What are the ways dealers can upload their inventory?
Dealers have four options for adding and managing inventory on AmericanAutoListings:
- Individual Listing Creation — Manually create a single listing at a time through the dealer dashboard.
- CSV / Bulk Upload — Upload your full inventory using a CSV or ZIP file.
- API Push — Your system sends inventory data directly to our API endpoint.
- API Pull (Feed) — We automatically pull inventory from a feed URL you provide.
How does Individual Listing Creation work for dealers?
From the dealer dashboard, click "Create Listing" and fill in the vehicle details manually — just like a private seller would. This is ideal for adding one or a few vehicles at a time. Listings are immediately active as long as your subscription is in good standing and you are within your listing ceiling.
How does CSV / Bulk Upload work?
You can upload your inventory all at once using a CSV file. Here's how:
- Download our CSV template or bulk upload guide from your dealer dashboard's Inventory Settings.
- Fill in your vehicle data following the template format (or use your own column names — we support field mapping).
- Upload the CSV (or ZIP containing the CSV) from the Inventory Settings page.
- Review the preview of your data before finalizing. We'll flag any issues for correction.
- Confirm to publish. Listings go live immediately.
We support uploads up to 200MB and will automatically normalize common field values (condition, drivetrain, colors, etc.).
How does the API Push method work?
With the API Push method, your dealer management system (DMS) or inventory software sends listing data directly to our API endpoint. Here's how to set it up:
- Go to Inventory Settings in your dealer dashboard and select "Push API."
- Generate your unique API key (you can revoke and regenerate this at any time).
- Configure field mapping so we know how your data fields map to our listing fields.
- Point your system to our API endpoint:
POST /api/v1/inventory with a Bearer token in the Authorization header. - Your system can push a JSON array of vehicle objects whenever your inventory changes.
This is the best option for dealers with their own software systems who want real-time inventory sync.
How does the API Pull (Feed) method work?
With the API Pull method, you provide us with a feed URL and we automatically retrieve your inventory on a schedule. Here's how to set it up:
- Go to Inventory Settings in your dealer dashboard and select "Pull Feed."
- Enter your feed URL (CSV or JSON format) and any authentication credentials required to access it (we support no auth, basic auth, or bearer token — credentials are encrypted at rest).
- Configure field mapping and normalization rules.
- Choose your sync frequency (daily or weekly), or trigger a manual sync at any time.
- We will automatically keep your listings updated based on your feed.
This is ideal for dealers whose existing website or DMS already exposes an inventory feed.
What is field mapping and why do I need it?
Field mapping tells our system how to translate your data's column names into our standard listing fields. For example, if your CSV uses "asking_price" but our system expects "price," you define that mapping once in your Inventory Settings. This only needs to be set up once and is saved for all future uploads or syncs.
What happens if I exceed my listing ceiling?
Your listing ceiling is the maximum number of listings we will publish for you — and the most you can be billed for. If a bulk upload, feed sync or API push would take you past it, the extra listings are not published. Raise your ceiling from the Subscription page at any time and they go live automatically; nothing has to be re-uploaded. The ceiling exists so a misbehaving feed can never generate a surprise invoice.
How much does a dealer subscription cost?
You pay for the vehicles you actually have listed, at a per-car rate that falls as your inventory grows: $4.97/car for your first 30, $3.33 for 31–60, $2.50 for 61–200, $2.00 for 201–400, $1.50 for 401–800, and $1.13 beyond that. Each rate applies only to the cars in that band, so adding car #31 costs $3.33 and cars 1–30 stay at $4.97 — listing more never re-prices what you already have. There is a $59 monthly minimum, and prices are plus applicable sales tax. A 40-car lot is about $182 a month; 150 cars is about $474. If you sell down over the winter, your bill falls on its own — no call, no portal visit.