File: Car.dealer.zip: ...

This is the data stream that tracks global supply chains, local demand, and the specific configurations of hundreds of vehicles.

The following essay explores the evolution of the car dealership from a simple physical lot to a digital-first enterprise, as symbolized by the "zip" file format—a container of many moving parts. The Digital Showroom: Unzipping the Modern Car Dealership

To "unzip" a car dealership is to reveal a sophisticated ecosystem of interconnected departments. At its core, the dealership is comprised of three distinct but integrated "files":