Marketplace platform for selling new and used cars with financing
In a company dealing with the sale of passenger and commercial vehicles, along with financing, we reduced sales costs by 60% by creating a new sales channel in the form of a dedicated marketplace platform. This platform allows the purchase of new and used cars online in four simple steps.
Backend
Frontend
Client description
Carfin are professional advisors for entrepreneurs and individuals looking for the best vehicle purchase financing options online, as well as new and used cars available immediately. The company's specialists, who are experts in the automotive and financial industries, are able to quickly prepare the most advantageous financing offer for the purchase of the desired vehicle. The company ensures the completion of the entire car purchase and pickup process, or delivery to the customer's home, even within 48 hours.
The aim of the project
The main objective of the project for CarFin was to create a tool that would open a new sales channel, allow the company to become independent of external advertising services, and increase the efficiency of the sales department. This was the company's response to the growth of the global online car sales market, which in 2020 was valued at $237.93 billion. It is forecasted that its value will rise to $722.79 billion by 2030, representing an average annual growth of about 12%.
From the user's perspective, our client aimed to create a system that would not only streamline the process of selecting and financing a vehicle but also offer a better shopping experience. Previous reliance solely on external advertising portals made it difficult to guide a customer through their own purchasing process. It limited control over the presentation of offers and the efficiency of selecting the type and parameters of financing. Furthermore, the associated high fees for publishing advertisements and their number significantly increased sales costs, negatively impacting the company's profitability.
What technologies did we use?
PHP 
SYMFONY
MYSQL
HTML
JavaScript
CSS
Main challenges
- Strong emphasis on a quick and efficient purchasing process.
- Financial calculations for various types of financing parameters in real-time.
- Automation of external advertisement publishing and maintaining the consistency of offers.
- Tight project timelines.
Solution
We designed and built from scratch a dedicated marketplace system, fully tailored to the purchasing process developed by CarFin. The built-in finance calculator allows users to easily tailor financing conditions to their needs and preferences. It enables the simulation of installments for vehicle purchases through leasing, credit, and rental, based on main parameters such as the duration of the contract and the initial fee. Additionally, users have access to a search engine for new and used cars, an expanded vehicle detail page, and the option to choose different variants of the purchased vehicle.
As part of the management panel, we prepared automation of the process related to publishing selected offers on otomoto.pl - one of the largest Polish automotive advertising services. Thanks to API integration, a feature was created that allows the publication of a selected offer with a single click. In the future, the client plans to expand to other external sales channels. This solution allows the client to efficiently use multiple sales channels without having to spend time manually adding offers externally.
that's how much the company managed to reduce costs by, thanks to giving up the use of external advertising services and creating its own sales platform.
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Platform functionalities
Key functionalities of the project include:
- Intuitive, real-time functioning finance calculator.
- A search engine that allows for matching vehicles to specific needs.
- CMS (Content Management System) enabling extensive configuration of the portal, flexible content management, and offer publication.
- Automation of publishing selected offers on external advertising services.
- A module for checking availability and reserving selected vehicles.
Branding & design
The branding and design of CarFin were developed with the aim of providing users with a clear and intuitive experience in finding their dream car and arranging its financing. The very choice of the name CarFin, a fusion of the word "Car" and an abbreviation of "Finance", perfectly reflects the scope of the company's activities. The color scheme of the portal, with dominant blue and white, supports the trust and professionalism of the brand, while also allowing for easy distinction of key interface elements. Special attention was paid to readability and ergonomics, as evident in the clarity of the financial calculator and search modules, which are central points of interaction. Dynamic vehicle images and elegant fonts highlight the modern character of the offers and are consistent with the overall image of a modern sales platform.
Project team
The project team consisted of 7 members: a UX Designer, two Back-end Developers, two Front-end Developers, a Tech Leader, and a Project Manager.
Project effects
Before:
- Sales limited exclusively to external advertising portals.
- Inefficient purchasing process without the ability to quickly adjust financing.
- Calculation of financing options burdening the sales team.
- High and rising sales costs, reducing the profitability of the company.
After:
- Own platform as a new sales channel.
- Efficient purchase process with self-service financing adjustment.
- Increased efficiency of the sales department, focusing on finalizing transactions.
- Optimization of sales costs by 60% and increased company profitability.
What the company has gained?
The implementation of the CarFin project opened a new dimension for our client in conducting business. Creating their own sales platform provided the company with greater independence from external advertising services, contributing to increased operational security. The fully automated option of selectively publishing offers on such services not only saves the client's employees' time but also reduces sales costs, allowing the added offers to be used as brand promotion to attract new customers. Additionally, a more efficient purchase process with the possibility of self-adjusting financing optimizes the customer journey and accelerates purchasing decisions. As a result, the sales department can focus on more strategic tasks, which ultimately leads to increased competitiveness in the market and faster company growth.
Review
"Thanks to our collaboration with WebMakers, we managed to create our own sales channel and facilitate the process itself, thanks to automation and transformation. The project allowed us to increase revenues and reduce by 60% the costs allocated to the use of external sales services. I am satisfied with the cooperation due to the professionalism of the company and the comprehensive handling of the entire project."
Mateusz Respondek
CMO CarFin