Vehicle Acquisition Network (VAN) vs. Backlist

Vehicle Acquisition Network (VAN) is a purpose-built vehicle sourcing platform that enables car dealerships to acquire high-margin, fast-turning used vehicles directly from private sellers—bypassing auctions, reducing acquisition costs, and accelerating inventory turn. Today’s automotive market is more competitive than ever. Wholesale prices are climbing, auction fees are rising, and reconditioning delays eat into profitability. VAN solves this by giving dealers the tools and talent they need to target, engage, and acquire for-sale-by-owner (FSBO) vehicles in their local market with speed and efficiency. With VAN, dealers can: Access thousands of local private-party listings in real time Use AI-powered filters to find the most profitable cars Automate personalized outreach and follow-up with sellers Track communications, tasks, and acquisition progress in one unified CRM Eliminate auction fees, transport delays, and wholesale surprises For stores that lack time or staff to do this work in-house, VAN also offers a Managed Buyer program—a turnkey service where VAN’s expert acquisition team works on your behalf to find, contact, and negotiate with private sellers. It’s like hiring a full-time buyer without the overhead. Whether you're a single rooftop looking for more control or a large group scaling a private-party acquisition strategy, VAN adapts to your dealership's workflow and goals. Dealers using VAN regularly see faster turn times, higher front-end grosses, and more predictable inventory pipelines. Trusted by over 250 rooftops across the U.S. and Canada, VAN is how modern dealers compete with Carvana, CarMax, and other direct-to-consumer disruptors—by sourcing smarter, not just spending more.

Backlist offers a cutting-edge software platform tailored for car dealerships to seamlessly acquire vehicles from private sellers in real time. It actively scans various online marketplaces like Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, Autotrader, Cars.com, and eBay, effectively removing duplicate listings and those that are misrepresented by dealers, while quickly alerting users when a private seller posts a vehicle that matches their desired parameters, such as make, model, year, price, mileage, and location. Each vehicle listing is assessed against wholesale and retail market values, equipping buyers with crucial margin insights before they initiate contact. The built-in CRM system diligently monitors every lead from the first outreach to the completed sale, featuring useful tools like team pipelines, seller phone identification, and SMS/email communication capabilities. Backlist is particularly popular among independent dealers, used-car franchises, multi-location groups, and wholesalers, enabling them to obtain inventory directly from owners rather than depending on auctions. The subscription pricing is adaptable, with month-to-month plans beginning at $775 and no obligation for an annual contract, along with a free trial period available. Users can conveniently utilize the service via a web dashboard and an iOS app, streamlining their vehicle acquisition efforts while maximizing efficiency. The platform not only enhances the buying process but also fosters a more direct relationship between dealers and private sellers.