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Cox Auto Trader Makes Strategic Moves to Improve Online Automotive Advertising Business

Advice is absolutely correct! I witnessed in horror the complete dismantling of spirit and enthusiasm of this highly profitable business. The beginning of then end began with the split from Landmark. Bill Rieth and Britt Reid were the architects of what was a wonderful business for over 15 years!. Then came the team of destruction... A group of inadequate, dysfunctional leaders who managed in less than two years to level the business and morale to the ground. I have moved on, and I am enjoying what I do best, building and developing a business I love.

Winners Win!

Cox Auto Trader Makes Strategic Moves to Improve Online Automotive Advertising Business

I worked for Cox Autotrader in Orlando for 5 yrs. i bailed ship before it started sinking in 2007. Their structure is horrible, business ethics were lacking, customer service was horrific, service was sketchy, and people were over-paying for ads. $69/2 weeks come on now...The biggest and best got to their heads and too many people over-paid for non-useful positions. ex: $2500 sign on bonus w/NO terms, so they would get the job, then take the $$$ and never show up again. Print is over, they will be lucky to save online... I am now their boating competition and we are about to surpass boattrader.com and their 2nd hand "have to have because of print" online site. Good luck to all the employees who were laid off, some good advice, "the biggest and the wealthiest companies are not always the best to work for"

Cox Auto Trader Makes Strategic Moves to Improve Online Automotive Advertising Business

all this has got me thinking of a Nietzsche quote "God is Dead and we've killed him."....basically Cox wants dealers to think print is dead..."Print is dead and Cox killed it."
It is so not true. Really, targeted print is key. It still contributes a significant percentage of automotive sales, has a high pick up rate and generates leads.

Cox Auto Trader Makes Strategic Moves to Improve Online Automotive Advertising Business

I was with Trader/Cox for 11 years and recetly went to work for Call Source, running their Autos division. We are looking for reps across the country, good base salary with high earning potential. Please email me your resume of your interested. Thanks Pogo Parr

Cox Auto Trader Makes Strategic Moves to Improve Online Automotive Advertising Business

SoCal: You said it; it is a sinking ship and the upper mgt is full of lies and promises. Ask any of the visitors to this site, and I think you'll find that they agree. If you have another option, I would certainly entertain it.

To those who are or have launched books in the wake of the disaster: I wish you the best of luck in your new venture. We have all learned from Cox's mistakes and "penny-wise, pound-foolish" ways!

Isn't it funny that the managers who rode the sinking ship that was CATAM are now piloting ATC?

Cox Auto Trader Makes Strategic Moves to Improve Online Automotive Advertising Business

I got my check on time. I am sure you will all get what they promised you, the people left to handle all the problems will be out also, I'm sure their morale is in the basement, good luck to all of you in any and all new endeavors...From a 20 year employee!!!

Cox Auto Trader Makes Strategic Moves to Improve Online Automotive Advertising Business

Great idea, Jeff Kershner! You should go around the world and distribute great motivational books or books on CD/MP3 and tell them to listen to it a few times.
You know.. people drinking water that's contaminated with sewage, or scrounging for a few grains or roots, children doing slave labor in sweatshops, others in this country who are down to their last penny, with no where to turn. Those books and cd's will cheer em up! Maybe they just need a good kick in the ass to motivate em; you can do that too, cause you have real "good" solutions to these problems!

Cox Auto Trader Makes Strategic Moves to Improve Online Automotive Advertising Business

By the way, I don't think print targeted publications are dead. There will always be a need. The results will depend on the economy and will go up and down like it always has. Customers would admit that results were down with all of their advertising mediums. They just cut way back because if their not selling cars, they can't pay for it.

Cox Auto Trader Makes Strategic Moves to Improve Online Automotive Advertising Business

scared, yes it is true carspot is going away. In fact, it was Carspot that I was working on when i was let go in december. Our city was a test city for running Carpot from the print side. I was offered the position of running it mid last year. Before that, I was in circulation. If I would have stayed where I was, I would have still been working there. Of course that would only have delayed things because the circ people will be going too.

Its funny though, our office went thru a big deal of getting dealers switched over to Carspot. The dealers I had loved it quite a bit and depended on it. Then all the sudden they go back to the dealers and say sorry, we are not doing it anymore so you are SOL. Carspot Pro is still up and running, and all my old dealers can still just go in an upload their own vehicles and it all still exports to where it was. So basically all these dealers are getting the exports etc for free.

Anyway, keeps up posted on this, I am sure interested to see what happens to carspot. I had a feeling something was up with it for several months before I was even told I was getting canned. Have not heard about this homenet thing.

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