehicle specific criteria, historic vehicle issues, and a price offset for state sales tax.  
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the step of determining the estimated value of the first vehicle comprises considering historical data, adding for optional equipment, subtracting for excess mileage, and subtracting for physical and/or mechanical condition flaws.  
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein said vehicle identifying information is used to generate an appraisal report.  
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein said estimated value is determined as an estimated value range.  
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein a low end of said range is a wholesale value derived from auction data from wholesales vehicle sales, and a high end is calculated as a percentage above said low end range.  
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein said percentage is between about 8 to 10 percent.  
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein said estimated value is provided as a trade-in allowance accounting for state sale tax.  
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the consumer's contact information comprises one or more selected from the group consisting of name, street address, phone number, and email address.  
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the estimated value of the first vehicle is determined by comparing the information indicative of the first vehicle received from the consumer against a database of vehicle value information contained in one or more data sources in communication with the one or more processors.  
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the estimated value of the first vehicle is determined by the one or more dealerships.  
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 27 , wherein the one or more dealerships provide the estimated value to the consumer when the one or more vehicle dealerships and consumer following up with one another.  
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the one or more dealerships determine the estimated value from one or both of the information indicative of the first vehicle received from the consumer or information obtained by an inspection of the first vehicle, which is compared against one or more data sources of vehicle value information available to the one or more dealerships.  
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 29 , wherein the data sources of vehicle value information is selected from the group comprising one or more of a reference book of vehicle value information, database of vehicle value information, Black Book, NADA, or Kelly Blue Book.  
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the web site is maintained independently of the one or more dealerships, in order to communicate to the consumer that the web site is unaffiliated with the one or more dealerships.  
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the web site is maintained without indicating to the consumer whether or not the web site is affiliated with the one or more vehicle dealerships.