Cox Automotive Esntial Commerce

Cox Automotive Esntial Commerce: Cox Automotive describes Esntial Commerce as a scalable eCommerce solution that lets consumers complete the used car buying process entirely online. The company says it automates the used car transaction and is a white-label, end-to-end solution that can be customized to a retailer's brand.

Cox Automotive company profile Cox Automotive official website

Cox Automotive Esntial Commerce: Dealer management systems (DMS)

The features listed include personalized monthly payments across all inventory, trade-in capability, credit application and approval for financing, digital contracting and electronic signatures. Cox describes financing automation, payments shown in search, automated checkout to financing, aftermarket product automation and fraud detection as parts of the automation, using technology it calls MagiQual.

The first public announcement was a joint project with Penske Automotive Group, reported by Cox Automotive, PR Newswire, CBT News and Auto Remarketing, in which Penske launched an automated platform for retailing used vehicles. Later releases describe CarBreezy, an online car buying solution launched using the technology.

Auto Remarketing describes dealer groups launching online used-car platforms powered by Cox Automotive.

Cox describes the platform as using its data and AI for operational efficiency for retailers.

The product differs from a dealer website's digital retailing tool. It is meant as a full transaction platform that can sit behind a separate consumer brand.

So a retailer would use it to run an online used car business as well as a website feature.

A dealer group considering it would ask how the platform handles vehicle titling and registration in each state, how delivery is arranged, how consumer disclosures and contracts are managed, how lenders are integrated, how returns and refunds work and how the technology connects to the store's DMS and inventory.

The category guide for online vehicle sales platforms lists a neutral checklist. Ask about training time.

Confirm who owns the data.

ESNTIAL Commerce is Cox Automotive's online car-buying platform, first built with Penske Automotive Group for used vehicles. Cox describes a flow in which a shopper compares up to four vehicles, sees payments personalized to a credit profile, adds protection products, values a trade, gets a financing decision, signs and pays a down payment online.

A capability it calls MagiQual automates the back-end financing steps. Stores weighing it should ask how lender decisions are returned, how a deal moves into the DMS and which steps still need staff.