A virtual office website, or VOW, is a broker's website that displays MLS listing information to consumers who register and establish a broker-consumer relationship, typically by creating an account and agreeing to terms.
Because visitors register, a VOW can generally display more detailed information than an IDX site, potentially including data that is restricted on public feeds, subject to MLS rules. This mirrors the way a traditional brokerage office can share information with its clients.
VOW policies were shaped by MLS and regulatory rules intended to give online brokerages the same access to listing data as brick-and-mortar firms. The key distinction from IDX is the registration requirement and the broader data access that follows.