Quick Tip: Manage Trade-In Appraisals with OPENLANE Leads

Every car dealer knows the feeling: a customer walks into your showroom, wants an appraisal on their trade-in and suddenly you’re juggling notes, retail values and wholesale estimates while trying not to lose the deal. In the automotive business, delayed trade-in decisions cost real money. If your trade-in dealer appraisal process feels clunky or disorganized, you risk losing both the retail sale and a profitable wholesale opportunity. 

Managing trade-ins doesn’t have to be complicated. With OPENLANE’s Retail Suite, streamlining your lead pipeline from a walk-in appraisal to active wholesale inventory takes just a few minutes.

Here is your simple, step-by-step guide to managing leads, closing trade-ins and keeping your inventory moving. 

Step 1: Capture and Organize Fresh Leads Instantly 

Whether a buyer submits an inquiry online or walks right into your showroom, your first job is getting their information into the leads section of your dashboard. 

When a new lead arrives: 

• Log the details: Add the customer’s information and vehicle details straight to your dedicated appraisal workspace on OPENLANE. 

Need to clean up your dashboard? You can quickly edit customer details or remove inactive leads at any time to keep your pipeline tidy. 

Step 2: Value Every Trade-In with Retail and Wholesale Market Insights

Once you find your lead in the In Progress tab, you gain a single, clear view of the deal. By using the dealer appraisal tool, the in-progress vehicle details page pulls together everything you need to value a vehicle accurately and quickly:

• Appraisal data and full vehicle condition reports
• Sales representative notes
• Retail values alongside OPENLANE wholesale insights

Pro tip: Transparency builds trust. Use the printable appraisal form to show your customer a clear, professional breakdown of their vehicle’s condition and appraisal value. It gives walk-in customers total confidence in their trade-in value, helping build customer confidence and move the deal forward quickly. 

Step 3: Move Trade-In Vehicles to Wholesale Inventory

Once you’ve secured the vehicle, it’s time to maximize its value. Instead of letting trade-in vehicles sit on your lot and lose value, move them directly into Inventory.

• Move to inventory: With just a click, push your secured vehicle straight to your active inventory list. 
• Keep an Eye on the Clock: Don’t let leads gather dust. If an In Progress lead hasn’t launched within 7 days, it will automatically move to Closed.  

FAQ

Do I need a separate subscription or add-on to access Retail Suite in my OPENLANE Canada account?

There is no additional software you need to install, however, Retail Suite is only accessible through a ProPower Subscription. To learn more about our ProPlans, click here. 

Can multiple sales reps or managers on my team collaborate on the same lead within Retail Suite?

Yes. Retail Suite allows your entire team to view and update active leads in real time. A sales rep can capture customer details and condition notes on the showroom floor, while a sales manager can jump into the exact same In Progress lead to review wholesale insights, set the appraisal value, and print the final customer report.

How does Retail Suite sync with my inventory management system (IMS)?

Retail Suite is designed to seamlessly feed secured trade-ins straight into your active inventory. Once a trade-in deal is finalized, pushing the vehicle to your Inventory updates your dashboard instantly, making it ready to be launched onto the OPENLANE wholesale marketplace without double-entry of vehicle specs or condition data.