July 14, 2009
Autobytel Joins Kelley Blue Book to Expand Into Used-Car Market
IRVINE, Calif. — Autobytel
Inc. today announced a new agreement with Kelley Blue Book (KBB) that will allow
dealers participating in Autobytel’s Used Car Program to post their
used-vehicle inventory in The Trusted Marketplace, KBB’s online vehicle
classified shopping experience.
The new arrangement with KBB
will help Autobytel’s member dealers expand into the used-car market, the sales
of which are projected to outnumber new auto sales by 4-to-1 in 2009. Dealers
that subscribe to Autobytel’s Used Car Program will have access to vehicle
shoppers through KBB’s The Trusted Marketplace on www.kbb.com. This, in
combination with used-car customers from Autobytel’s family of Websites and
other sites, provides Autobytel member dealers with a rich stream of motivated
used-car buyers.
"Kelley Blue Book is
perhaps the most recognized and revered consumer brand in the automotive
market, and has long been a major force in the used car arena," said Mark
Garms, Autobytel’s executive vice president and chief operating officer.
"With 50 percent of car buyers planning to purchase a used vehicle in what
has become a very challenging new car sales market, we are very pleased to have
the opportunity to connect Autobytel’s member dealers with Kelley Blue Book’s
highly-qualified used-car buyers — and, in a climate of constrained marketing
budgets, to be able to provide this value-add to our member dealers on a pay-for-performance
basis."
The Trusted Marketplace from KBB
presents vehicles that match consumers’ desired characteristics, providing
consumers an unparalleled experience in finding their next car. The Trusted
Marketplace’s search function reveals the ‘Best Match’ — a list of cars that
most closely reflect a shopper’s search criteria and applied intelligence
gained from millions of customer queries and transactions. Additionally, KBB
integrates its online vehicle research with dealers’ inventory listings to
allow consumers to confidently find specific vehicles of interest and help
dealers to efficiently sell those selected vehicles to serious, in-market
shoppers.
"Autobytel’s network of
thousands of Internet savvy dealers and their diverse inventories of top-notch
used vehicles will be a welcome addition to The Trusted Marketplace," said
Mike Romano, senior vice president of dealer strategy for KBB. "The
Trusted Marketplace is designed to help our millions of used car visitors
quickly and easily find their perfect used vehicle and then have the best possible
purchasing experience. By partnering with Autobytel, we can provide
shoppers more inventory and dealers to help them find their next
car."
Autobytel’s Used Car Program features
pay-per-performance pricing and free inventory listings for its member dealers.
The program also includes the company’s Rapid Response program, which has
pay-for-performance phone leads and includes a trackable toll-free phone number
on each vehicle listing that allows shoppers to phone the dealership directly,
as well as call recordings and automatic de-duplication.