Method and apparatus for facilitating sales and management of aftermarket products

1 . A method for integrating the sale of an aftermarket product to a customer with the sale of a vehicle to the customer, comprising:

receiving, from a dealer, sales information associated with the sale of the vehicle, the sales information including dealer information and vehicle information including a vehicle identification number referred to as a VIN;

identifying, based at least in part on the dealer information and the vehicle information, an aftermarket product suitable for said customer;

causing aftermarket product terms to be presented to said dealer;

receiving, from said dealer, an indication of the customer's desire to purchase said aftermarket product; and

completing the sale of said aftermarket product.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said sales information is received from a dealer management system operated by said dealer and said aftermarket product terms are presented to said dealer using said dealer management system.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said completing the sale of said aftermarket product includes:

transmitting aftermarket product data to said dealer; and

causing generation of a signature-ready purchase agreement between said customer and a vendor of said aftermarket product.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said completing the sale of said aftermarket product includes:

transmitting information associated with said sale of said aftermarket product to a vendor of said aftermarket product.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said identifying an aftermarket product suitable for the customer further includes:

determining, based at least in part on said dealer information, that said aftermarket product is available for sale by said dealer; and

determining, based at least in part on said vehicle information, that said aftermarket product is available for sale in association with the vehicle.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein said determining, based at least in part on said dealer information, further comprises:

comparing a location of said dealer with information identifying aftermarket products available in the location.

7 . The method of claim 5 , wherein said determining, based at least in part on said dealer information, further comprises:

comparing an identity of said dealer with information identifying aftermarket products available to said dealer.

8 . The method of claim 5 , wherein said determining, based at least in part on said vehicle information, further comprises:

comparing a sales price of the vehicle to information identifying aftermarket products available for vehicles of said sales price.

9 . The method of claim 5 , wherein said determining, based at least in part on said vehicle information, further comprises:

identifying a make and a model of the vehicle; and

comparing said make and said model to information identifying aftermarket products available for vehicles having said make and said model.

10 . The method of claim 5 , wherein said determining, based at least in part on said vehicle information, further comprises:

identifying a mileage of the vehicle; and

comparing said mileage to information identifying aftermarket products available for vehicles having said mileage.

11 . The method of claim 5 , further comprising:

determining, based at least in part on a date of the sale, that said aftermarket product is available for sale on the date.

12 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:

generating a database record associated with said sales information received from said dealer.

13 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

assigning a deal identifier to said database record; and

assigning a status identifier to said database record indicating a status of at least one of pending and issued.

14 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

capturing information associated with said transaction including information identifying a cancellation of said sale of said aftermarket product.

15 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said receiving an indication of the customer's desire to purchase further comprises:

receiving information identifying a price said customer agrees to pay; and

receiving information identifying a lien holder associated with said aftermarket product.

16 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said identifying an aftermarket product further comprises identifying a plurality of aftermarket products and wherein said receiving an indication of the customer's desire further comprises receiving a selection of at least one of said aftermarket products.

17 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said completing the sale further comprises causing a general ledger of said dealer to be updated with information associated with said sale of said aftermarket product.

18 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

assigning a policy identifier to said database record in connection with completing the sale of said aftermarket product.

19 . An aftermarket sales system, comprising:

a processor; and

a storage device in communication with said processor and storing instructions adapted to be executed by said processor to

receive sales information associated with the sale of a vehicle by a dealer, the sales information including dealer information and a vehicle identification number, also referred to as a VIN;

identify, based at least in part on the dealer information and the vehicle information, an aftermarket product suitable for association with said sale;

receive an indication of the customer's desire to purchase said aftermarket product; and

complete the sale of said aftermarket product.

20 . A method for operating a dealer management system, comprising:

transmitting an aftermarket product quote request, said quote request including information identifying a dealer and information identifying a vehicle purchase said vehicle information including a vehicle identification number, also referred to as a VIN, of said purchased vehicle;

receiving an aftermarket product offer including price information associated with an aftermarket product suitable for sale with said vehicle purchase;

transmitting an acceptance of said aftermarket product offer; receiving aftermarket product information; and

causing an aftermarket product agreement to be generated having said aftermarket product information.

21 . A method for canceling an aftermarket product policy, comprising:

receiving a cancellation request including information specifying a policy number, dealer information, and a cancellation date;

identifying an aftermarket product policy sales record associated with said policy number;

calculating a customer cancellation cost;

calculating a dealer cancellation impact; and

transmitting a cancellation message to said dealer and to an aftermarket product vendor, said cancellation message including said dealer cancellation impact and said customer cancellation cost.