FAQs
Questions, answered.
Everything dealers ask us before getting started. Can't find what you need? Get in touch and we'll answer it directly.
Getting started
What does Carous actually do?
We build the digital infrastructure UK car dealers run on — dealer websites, the Carous DMS dashboard, lead capture and integrations, stats & reports, and the AutoSOR vehicle consignment programme. Everything syncs with your Auto Trader stock so it works together instead of as separate tools.
How long does it take to get a dealer website live?
Custom dealer websites can go live in as little as 72 hours once we have your Auto Trader feed details and branding, so you start capturing enquiries within days rather than months.
Do I need to already have a website or dashboard to switch to Carous?
No. We work with dealers moving off outdated platforms (Click Dealer, Spidersnet and similar) as well as dealers who have never had a website. We handle the setup either way.
Which platforms do you integrate with?
Auto Trader is our primary stock and pricing-indicator feed, kept in sync automatically. Get in touch if you use another portal and we'll confirm compatibility.
Products
What's the difference between the dealer website and the Carous DMS?
Your dealer website is the public-facing site your buyers browse. Carous DMS is the private dashboard you and your team use behind the scenes to manage stock, leads, pricing and reporting.
How does lead capture work?
Enquiries from your website, WhatsApp widget and AI chat assistant are captured automatically and routed straight to your team by email and into your dashboard, so nothing gets missed in a spreadsheet or inbox.
What kind of reporting do I get?
Stats & Reports gives you a live dashboard covering website traffic, lead generation and per-vehicle performance, with exportable data so you can see what's actually working.
AutoSOR consignment
What is the Sale or Return (SOR) programme?
AutoSOR lets you stock and sell vehicles you don't own. We source cars from private sellers or other dealers, you display and sell them as your own on your forecourt and website, and you only pay for the ones that sell — the rest are returned.
Is there any upfront cost to join AutoSOR?
No. It's designed as risk-free stock growth — you expand what you have on your forecourt without the outlay of buying stock outright.
Support & contracts
What are your support hours?
Our team is online Mon – Fri 9:00am – 6:00pm, Saturday 10:00am – 4:00pm, Sunday Closed (UK time). Outside those hours, enquiries submitted via the website, WhatsApp or AI chat are still captured and answered as soon as we're back online.
How much does Carous cost?
Pricing depends on which products you need and the size of your dealership. Request a free, no-obligation demo and we'll put together a quote for your forecourt.
Am I locked into a long contract?
Contract terms are confirmed when you sign up and set out in your agreement — ask your Carous contact for the specifics before committing.
How do I get help or report an issue?
Use the WhatsApp or AI chat widget on any page, or the contact form — both reach our team directly.
Still have questions?
Talk to the Carous team directly — request a free, no-obligation demo and we'll walk you through it.