Dealer eProcess: The Everest Platform for Automotive Digital Retailing and Websites

Overview

Dealer eProcess (DEP) is a full-service automotive digital platform provider founded in 2006 by Joe Gillespie. Headquartered in Lisle, Illinois, with additional offices in Phoenix, Arizona, and Everett, Washington, DEP serves over 2,000 dealerships across North America with its Everest Platform — an integrated suite covering AI-powered websites, digital marketing, Amazon advertising, digital retailing, and inventory management. The company has 200+ employees and has won 40+ industry awards.

What started as an outbound BDC (Business Development Center) in 2006 transformed when Gillespie heard dealers express frustration with existing automotive website providers: weak lead production, non-customizable templates, and slow change orders. In 2008, DEP pivoted from BDC services to building its own automotive website platform — a bet that has paid off. Today, DEP is an OEM-certified provider for 15 brands including Acura, BMW, Genesis, Honda, Hyundai, Lexus, Nissan, Stellantis, Subaru, Toyota, and Volkswagen. The company's in-program status for digital retailing with Stellantis, Nissan, and INFINITI adds a layer of credibility for franchise dealers.

DEP positions its Everest Platform as an all-in-one solution designed to replace multiple vendors. The company's tagline — "Automotive's All-in-One Platform" — reflects a pitch to dealers who are tired of managing separate website, CRM, digital retailing, marketing, and inventory tools. The key differentiator is the Connected Retail Platform (CRP), which unifies customer data from all digital touchpoints into a single behavioral profile — without requiring login or DMS data.

What It Does

DEP's Everest Platform is built around Connected Retail technology that creates a "Digital ID" for every website visitor — a behavioral data profile generated automatically without requiring the shopper to log in or the dealer to provide DMS data. This Digital ID enables personalization across all touchpoints:

Connected Retail Platform (CRP) & Digital ID. The CRP tracks anonymous visitor behavior using a combination of browser fingerprinting, session stitching, and behavioral scoring. When a shopper first lands on a dealership site, DEP assigns a probabilistic Digital ID — a pseudonymous profile that accumulates data as the visitor browses inventory, searches by vehicle attributes, clicks on special offers, or engages with chat. On subsequent visits (even from different devices), the system attempts to reconcile the session and continues building the profile. This enables real-time personalization without requiring the dealership to maintain a separate CDP or DMS integration. A repeat visitor who previously searched for midsize SUVs under $35,000 would see SRP results pre-filtered to match that preference, trade-in values surfaced based on browsing history, and calls to action tailored to their stage — browsing vs. comparing vs. ready to buy. DEP's CRP essentially acts as a lightweight customer data platform purpose-built for automotive, tracking behavior across owned digital channels without the heavy infrastructure cost of enterprise CDP solutions.

AI-Powered Websites. Responsive, server-side rendered automotive websites built on DEP's proprietary platform. The company claims a 77% boost in leads from first-time website visitors — driven by personalization, behavioral triggers, and optimized conversion paths. Sites are designed for both independent and franchise dealers, with OEM-specific compliance built in for certified brands.

Digital Marketing. Multi-channel campaign management across Google, social, streaming, and display advertising. DEP's platform uses API integrations for automated budget management, campaign creation, optimization, and advanced attribution. The company is a Google Partner and integrates with major ad platforms.

Amazon Advertising. This is DEP's most distinctive offering. DEP is an Amazon Ads Verified Partner with the largest dedicated Amazon Advertising team in the automotive industry — a team of certified specialists who manage campaigns across Amazon's full ad ecosystem. In 2025, the team won 1st place at the NCM Vendor Shark Tank competition for its Amazon Advertising capabilities. DEP's Amazon channel coverage includes:

