February 2026 Product Update

When I was running the lot in Phoenix, we'd get these software updates every few months — bullet points, no context, no sense that anyone had actually sat in our shoes. I've tried to write this one differently.

My job now is to sit between the product team and dealers: I talk to 10–15 of you every day, and I work with the team that builds this stuff. So I get to see both sides — what we're building and why, and what it actually means when you're on the lot at 7pm. This is our February 2026 release, and it's a big one. Here's what shipped and why I think it matters for how you run your operation.

Website builder — edit it yourself

I've talked to dealers who paid $200 to change a color on their site. Or waited two weeks for a developer to add a 'We Buy Cars' page. That feedback came up so often we made it a priority for this release.

Your website is your front door — you should be able to tweak it when you want. Now when you get started, everything's set up for you automatically: colors, layout, pages, logo. And you can change any of it yourself. Pick from 7 homepage layouts, 3 inventory views, 3 vehicle page styles. Toggle Finance, Warranty, About Us, Business Hours on or off. Add or remove sections. Your inventory and contact info stay in sync. No tickets, no waiting.

Customer finance application — refreshed

Your buyers apply for financing on your site — that's been there. But the experience was due for an overhaul. Here's the thing: you pay for every click that lands someone on that form. Google ads, Facebook, your website traffic — it all costs money. If the form feels clunky or makes people uneasy, they bounce. Your marketing spend goes nowhere. We analyzed tens of thousands of applications and user journeys, partnered with a top conversion-rate optimization agency, and rebuilt the whole thing so customers feel comfortable enough to actually complete it. That's how you turn clicks into leads.

We rebuilt it with a few things in mind: simpler design, works great on phones (most buyers fill it out on their phone in the parking lot), and co-buyer support built in — when a couple comes in, they toggle it on and fill out one form together. We also added six languages: English, Spanish, French, Russian, Chinese, Arabic. In the Southwest we had a lot of Spanish-speaking customers; having the app in their language made a real difference. Applications land straight in your dashboard.

Finance dashboard — see your real profit

One of the hardest things as a used car manager was knowing what we actually made on a car. You buy for $12K, put $800 into recon, pay floor plan for 23 days, sell for $15,500. The number in your head is a guess.

We built the Finances page to fix that — it pulls in purchase price, recon, floor plan interest, fees, sale price and shows net profit, cash balance, expenses by category, money in vs out, all in one place. You see your real profit per car. You can reconcile against your bank statement so the numbers match. That kind of clarity changes how you buy.

Per-vehicle expenses

We used to track recon and repairs in a spreadsheet — or worse, on a napkin. Then at month-end we'd try to remember which car had the brake job. The product team built per-vehicle expense tracking to solve exactly that.

You link every expense — repairs, detailing, parts, floor plan interest — directly to the vehicle. Add it from the vehicle page or the Expenses tab; it ties to the stock number automatically. Floor plan tracking is built in: principal, interest, days on lot, payments. You see your real cost-to-sell before you price a car. No more guessing.

There's also an estimated cost feature: right before you sell a car, you can see exactly how much you've spent on it, including floor plan estimated costs.

Email integration — Gmail or Outlook

Customers ignore emails from noreply@whatever.com. They open emails from you. That's why we built the integration — connect your Gmail or Outlook once and every reply goes out from your real address. Your name, your inbox gets the replies. Emails and texts from all your customers show up in one inbox. Add your own signature with your logo and contact info. One-time setup, about 30 seconds.

Google has strict security rules for apps that link to Gmail. We went through their highest-level security audit so you can trust your inbox and your customers' data are locked down. I've seen dealers cut their response time in half just by having everything in one place.

Trade-ins in the deal builder — enhanced

Trade-ins have been in the deal builder for years. We've made the flow better. When you're working a deal, flip on the trade-in toggle and enter the VIN — year, make, model, trim fill in automatically. Set the value and it's part of the deal.

Trade-in shows up in the summary. When you print the paperwork, it's included. Cleaner layout, better paperwork. If you do a lot of trades, this one saves time.

Custom domains

Your site should say smithautosales.com — not smithautosales.dealeressential.com. Customers remember the first one. They type it into Google.

You can bring a domain you already own or search and buy a new one right from your dashboard. Either way, it's registered under your name. If you ever leave, you take it with you. Already have a domain? Connect it in a few clicks — it's all automatic. Don't have one yet? Search available domains and register through us starting around $12/year. SSL included. No extra monthly fee.

Referral program — $250 per dealer

Dealers talk to other dealers. At the auction, at the DMV, at industry events. You've probably sent someone to a tool you use. Now when you send another dealer our way and they close their first deal, you get $250 credit. No cap.

You get a link in your account settings; share it anywhere. New dealers start free — first 3 deals on us, then $29 per closed deal. You can also join the Partner Program to track referrals and get additional benefits.

Help center

We built a help center so you're not on your own — this was a direct response to the 'I'm stuck and it's 7pm' feedback we kept getting. Search hundreds of how-to articles — from listing your first car to reading your profit dashboard. Prefer talking to someone? Live chat with a real person, email us, or book a call with your rep. We're adding articles regularly. It's in your dashboard under Help.

I know how frustrating it is to be stuck on something small. Having a path to an answer matters.

Biometric login and mobile improvements

You're on the lot, it's 90 degrees, and you're typing your password with one thumb. We've all been there. On the mobile app, you can unlock with Face ID, Touch ID, or a PIN. Set it up once and you're good.

The mobile deal flow has been simplified — buyer info, pricing, paperwork, done. Everything auto-saves as you go. Close the entire deal and print your documents from your phone. No computer required.

Deep linking and quick replies

Your phone buzzes. New lead. You tap it — and you're on their profile, not some generic dashboard. Message from a buyer? Tap it, you're in the conversation. Deal closed? You see the deal. No digging through menus. Deep linking and one-tap replies were two of the most requested features from dealers — 'I tap the notification and end up somewhere random' or 'I'm typing the same reply 20 times a day.' We built both.

For leads, when someone asks for a video walkaround, tap once and send a branded video of that exact car, addressed to that customer. Same for info requests and price inquiries. The reply is pre-built; you just tap Send. Seconds instead of minutes.

Where to find everything

If you're already on Dealer Essential, everything above is live. Nothing to buy, nothing to upgrade.

1. Website builder: Dashboard → Website Settings
2. Finance dashboard: Dashboard → Finances
3. Vehicle expenses: Vehicle page or Finances → Expenses
4. Email: Dashboard → Leads → Connect email
5. Trade-in: Start a new deal — trade-in toggle is there
6. Custom domain: Website Settings → Connect your domain
7. Referral: Account settings → Referral Program
8. Help center: Dashboard → Help
9. Biometric: Mobile app → Settings

If you're not on Dealer Essential yet, you can sign up free. First 3 deals on us, then $29 per closed deal. No monthly subscription.

What's coming next

We roll these out seamlessly so your lot never skips a beat. Next up: the Vega Edition, coming Spring 2026. More inventory integrations, better finance tools, a full-scale native marketplace to generate leads, and much more. Stay tuned.

Wrap-up

That's the February 2026 update. A lot of it is about control — your website, your numbers, your domain, your help when you need it. And a lot of it is about speed — faster deals on mobile, faster replies to leads, less time hunting through screens.

If you have questions, the help center is there, or reach out directly. I talk to dealers every day; I'm here to bridge the gap between what we build and what you need.