Cost per lead is easy to compare and easy to be misled by. Two vendors can quote very different per-lead numbers and deliver identical results, because the word "lead" is doing different work in each quote.
Here is a cleaner way to think about the math when you are comparing acquisition channels.
Define what you are actually buying
An inquiry, a verified contact and a live transferred phone call are three different products. A low per-unit cost on inquiries can easily be the most expensive channel once your team's time is counted.
We price per client introduction — a consumer who confirmed intent and is handed to your store — which is why the unit is comparable to an appointment, not to a form fill. The FAQ spells out the distinction.
Count the labor, not just the invoice
Working a list costs salary. If it takes a BDC rep an hour of dialing to reach one seller, that hour belongs in the channel cost. Channels that deliver a conversation move that labor off your books.
- Contacts attempted per conversation reached
- Conversations per appraisal appointment
- Appointments per vehicle acquired
- Total channel spend per vehicle acquired
Measure against acquisition, not against clicks
The number that matters is what a retail-ready unit cost you to source, including the channel, the labor and the reconditioning. Anything upstream of that is a proxy.
Once you measure that way, performance-based pricing per introduction gets easier to evaluate, because the cost only occurs when a conversation occurs.
Compare markets, not just vendors
Demand differs by state, which is why our rates do too. What a store pays in one market is not a useful benchmark for another. Coverage and terms by state are on pages like Texas trade-in leads, California dealership leads, Georgia coverage and Ohio coverage.
Get Texas trade-in leads
Performance-based pricing per client introduction, no monthly fees, cancel anytime. Tell us your market and we'll confirm coverage.
About the author
Written by the National Auto Source acquisition team, who work with franchise and independent dealerships nationwide on vehicle sourcing. Read how our process works or browse the dealership FAQ.