• Amazon Marketing Cloud (AMC). Amazon's clean-room analytics environment where DEP models audience segments and measures campaign performance against Amazon's retail signals — purchase intent, brand searches, category affinities. AMC allows DEP to understand which dealership website visitors later searched for or bought automotive accessories on Amazon, closing the loop between intent and action.
• Amazon Prime Video Ads. Connected TV advertising on Amazon's streaming platform. DEP helps dealers run video ads during automotive-adjacent content — car reviews, racing coverage, auto-related movies and shows — reaching audiences in a lean-back, high-engagement environment that differs from the active-search intent of Google.
• Amazon Audio. Advertising on Amazon Music's ad-supported tier and Amazon's podcast inventory. Dealers can target by music genre, listening behavior, and geographic DMA.
• Amazon Garage and Automotive Shopping. Amazon's dedicated automotive shopping environment where DEP places inventory and service-based ads in front of shoppers browsing vehicle parts, accessories, and tires — intercepting in-market signals that indicate a vehicle owner who may be ready to trade in or service their car.
• Twitch and Fire TV. Extended reach through gaming and streaming platforms within the Amazon ecosystem, expanding the audience pool beyond traditional automotive advertising channels.

Everest Retailing (Digital Retailing). DEP's proprietary digital retailing solution includes a trade-in appraisal tool, soft-pull credit application, and online purchase workflow. The platform is in-program for Stellantis, approved for Nissan, and approved for INFINITI — a meaningful compliance achievement that saves franchise dealers months of OEM approval work.

Sherpa AI. An AI-powered customer support tool that handles common shopper questions and service inquiries — available 24/7 on the dealership's website.

Inventory Management. A combined inventory management, pricing, and appraisal system that integrates with the website and digital retailing platform.

SEO & GEO. Search engine optimization and geo-targeting for local market visibility.

Why Dealers Care

1. Amazon Advertising integration. This is DEP's strongest differentiator. No other major automotive website platform offers native Amazon Advertising capabilities. For dealers who want to reach in-market shoppers on Amazon — including targeted ads on Prime Video, Twitch, Amazon Music, Fire TV, and other Amazon properties — DEP is essentially the only option. As Amazon continues to grow its automotive advertising business, this early-mover position has strategic value.

2. Connected Retail Platform (CRP). DEP's ability to create a Digital ID for anonymous website visitors — and use that profile for real-time personalization of SRP filters, vehicle recommendations, and calls to action — is genuinely innovative. Most automotive platforms require a login or DMS integration to personalize the experience. DEP does it without either, which means 95%+ of anonymous visitors get a personalized experience. The system's ability to reconcile sessions across devices adds an additional layer of sophistication that matters for dealers with long purchase cycles where shoppers visit the site dozens of times before converting.

3. OEM certification depth. In-program for digital retailing with Stellantis, approved for Nissan and INFINITI — plus website certification for 15 major OEMs. For franchise dealers, OEM compliance is often the deciding factor in platform selection. DEP's certification breadth means less friction in deployment.

4. All-in-one platform economics. DEP replaces website, digital marketing, digital retailing, and inventory management vendors. For a dealer group paying $5,000-$15,000/month across separate vendors, consolidation onto the Everest Platform can reduce costs while improving data flow between systems.

5. 2,000+ dealer customer base and 99% satisfaction rate. While all customer satisfaction claims should be taken with context, a 99% rate from 2,000+ customers is a meaningful data point. The company also has long-tenured client relationships — Pohanka Automotive Group has been a partner since 2014, and Carter Motors Seattle has a 14+ year relationship.

Strengths

Amazon Advertising exclusivity. DEP's position as an Amazon Ads Verified Partner with a dedicated automotive Amazon advertising team is unique in the industry. For dealers who recognize Amazon as a growing automotive advertising channel, DEP is the clear choice.

Connected Retail Platform technology. The Digital ID approach to personalization — no login required, no DMS feed needed — is a genuine technical differentiator. Most personalization tools require explicit shopper identification, which excludes the majority of website visitors.

OEM certification depth. Certified for 15 major brands for websites and in-program for digital retailing with Stellantis, Nissan, and INFINITI. This reduces the approval timeline for franchise dealers by months.

Full-stack platform coverage. Websites, digital marketing, digital retailing, Amazon ads, inventory management, and AI support — all within a single platform with unified data. For dealers who want to reduce vendor count, DEP offers genuine breadth.

