A vehicle part inventory management system is provided for filling at
least part of the vehicle part orders by one vehicle dealer from the
inventory of another vehicle dealer. The inventory management system
includes an ordered parts data structure for storing ordered parts
information; an inventory data structure for storing vehicle part
inventory information for a plurality of vehicle dealers; and a dealer
assessment module connected to the ordered parts data structure and the
inventory data structure, such that the dealer assessment module receives
at least one request to fill a vehicle part order and is able to
determine a list of potential supplying dealers that have the ordered
vehicle part. The inventory management system further includes a dealer
interface module that receives the list of potential supplying dealers
and is able communicate a request to supply the ordered vehicle part to
at least one of the potential supplying dealers. The dealer interface
module is also able to update the ordered parts data structure in
real-time when the request for the ordered vehicle part is accepted by
one of the potential supplying dealers.