Gather expands The Shop, the Trusted Marketplace for Dealers powered by FordDirect

New Platform Adds Identity and Insurance Verification Solution to Provide Business Efficiency and Peace of Mind During Time of Dealership Digital Transformation
 
FT. MYERS, Fla. And DEARBORN, Mich., FEBRUARY, 2 2026—Gather, an identity and insurance verification platform for auto dealerships, announces it has partnered with FordDirect, a joint venture between Ford dealers, Lincoln retailers and Ford Motor Company, to join The Shop, their e-commerce platform for dealer solutions. 

The Shop is a curated online shopping experience designed for dealers to meet the challenges of operating in the evolving retail automotive business landscape beyond the products and services that FordDirect already provides to dealers. The Shop, powered by FordDirect, provides dealers with access to vetted vendors, like Gather, that include special negotiated terms.
 
Gather’s identity and insurance verification solution is now available to Ford dealers and Lincoln retailers through The Shop’s array of options. Gather’s solution enables a seamless verification of buyer identity and active insurance coverage, with identity verification provided by CLEAR®. As automotive fraud drives more than $2 billion in annual losses industry-wide, Gather helps dealers protect their business, meet compliance requirements, and keep vehicle deliveries moving without disruption.

“Dealerships are under more pressure than ever to deliver vehicles quickly while managing fraud risk and compliance behind the scenes,” said Ken Luna, Director of Partnerships with Gather. “By joining The Shop by FordDirect, we’re making it easier for Ford dealers and Lincoln retailers to access a trusted solution that removes friction from the sales process, protects the dealership, and ensures dealers can deliver cars with confidence.”

FordDirect recognizes that dealerships face an increasing demand for day-to-day resources, including meeting customer expectations, complying with regulations, managing employees, updating technology, and planning sales events. The Shop is designed to create more efficiencies and cost savings so that dealerships can focus on core activities. 

“Gather will now help Ford Dealers and Lincoln Retailers and their group stores spend more time doing what they do best while also supporting FordDirect’s mission as the most trusted partner to find the best vendors in the market for their needs,” explained Beth Hill, COO of The Shop. 
 
About Gather: Gather is the auto industry’s next-generation platform for identity and insurance verification. Using AI-driven decisioning, advanced technology, and enterprise-grade security, Gather helps dealerships reduce fraud, ensure compliance, and keep deals moving without delays. CLEAR®’s multi-layered identity verification technology is integrated into the Gather experience, delivering trusted identity assurance directly at the point of sale. To learn more, visit https://gather.technology. 

About FordDirect: FordDirect, headquartered in Dearborn, Mich., connects the worlds of data, analytics, and technology to provide best-in-class digital marketing and advertising solutions exclusively for Ford Dealers and Lincoln Retailers. FordDirect is a joint venture between Ford Motor Company and its dealers with a mission of helping Ford and Lincoln dealerships sell more cars and trucks. Learn more about The Shop at https://www.theshop.com.  Learn more about FordDirect at https://www.forddirect.com/.