Award-winning team with longevity. 40+ industry awards, 200+ employees, and a founding CEO (Joe Gillespie) who built the company from a BDC operation in 2006. The company has been in the automotive digital space for nearly two decades.

Strong independent ownership. Unlike many competitors that have been acquired by large publicly traded companies, DEP remains privately held and founder-led. This means product roadmaps are driven by automotive dealer needs rather than quarterly earnings targets or private equity exit timelines.

Watch-Outs

No public pricing. Like most premium-tier automotive vendors, DEP does not publish pricing. Based on the platform's breadth and OEM certifications, expect costs in the $2,000-$10,000+/month range for a full-stack deployment. Independent dealers may find lower-cost alternatives.

Digital retailing is OEM-approved but not market-leading. DEP's digital retailing (Everest Retailing) is in-program for several OEMs, but it competes with dedicated digital retailing platforms like Roadster (acquired by CDK), Gubagoo, and CarNow's digital retail suite, which have deeper feature sets and longer track records.

Amazon Advertising is niche. While Amazon's automotive advertising business is growing, it remains a small fraction of most dealers' advertising spend compared to Google, social media, and third-party listing sites (AutoTrader, Cars.com, CarGurus). The Amazon capability is a differentiator but not yet a primary channel for most dealers.

Cloudflare protection limits transparency. DEP's website is protected by Cloudflare's bot detection, making it difficult to research the platform without contacting sales. Pricing, feature lists, and integration details are only available through the sales process.

Independent dealers may find the platform overbuilt. DEP's Everest Platform is designed for franchise dealers and larger groups. Independent dealers who do not need OEM certification, Amazon Advertising, or multi-location management may find better value in simpler, lower-cost platforms.

Competitive pressure from larger rivals. DEP operates in a space with well-funded competitors like CDK Global (backed by Brookfield Business Partners), DealerOn (backed by BV Investment Partners), and Dealer Inspire (owned by Cars Commerce). These competitors have larger sales teams, bigger R&D budgets, and more extensive integration ecosystems. DEP competes on specialization and depth rather than scale.

Competitive Positioning

vs. DealerOn. DealerOn is known for its SEO-driven lead generation, intelligent chat, and automated marketing. Its platform is strong for independent dealers who prioritize organic search visibility and conversion-optimized templates. DEP's advantages over DealerOn are threefold: (1) Amazon Advertising — DealerOn has no equivalent offering; (2) Connected Retail Platform personalization — DealerOn's personalization is more lightweight and session-based rather than leveraging persistent Digital ID profiles; (3) OEM certification depth — DealerOn is certified for fewer OEM brands, which matters for franchise dealers who need pre-approved integrations. DealerOn counters with lower starting costs, transparent pricing, and a modular approach that lets dealers pick only the services they need rather than committing to a full-stack platform.

vs. Dealer Inspire. Dealer Inspire (part of Cars Commerce) focuses on mobile-optimized websites, reputation management, and integration with the Cars.com marketplace. DI's advantage is seamless integration with Cars.com listings — dealers already paying for Cars.com inventory exposure get a tighter workflow. DEP's advantages: (1) the CRP layer provides personalization that DI's platform does not match at the anonymous visitor level; (2) Amazon Advertising is entirely absent from DI's stack; (3) DEP's digital retailing certifications (in-program for Stellantis, approved for Nissan/INFINITI) give it an edge for franchise dealers with those OEM brands. DI pushes back with superior mobile experience out of the box and a broader marketplace reach through the Cars Commerce ecosystem.

vs. CDK's website platform. CDK Global offers websites through its own platform (after sunsetting the Roadster dealer websites) and is the dominant DMS provider. CDK's advantage is data integration — if a dealer is already on CDK's DMS, their website and digital retailing platform can pull real-time inventory, pricing, and customer data without additional middleware. DEP's advantages: (1) more agile product development — DEP is not constrained by the complexity of maintaining a massive DMS installed base; (2) Amazon Advertising is absent from CDK's website offering; (3) Connected Retail Platform enables personalization without DMS integration, which actually matters more for dealers not on CDK's DMS; (4) DEP's OEM certification breadth rivals or exceeds CDK's for the brands DEP covers. CDK counters with scale — the company serves over 15,000 dealerships, has a larger partner ecosystem, and offers better support infrastructure for multi-location dealer groups.

