What is an OEM-endorsed or co-op website program?

Read what the subsidy constrains

Programs commonly specify content, branding, page structure, tracking and sometimes the vendor. Confirm what you can and cannot change before assuming a program site can be optimised the way an independent one can.

Approval is not evaluation

Inclusion on an approved list means a provider met the manufacturer's programme requirements. It is not an assessment of fit for your store, your market or your existing stack, and it is not a performance guarantee.

Confirm eligibility per rooftop and per brand

Groups running multiple brands often cannot standardise on one provider without losing co-op on some rooftops. Establish eligibility store by store before consolidating.

Model the real cost

Compare the subsidised program against an unsubsidised alternative on total cost including what you give up: control of content, portability of the site, and ownership of the data and accounts.

Questions to ask the manufacturer

Ask the manufacturer's representative for the program's written requirements, the list of approved providers, the co-op funding rules and the reporting each participant must supply. Ask what happens if you move to a non-approved provider: which funds are lost, whether some are retained and what evidence is needed. Ask for the answers in an email you can file with the contract.

Questions to ask the provider

Ask what parts of the site the dealer can edit, what tracking and scripts are mandated, how the provider handles search work inside the program's limits, what happens to the site and domain at exit and whether the data and accounts belong to the dealer. Program sites can be perfectly adequate, but the limits should be known before signing.

Common mistakes with OEM programs

Choosing a provider because it is on the list without checking fit is the first. Assuming co-op funds cover the full cost is another; funds usually cover a share and carry conditions.

A third is forgetting that requirements change annually. Keep a copy of each year's guidelines, set a reminder to review them and budget for the possibility of a mid-term change.

Documents to request

Ask for the current program guide, the list of approved providers and their tiers, the co-op reimbursement rules, the technical and content requirements and the schedule of changes for next year. Ask a neighboring dealer in the same brand about experience with each provider. Keep these documents with the website contract for the term.