At a glance
- Per photo
- About 20 seconds
- Backdrops
- 20 studio, showroom, outdoor and scenic
- Walkaround video
- 15 seconds, with voiceover and music
- Plan
- $50 a month for 333 photos
On this page
- How do franchise dealers use CarShots?
- How it works on a franchise lot
- Real photos of new cars, not stock images
- How do you keep photos consistent across rooftops?
- Photo booth, photographer or phone?
- What doesn't CarShots do yet?
- Free tools for your used car department
- What does CarShots cost a franchise store?
- Common questions
- Sources
How do franchise dealers use CarShots?
On a franchise lot, CarShots gets real photos online for every unit that moves: new arrivals, trade-ins headed for the used lot and CPO cars. A porter, lot attendant or salesperson shoots the car on a phone, in the browser or the CarShots iOS app. On-screen outlines show where to stand for each angle, so the tenth car of the day is framed like the first.
Each photo comes back in about 20 seconds on the backdrop you picked, and photos upload and process while you walk to the next angle. When the car is done, turn on Website feed and its photos and walkaround video join your inventory feed: a CSV or XML feed, or an SFTP upload, that your website provider or DMS can pick up. For listing sites, download the photos one by one or as a zip.
How it works on a franchise lot
Shoot it where it's parked
Pull the car to a clear spot and follow the on-screen outlines around it. There is no booth, lighting kit or turntable involved.
Put it on your store's backdrop
Pick one of the 20 curated backdrops and use it on every car. Fix anything in plain words, like "hide the license plate" or "make it a little brighter".
Send it to your website
Turn on Website feed for the car, and its photos and walkaround video join your CSV or XML inventory feed, or go out by SFTP upload, as they finish. For Marketplace, download each photo or the whole car as a zip.
Real photos of new cars, not stock images
If your new-car listings show stock images until a photographer gets to them, shoppers see a brochure instead of the car on your lot, with its actual color, wheels and packages. With CarShots, whoever checks the car in can shoot it that day. Because each photo processes while the next one is being shot, most of the set is done by the time you finish walking around the car.
The same photos become a 15-second 360° walkaround video with voiceover and music, so a new arrival gets a video as well as photos, with nothing extra to film.
How do you keep photos consistent across rooftops?
Consistency comes from two things: the same angles and the same background on every car. Every store follows the same on-screen outlines, so framing doesn't depend on who's holding the phone. Pick one backdrop for the whole group, or one per brand, and your vehicle pages look like they came from one studio.
If your brand or group has its own photo standards, check them against the backdrops before you roll out, and email CarShots about your own showroom or a branded background.
Photo booth, photographer or phone?
| Compared on | Photo booth | Photographer or photo service | CarShots |
|---|---|---|---|
| Where the car is shot | Inside the booth, so it has to be driven in | Where and when the photographer works | Anywhere on the lot, whenever it's ready |
| Who shoots | Your staff, at the booth | The photographer | Anyone on your team |
| Equipment | The booth, its lights and often a turntable | Their camera and lighting | The phones you already have |
| Consistency | Same room every time | Varies by shooter and by day | Same outlines and backdrop on every car |
| How you pay | A build-out plus upkeep | Usually per car or per visit | $50 a month for 333 photos |
A booth can still make sense at a store that runs a high volume of cars through one spot every day. For numbers, see what dealership photography costs and the car photo booth alternative.
What doesn't CarShots do yet?
If your store depends on integrations, here's the plain list before you start:
- No API or direct integration. Photos and walkaround videos go out through a CSV or XML inventory feed or an SFTP upload, so check that your website provider or DMS can import one.
- No interactive 360 spins. The walkaround is a 15-second video that circles the car.
- No automatic plate blur. Plates stay as shot until you hide them with an edit.
If one of these is a must-have, our comparison pages show which vendors offer it.
Free tools for your used car department
Your used car team can use these free tools, with no signup:
- Window sticker lookup: open a trade-in's original window sticker on the manufacturer's site where one exists, or get a spec sheet from the VIN.
- FTC Buyers Guide generator: fill out and print the Buyers Guide that the FTC's Used Car Rule requires on the used cars you offer for sale.
- Window sticker maker: print a used car sticker with your price, features and a QR code.
What does CarShots cost a franchise store?
One plan: $50 a month for 333 photos, about 15¢ a photo. When a busy month runs past that, add 67 photos for $10 at a time. It's month to month, and you can cancel anytime.
Start by trying a photo of one of your cars free, without signing up. The 7-day trial that follows includes 20 photos and a 360° video; a card is required. Details are on the pricing page.