Ownership between manufacturer and dealer
Some networks manage profiles centrally, others leave them with dealers. Without an agreed model, nobody can enforce standards — or take over a profile when a dealer leaves.
Location Operations
Automotive
Location operations for manufacturer, importer and dealer networks
In automotive, location data is shared between three parties: the manufacturer or importer, the dealer group, and the individual site with its sales, service, parts and body shop — often several brands at one address. Every dealer contract change, takeover, relocation or new service partner has to reach Google, Apple Maps, Bing, TomTom and the brand’s dealer locator consistently. MapsExperts runs that layer at network level, from the network’s master data to verified live profiles.
This page covers network-level data and governance, not dealer-level marketing.
Network structure
Brands, departments and hours under Google’s rules
Dealer sites combine brands, departments and opening hours in ways Google’s guidelines address directly. Google also maintains separate guidelines for car dealerships, which every network structure is checked against.
| Situation | What the guidelines say | What it means for the network |
|---|---|---|
| Several brands at one site | Don’t combine brand names in one profile name. Pick one brand’s name — or, if the brands operate independently, use a separate profile for each brand at the location. | Each multi-brand site needs a documented decision on how its brands are represented, applied the same way across the network. |
| Authorized dealers | A business that is an authorized and fully dedicated seller of a brand — sometimes called a franchisee — may use the underlying brand name in its profile. | Naming rules for authorized dealers and service partners are set at network level, not invented site by site. |
| Service, parts and body shop | Departments can have their own profiles with their own categories. Google’s example: “Southend Toyota” (Toyota Dealer) and “Southend Toyota Service & Parts” (Auto Repair Shop, plus Auto Parts Shop). | Department profiles exist only where they meet the rules, with categories that differ from the sales profile. |
| Opening hours | Car dealerships use car sales hours. If new and pre-owned sales hours differ, the new car sales hours apply. | Workshop and parts hours belong on department profiles or in More hours, not in the sales hours. |
| Dealer-specific rules | Google publishes separate guidelines for car dealerships. | Before rollout, the network’s structure is checked against the current version of those guidelines. |
Where dealer networks break
Six situations behind most errors
Dealer networks change through contracts, not only through openings and closures — and profile ownership changes with them.
Dealer changes
Terminations, takeovers by another dealer group and new service partners change who owns a site’s profiles. Each needs a transfer plan — see network changes.
Multi-brand sites
A site selling several brands ends up with combined names, missing brand profiles or brand profiles that compete with each other.
Profile sprawl
Separate profiles for individual service offerings, created by dealers or vendors, conflict with Google’s guidelines and weaken the profiles that should exist.
Locator and Google disagree
The brand’s dealer locator, Google, Apple Maps and TomTom show different addresses, hours or services for the same site.
Brand standards
Names, categories, photos and descriptions drift away from the network’s standards as each dealer edits independently — see monitoring.
How we work with dealer networks
Network master data, applied everywhere
The manufacturer’s or importer’s dealer master data stays the reference. MapsExperts turns it into profile rules and keeps every site aligned.
-
Inventory
Every sales, service, parts and body-shop profile mapped to the dealer master data — including duplicates and profiles held by former dealers or vendors.
-
Rules
One network standard for names, brands, departments, categories and hours, checked against Google’s general and dealer-specific guidelines.
-
Ownership model
Who owns which profiles, who may edit which fields, and what happens when a dealer joins or leaves — agreed before rollout.
-
Operate
Dealer changes released in batches, live data compared with the master data, and deviations reported per dealer.
Experience
Related work
Auto-parts retail network
MapsExperts improved profile structure, categories and location-level relevance, followed by monthly reporting and recommendations. Over a four-month measurement period, CTR increased by 18% year over year.
13,400+ locations supported
Across MapsExperts’ current client base — through the Managed Service, hybrid operating models and direct Platform use by internal teams.
Boundaries
What stays with the network and with Google
Dealer networks run on contracts. Location operations implements them; it does not replace them.
- Google’s car dealership guidelines and review decide which brand and department profiles a site may have. We apply the current version; Google decides.
- Who owns profiles under a dealer agreement is settled between manufacturer or importer and dealers. We implement the agreed model.
- Vehicle inventory listings and dealer advertising campaigns are separate topics and are not covered here.
Related
Location operations for dealer networks
The operational topics behind a dealer network’s location data.
Questions
Dealer network FAQ
Who should own a dealer’s Business Profile — the manufacturer or the dealer?
Both models exist. Google’s policies allow only the business owner or authorized representatives with the owner’s express consent to manage a profile, so the network should agree ownership and access before rollout — including what happens when a dealer leaves.
Can a multi-brand dealership have one profile per brand?
If the brands operate independently at the location, Google allows a separate profile for each brand. Brand names must not be combined into one profile name.
Should service and parts have their own profiles?
Google treats them as departments: they can have their own profiles with categories that differ from the sales profile, such as Auto Repair Shop and Auto Parts Shop. Google’s separate car dealership guidelines also apply and are checked before rollout.
Which opening hours should a dealership show?
Google asks car dealerships to use car sales hours — the new car sales hours if new and pre-owned sales differ. Service and parts hours belong on their department profiles.
What happens to profiles when a dealer leaves the network?
It depends on the ownership model and on what happens to the site. Profiles are transferred, renamed under Google’s rebranding criteria or closed — planned per site before the contract ends.
Network review
Start with how your dealer sites appear today.
Tell us how many dealer and service sites the network has, where the dealer master data lives and how profile ownership is organized. We will show you where the live data diverges from your standards.