This month, we have focused on helping dealers find, assess, and act on sourcing opportunities. From trade‑in signals to vehicle insights and faster communication on mobile, May’s updates are designed to reduce friction at every step of the acquisition journey. Some of the improvements include identifying potential trade‑ins, evaluating vehicles and connecting with sellers in real time.
New Features and Enhancements
Trade‑in & Sourcing:
carsales Trade-in Bonus
What’s new:
The carsales Trade‑in Bonus allows dealers to create targeted bonus offers and apply them to specific inventory items to support carsales Trade‑in Program opportunities.
Why it matters:
This gives dealers more control over how they incentivise trade‑ins, helping strengthen customer conversations and improve conversion by making selected vehicles more attractive as part of a deal.
How to access:
AutoGate (web) → Inventory → Special Offers tab → Dealer offers / Create offer → Select Trade‑in Bonus
Once created, the trade‑in bonus must be applied to individual inventory items for it to be active on those vehicles.
Access step-by-step guide here: How to create and apply a carsales Trade‑In Bonus – Autogate Help
carsales Trade‑in Offer (eligibility indicators) [AutoGate iOS App]
What changed:
Trade‑in opportunities now display clearer eligibility indicators during the sourcing process:
- Blue (Eligible): Vehicle passes checks and is shown with a single trade‑in price
- Red (Ineligible): Vehicle does not meet criteria and no trade‑in offer is generated
- Amber (Conditional): Vehicle has minor concerns and is shown with a price range instead of a fixed offer
Why it matters:
This gives dealers immediate clarity on the quality and reliability of trade‑in opportunities, helping them prioritise leads faster and set the right expectations with customers early in the process.
How to access:
AutoGate (iOS App) → Sourcing → Select a vehicle → View Trade‑in valuation section.
VIN Factory Paint Options (enhancement) [AutoGate iOS App]
What changed:
A new “See Paint Options” call‑to‑action has been introduced, allowing dealers to retrieve VIN‑specific factory paint options on demand via an enhanced RedBook Inspect lookup. Clear messaging is shown when OEM data is unavailable or incomplete.
Why it matters:
This improves pricing accuracy and vehicle assessments by giving dealers better visibility of factory specifications, especially when evaluating vehicles during sourcing.
How to access:
AutoGate (iOS App) → Sourcing → Select a vehicle → Factory options → Select See paint options.
Bello messaging in Sourcing [AutoGate Android App]
What changed:
Dealers can now use Bello messaging within the Android app when working in Sourcing. This includes:
- Contacting the seller directly via in‑app messaging
- Accessing Bello messages from the Sourcing List and Find Opportunity pages
- Opening conversations directly from push notifications
Why it matters:
This brings communication into the sourcing workflow on mobile, allowing dealers to respond faster, stay connected while on the go, and reduce delays when progressing opportunities.
How to access:
AutoGate (Android App) → Sourcing List / Find Opportunity → Select a vehicle → Message via Bello.
Need Help?
Check out our Help Centre for step-by-step guides and FAQs.
Explore the Updates
See it now. https://autogate.co/
Any information on this page is provided as a guide only. It is not professional or expert advice and is not a substitute for such advice. The content may not be appropriate, correct or sufficient for your circumstances and should not be relied on as the only reason you do or don’t do anything.