Car dealerships guide

Can my dealer website pull stock from AutoTrader?

How independent dealers can show live stock on their own website using feeds and integrations.

The short answer

Often yes. Many independent dealers display stock on their own website through a feed from AutoTrader or their DMS. Availability depends on your provider and package, so we check access before quoting.

See our car dealership website design work, or tell us what you need.

How feeds work

Your stock system publishes vehicle data that your website reads and displays, updating on a schedule.

When a manual option is better

Small dealers with a handful of cars sometimes find a simple manual listing faster and cheaper.

What to ask your provider

Ask whether website feeds are included, the format, update frequency and any extra fees.

Plan the information before choosing a layout

Start by collecting the information a first-time visitor needs to make a decision. List the essential pages, the questions people ask and the action each page should support. Use your own business details, real photographs and current policies. Separate information that rarely changes from details that need regular updates, such as fees or availability. This makes the brief clearer and reduces the risk of paying for pages nobody maintains. Ask a colleague to read the draft without explanation: if the next step is unclear, improve the wording before spending time on decorative details.

Check the stock and finance information together

Vehicle details should match the current stock record, including price, mileage, specification and availability. Explain where a buyer can arrange a viewing without implying an enquiry reserves the vehicle. If finance is promoted, have the business and its authorised provider check wording against current FCA requirements. Do not assume that a generic representative example is suitable for every advert. Check whether your stock provider permits the planned feed and what happens when it is unavailable. Keep a manual correction process for errors. Real photographs and clear disclosures help buyers assess the vehicle; neither a polished listing nor a feed connection replaces checking the underlying data.

Test the complete journey on a phone

Open the site on a small phone with no saved session and follow the journey from the first page to the final request. Check the menu, contact choices, form errors and confirmation. Make sure a sticky control or cookie notice does not cover the submit button. Test every external booking link and confirm the correct location is selected. A form is only useful if the message is saved and reaches the person responsible for replying. Keep the number of required questions proportionate and explain what happens next. Do not judge the experience only from a large desktop screen.

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