Automotive digital retailing company CarNow has launched a real-time retail platform using live-data technology that empowers dealers to expand customer interactions and transactions from their physical showroom to their online showroom.

“Today’s modern dealership must feel ubiquitous to consumers and allow customers to interact and transact seamlessly online and in-store, regardless of where their buying journey begins,” said Andy Park, CEO of Atlanta-based CarNow. “Our latest innovation – our brand-new real-time retail platform – provides dealers with the industry’s first unified, intuitive platform to serve customers in real time through an end-to-end transaction, defragmenting the customer experience and eliminating traditional points of frustration.”

The platform combines the customer communication and digital retailing experiences CarNow is known for across its more than 5000 dealerships with a real-time road to the sale.

The software integrates a live-action checklist for every step within the buying journey, whether those steps are completed in-person or online, and ensures the dealer has complete, accurate visibility of each customer’s buying journey as well as the tools to transact with the customer in real time.

As part of the platform, CarNow also will be showcasing a digital showroom experience, real-time build functionality and a vehicle accessories experience.

The digital showroom experience lets customers not only shop every vehicle in a dealer’s database but custom build a car if it’s not available filtering by year, make, model, trim and payment. Through the real-time build functionality, dealers allow customers to build the new vehicle they want via a guided chat conversation. And through the vehicle accessories experience, customers can shop approved accessories and add-ons for their vehicle.

“Every customer’s buying preferences are unique,” said Tim Cox, co-founder of CarNow. “These new integrations enable the customer to select which part of their shopping journey happens online and which they choose to save for the in-store experience. We’re excited to empower consumers to define their journey, while simultaneously providing dealers with the tools to serve their customers in real time.”

CarNow is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.