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How OEMs Tackle Pricing and Payment Complexities

Oliwia Szczerbetka
Project Manager

Different tax policies, disclaimers, pricing structures, and payment gateways all converge to create a uniquely challenging landscape.

Here, we’ll delve into these complexities, drawing on our internal know-how and real-life experiences while exploring how flexible solutions, such as our Stock Locator, can help OEMs and dealerships effectively manage them.


Challenges for OEMs with pricing and payment solutions

1. Varying legal and tax regulations

Even within a single country, separate states or provinces may impose additional regional taxes or require specific disclaimers. For instance, one state may mandate different vehicle registration fees than another, directly affecting total purchase prices.

2. Contractual agreements with local providers

Markets sometimes have preexisting agreements with local payment gateways or financial service providers, rendering a “global default” gateway solution impractical. Some regions rely on PayPal or Stripe, while others demand entirely different providers like LiqPay in Ukraine or specialized bank integrations in Japan.

3. Differing customer expectations

In certain regions, particularly in Europe, regulations require that the consumer be shown the lowest price in the last 30 days or a highly visible textual disclaimer. Other markets demand “on-the-road” pricing that clearly itemizes all taxes, fees, and extras. These expectations influence what data must be displayed and how.


The result? While many brand websites look sleek and simple from the outside, the backend setup can be incredibly sophisticated to meet these local demands.

car online dealership omnichanel

The Importance of Pricing Flexibility

One of the biggest mistakes we’ve seen is underestimating how crucial flexible price management is. Having just one “retail price” field may suffice for some markets, but global OEMs often need:

  • Multiple price fields: For instance, “Retail Price,” “On-the-Road Price,” and “Leasing/Subscription Price.”
  • Tooltips and disclaimers: A quick pop-up or additional note can clarify whether taxes are included, if shipping charges apply, or if special fees (like luxury car taxes) have been factored in.
  • Manual override options: Although automated price updates from a configurator are convenient, certain regions require manual adjustments. For example, our Stock Locator allows an end user to override automatic prices for particular areas where additional costs or discounts apply.
japanese jlr prices
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The case study explores how collaboration, customization, and cultural insight powered JLR’s success in one of the world’s most demanding automotive markets.

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Simplifying Integrations with Payment Gateways

Once an automotive brand decides to offer a reservation or purchase option online, the payment gateway is a critical piece of the puzzle. Global names like Stripe or PayPal might be the easiest default for many European or North American markets, but they aren’t always available or preferred everywhere.

  • Local or regional payment partners
    Certain markets have established banking systems or local payment gateways. Take, for example, LiqPay in Ukraine or SoftBank in Japan. These providers come with distinct documentation, unique data flows, and legal prerequisites for integration.
  • Flexible “no-payment” reservations
    Some countries or brands opt out of requiring immediate deposits, offering an alternative “soft reservation” process. This might include an email or SMS verification rather than an upfront deposit. It’s an effective workaround in regions where stringent requirements or legal hurdles make typical payment processing unfeasible.
  • Compliance and security
    Automotive dealers deal with large payments - far more than a typical consumer web store. That means advanced security checks, thorough testing protocols, and compliance with local data regulations are all essential.
ukraine liqpay
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Disclaimers: A Non-Negotiable Legal Layer

Pricing disclaimers may not sound exciting, until you realize they are often a legal necessity.

  • Full transparency - no hidden information
    Disclaimers cannot always be hidden in a tooltip; they must appear plainly next to the price. Some legal statutes stipulate that disclaimers be in a certain text size or visible without additional user interaction.
  • Regional language requirements
    A disclaimer written in English may suffice in one region but not in another. This complicates overall site design, as disclaimers can be extensive and must be translated accurately.
  • “Lowest price in the last 30 days”
    Designed to stop deceptive promotional tactics, this rule forces dealers in some EU markets to prove authenticity when displaying a discounted price. Even if this rule doesn’t apply globally, the platform must adapt seamlessly for the regions that require it.
car buy online

The Hidden Effort Behind “Simple” Solutions

From the customer’s point of view, the process of seeing a final price and paying a deposit online seems straightforward. 

But behind the scenes, seamless integration often involves the detailed testing of every path.

Every feature, such as pulling in data from an OEM’s configurator or factoring in region-specific taxes, requires thorough end-to-end testing. When thousands of dollars or euros are on the line, even a small glitch can be costly.

“Pricing and payments may look simple on the surface, but they’re one of the most sensitive and complex parts of the entire system.

My role is to make sure everything adds up, literally. From verifying pricing logic to testing how different payment flows behave across devices and countries, we treat every QA pass as if it’s the final checkpoint before a customer hits ‘Reserve’.”
Marcin Pietranik Automation QA Engineer, Reffine

Of course, regulations and consumer expectations evolve. A system that meets your current needs may need new disclaimers or additional price fields next quarter. This means that continuous updates and expansions are part of the journey.


How Reffine Helps OEMs Navigate These Challenges

At Reffine, we’ve learned that truly global solutions require a blend of technical robustness and human expertise:

Adaptable Stock Locator

Our Stock Locator offers flexible options to manage multiple price types: lease, subscription, on-the-road. Also to handle disclaimers. OEMs control when to rely on automated price feeds or use local overrides.

Bespoke Payment Integrations

In addition to supporting popular global gateways like PayPal or Stripe, we integrate with custom or region-specific payment providers, from LiqPay to local bank systems. When the ideal gateway doesn’t exist, our team can develop an alternative “no-payment” or deposit-free reservation model.

Consultancy and Compliance Support

We help OEMs and dealerships review evolving legal obligations and tailor disclaimers or payment flows for each region’s requirements. Our solutions are designed to be as compliant and risk-averse as possible so that you can focus on selling rather than juggling unexpected legal problems.

Ongoing Evolution and Updates

Automotive digital retail is in constant flux. We keep our finger on the pulse of new regulations, emerging payment options, and best practices to regularly refine our solutions and ensure you stay ahead of the curve.

stock locator

Flexible approach to fit your unique needs

  • Our experienced development team has a proven track record of delivering tailored integration solutions worldwide.
  • Prioritizing flexibility with our approach, we’ve successfully executed integrations in over 100 countries, ensuring seamless operations for global OEMs and automotive retailers.
  • Whether it's CRM, stock management, or market-specific tools, our team adapts to your unique needs, providing a robust, API-driven solution that scales with your business across diverse markets.
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