Who It's Best For

Good fit: Franchise dealers and dealer groups who want an all-in-one digital platform with strong OEM certification, value Amazon Advertising capabilities, and want to consolidate multiple vendor relationships. Best for dealers who serve certified OEM brands (Acura, BMW, Genesis, Honda, Hyundai, Lexus, Nissan, Stellantis, Toyota, VW) and want a platform with pre-approved integrations. Mid-size to large dealer groups who want to reduce vendor count and are comfortable with a bundled platform approach.

Bad fit: Independent dealers who do not need OEM compliance, Amazon Advertising, or a full-stack platform. Also not ideal for dealers who want maximum flexibility to mix and best-of-breed vendors for each function — DEP is designed as an integrated platform, not a modular stack. Price-sensitive dealers will find lower-cost alternatives. Very large dealer groups (50+ rooftops) may find that CDK's scale and support infrastructure is a better match for multi-location complexity.

Demo Questions

1. What is the all-in monthly cost for the Everest Platform including websites, digital marketing, Amazon Advertising, and digital retailing for my specific configuration? Get a detailed proposal with line-item costs.

2. How does the Connected Retail Platform's Digital ID creation work with my specific website traffic, and what data privacy compliance considerations apply? Understand the technology and legal implications of tracking anonymous visitors. Ask specifically about cookie deprecation and how the CRP adapts to a cookieless future.

3. Can you demonstrate the Amazon Advertising capabilities with real dealership results — specifically ROAS, cost-per-lead, and share of Amazon Automotive impression share? Amazon advertising metrics are different from Google Ads. Ask for case studies specific to your DMA and OEM brand.

4. Which of my specific OEM brands are certified for digital retailing, and what functionality does each certification cover? Not all OEM certs are equal. Ask about the specific features, approval status, and any limitations.

5. What separates Everest Retailing from dedicated digital retailing platforms like Roadster or Gubagoo? Understand where DEP's solution excels and where it lags, particularly around trade-in accuracy, F&I product integration, and deal-jacketing workflows.

6. How does the Connected Retail Platform handle a cookieless browsing environment and state-level privacy regulations (CCPA, CPRA)? As third-party cookies are phased out, understanding the CRP's identity resolution strategy for the future is critical.

7. Can you walk through a real migration timeline and data integration plan for my specific dealer group? Understand how long it takes to go live, what data needs to be migrated, and what integration points are required with existing DMS, CRM, and third-party tools.

Bottom Line

Dealer eProcess is a serious player in the automotive digital platform space with a genuinely differentiated offering in Amazon Advertising and a technically interesting Connected Retail Platform. The company's OEM certification depth, all-in-one platform breadth, and nearly two decades of automotive focus make it a legitimate contender for franchise dealers evaluating website and digital marketing platforms.

The Amazon Advertising capability alone makes DEP worth a look for any dealer who sees Amazon as a growth channel — and that list is growing as Amazon expands its automotive advertising offerings. The Connected Retail Platform's Digital ID technology is a forward-looking approach to personalization that most competitors do not offer. DEP's ability to track anonymous visitors across sessions and devices without requiring DMS data or shopper login is a meaningful advantage in a privacy-conscious, cookieless advertising environment.

The main questions for any dealer evaluating DEP are around total cost, digital retailing maturity compared to dedicated solutions, and whether a platform designed for franchise dealers scales down appropriately for smaller operations. Compared to competitors like DealerOn, Dealer Inspire, and CDK, DEP wins on Amazon Advertising exclusivity, Connected Retail personalization, and OEM certification depth — but loses on pure scale, modular flexibility, and independent-dealer accessibility. For franchise dealers who value integration, OEM certification, and Amazon access, Dealer eProcess deserves a serious place on the shortlist.