Westlake Financial Services launched a direct-to-consumer online pre-qualification platform for consumers in California, the company announced today.
When visiting Westlake’s website, consumers are greeted with a box that reads “Get Pre-Qualified,” which contains some basic information boxes to fill out, without hurting their credit.
“Upon approval, customers can view inventory available from dealerships that fit their pre-qualification parameters and set up a test drive with the car of their choice at the selected dealership,” Ralph Ontiveros, vice president of Westlake Services and Lending Solutions, explained in a company press release.
Westlake began developing the platform at the end of 2016 and “dedicated multiple resources” to make the process more “simple” and “stress-free,” the release states.
“Our goal was to commence 2017 with a platform that benefits car buyers and we achieved just that with this online launch,” said Ian Anderson, group president of Westlake Financial Services.
The launch of the platform also offers incentives to returning and new consumers in the form of vouchers that can be applied towards down payments. New customers get $200 towards a down payment and returning customers can receive up to $500.
The company recently partnered with the mobile and online multi-lender platform AutoGravity to deliver loans to pre-qualified consumers across 46 states where AutoGravity is offered.
Westlake is planning to roll out it’s online pre-qualification platform to other states “throughout 2017.” Consumers outside of the golden state will see the pre-qualification box when they visit the site, but won’t be able to get pre-qualified or browse inventory for now. Going through the process will redirect those consumers to one of Westlake’s 20,000 dealer partners.
