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NewsBot Date: September 19, 2006 07:00:00 AM
AN News AutoUSA and Edmunds.com Partner to Promote New Premier Dealer Program
SANTA MONICA, Calif. & FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 19, 2006--Edmunds.com, the premier online resource for automotive information, today announced the launch of its newly upgraded "Premier Dealer Program." AutoUSA, the automotive retail industry's most proven and productive web-based lead sourcing service, has endorsed the program and is actively promoting it to their dealer clients with the knowledge that it generates tremendous business for participating dealers.
Edmunds.com serves millions of in-market car-shoppers each month. Its Premier Dealer Program provides participating dealers with broad exposure in significant locations throughout the Web site.
Each Premier Dealer is presented in over 100 regionally targeted "lower funnel" ad units that generate a significant volume of consumer calls and clicks to that dealer's Web site. Premier Dealers are also guaranteed top placement in Edmunds.com's popular Dealer Locator, producing high-quality purchase requests and positively positioning Premier Dealers in front of consumers when they are making critical dealership selections.
In addition, Edmunds.com endorses each Premier Dealer and promotes that endorsement, which immediately builds consumer trust in that Premier Dealers' brands. This endorsement is based on a customer-service-related agreement between Edmunds.com and each Premier Dealer.
Only one dealer for each make in each territory is permitted to participate, which gives that dealer exclusivity.
According to Steve Hindsley of Tipton Honda in El Cajon, California, "The Premier Dealer Program gives my dealership a competitive advantage because Tipton Honda is more prominently displayed than competitors when area car buyers search for a local Honda dealer on Edmunds.com. The program ensures we come up first in a search and highlights our listing. We purchased two territories because the experience of our Internet sales department indicates that leads from this program are almost certain to turn into deals."
"AutoUSA's mission is to connect our dealer partners with online customers who are ready to buy, and Edmunds.com is known throughout the industry as a top resource for in-market automotive consumers. The deeper the shoppers search on Edmunds.com, the greater the potential exposure to the relevant Premier Dealer's ads," commented Phil Dupree, General Manager of AutoUSA. "This program works, so it's no surprise that exclusive territories are being locked in quickly."
Edmunds.com, Inc. publishes three Web sites that empower, engage and educate automotive consumers and enthusiasts. Edmunds.com is the premier online resource for automotive consumer information. Its most popular product, Edmunds.com True Market Value(R) pricing, is relied upon by millions of people seeking market-reflective valuations for new and used vehicles. Edmunds.com was named "Best Car Research Site" by Forbes ASAP, has been selected by consumers as the "Most Useful Web Site" according to every J.D. Power and Associates New Autoshopper.com Study(SM), was ranked first in the Survey of Car-Shopping Web Sites by The Wall Street Journal and was rated "#1" in Keynote's study of third-party automotive Web sites. Inside Line (www.insideline.com) launched in January 2005 and is the most-read automotive enthusiast Web site. CarSpace (www.carspace.com) launched in February 2006 and is an automotive lifestyle social networking Web site for anyone with an interest in automobiles. The company is headquartered in Santa Monica, California, and maintains a satellite office in suburban Detroit.
AutoUSA, Inc. is headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and a subsidiary of AutoNation, Inc. (NYSE:AN), the largest retail automotive company in the United States. AutoUSA acts as an independent third-party provider of leads to nearly 5000 dealerships. The company has built its success on a combination of advanced web-based technology and a network that includes some of the country's most well respected online automotive resources, including AutoNation.com, Edmunds.com, Kelley Blue Book, N.A.D.A. Guides, AutoVantage, MSN Autos, Yahoo Autos and America Online. The vast majority of Ward's Top 100 eDealers use AutoUSA, and the company has been recognized by The Dot Com Insider for offering the lowest cost per sale in the industry. More information is available online at http://www.AutoUSA.com.
