Overview
The Website Engagement trade-in tool lets shoppers estimate what their current vehicle is worth as a trade-in, directly on the dealership's website, using Kelley Blue Book® (KBB) data. The shopper walks through a short guided flow, receives a Kelley Blue Book® Trade-In Range for their vehicle, and submits their contact details, which creates a trade-in lead for the dealership.
This article explains how the tool appears on the dealer site, what the shopper experiences step by step, and exactly what data Fullpath pulls from Kelley Blue Book and how it is used.
Where the module appears on the dealer site
The trade-in tool is part of the Fullpath Website Engagement layer that runs on top of the dealership's existing website. Shoppers reach it through trade-in calls to action placed across the site, such as:
- A "Value Your Trade" prompt or button on the homepage, search results pages (SRP), and vehicle detail pages (VDP).
- A dedicated trade-in page, where the tool can take over the dealership's existing trade-in page so the experience is consistent.
- Menu or icon links that open the tool directly.
The tool can display as a full page or as a card/pop-up experience, and it adapts to desktop and mobile. The shopper does not leave the dealership's website to use it.
The shopper experience, step by step
The module guides the shopper through four steps, then displays the valuation.
| Step | What the shopper does |
| 1. Get a Trade-In Range | Selects their vehicle by year, then make, then model, then style (trim). The dropdowns build on each other, so each choice narrows the next. Where enabled, the shopper can also provide their VIN. |
| 2. Vehicle Details | Confirms vehicle specifics: engine, transmission, and drivetrain options for the selected style. |
| 3. Conditions | Selects the vehicle's condition and enters mileage. |
| 4. How should we contact you | Enters contact details to receive the range. Submitting this step creates the trade-in lead. |
While the valuation is retrieved, the shopper sees a brief loading message ("Generating your Kelley Blue Book® Trade-In Range…"). The result then appears as a "My Car's Value" summary that includes:
- The selected year, make, model, and style.
- The Kelley Blue Book® Trade-In Range (a low-to-high range) or a single value, shown with the Kelley Blue Book logo.
- A recap of the details the shopper entered.
- An invitation to come in for a professional appraisal.
- Kelley Blue Book terms, including the valuation date and ZIP code used.
If a value cannot be produced for the selected vehicle, the shopper sees a short message letting them know a quote could not be calculated, and the lead is still captured.
The Kelley Blue Book data integration
Kelley Blue Book is the valuation provider behind the tool. Fullpath connects to Kelley Blue Book and pulls three kinds of data, each used at a specific point in the flow:
| Data pulled from Kelley Blue Book | How it is used |
| Vehicle catalog: years, makes, models, and styles (trims) | Populates the cascading vehicle-selection dropdowns in Step 1, so the shopper identifies their exact vehicle from Kelley Blue Book's own vehicle list. |
| Vehicle detail options: engine, transmission, drivetrain | Once a style is chosen, Kelley Blue Book returns the valid options for that vehicle, which the shopper confirms in Step 2. These refine the valuation. |
| Valuation: the Trade-In Value or Trade-In Range | Kelley Blue Book returns the trade-in figure based on the selected vehicle, its condition and mileage, the chosen options, and the dealership's market (ZIP code). This is what the shopper sees on the result screen. |
The Kelley Blue Book Trade-In Value reflects what a consumer can typically expect to receive from a dealer for a trade-in, assuming an accurate appraisal of condition. It is generally lower than a private-party value because the reselling dealer takes on reconditioning, inspection, and other costs.
Condition is one of the biggest inputs into the valuation. The tool uses four standard condition categories:
| Condition | Description |
| Excellent | Looks new and is in excellent mechanical condition |
| Very Good | Has minor cosmetic defects and is in excellent mechanical condition |
| Good | Has some cosmetic repairable defects and is free of major mechanical problems |
| Fair | Requires some mechanical repairs |
A few important notes about the valuation:
- The result can be presented as a range (low to high) or as a single value, depending on the account configuration.
- A valid U.S. ZIP code is required. Empty ZIP codes and Canadian postal codes are not supported by the valuation, so a value will not be returned in those cases.
- Figures are Kelley Blue Book estimates and can vary by region, vehicle, condition, and other factors. They are a starting point, not a final offer; the dealership confirms value at an in-store appraisal.
What happens after the shopper submits
Submitting the contact step turns the interaction into a trade-in lead and captures the full picture of the shopper's vehicle:
- A lead is created and sent to the dealership, including the shopper's contact details and the trade-in vehicle they entered (year, make, model, style, condition, mileage, options, and VIN where collected).
- The trade-in conversion is recorded on the shopper's timeline in the CDP, so the dealership can see that the shopper expressed trade-in intent.
- Trade-in leads can be handled and routed like other website leads, including follow-up handling, so the right team can reach out quickly.
- The shopper sees the dealership's configured thank-you message.
The tool also reports standard trade-in events (for example, when a shopper starts the tool, indicates a vehicle, or submits) to support OEM and Shift Digital program reporting where applicable.
Configuration options
The tool can be tailored per dealership. Common options include:
- Value vs. range: show a single Kelley Blue Book trade-in value or a low-to-high range.
- Condition handling: let shoppers choose condition, or standardize the pricing condition for the account (for example, providing pricing at a single condition tier).
- VIN collection: optionally ask the shopper for their VIN.
- Custom step text: adjust step titles and call-to-action button copy.
- Thank-you message and additional comments: customize the post-submission messaging.
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Placement: position trade-in calls to action across the site and, where desired, take over the dealership's existing trade-in page.
For CSMs
If a dealership is not set up with, or wishes not to use Kelley Blue Book valuation, the Trade-In module can run in a lead-capture mode that collects the shopper's vehicle and contact details without returning a Kelley Blue Book figure.
How KBB connects to Equity
The same Kelley Blue Book valuation data that powers the on-site trade-in tool also powers Fullpath's Equity capabilities, where Kelley Blue Book values the vehicles customers already own so the dealership can identify strong trade-in and upgrade opportunities in the CDP and in campaigns.