Mean people actually putting putting initials up of their RD and bad mouthing them on a blog like this. You might as well write out the full name as if we cant tell who you are talking about.
How about some may have little education, however you clearly have no class.

What was Auto Mart's top producing territory and what did the top producer in the country bill annually?? Does anyone know??

I know some markets offered sales assistants so the number might be higher in some markets but I am very curious to know the top annual dollar mark.

Carmen,

Intrigued by your post. 2 questions..

1) What kind of start up cost are we talking about for a 45,000 Free ciruculation...

2) Do you outsource your printing?

Thanks!

I am one of the so called "chosen few" that went to atlanta this weekend. I am very sad and sorry for all of my friends that I have worked with for all these years that are now out of a job. I don't understand the selection process, and they didn't brainwash us in Atlanta. They basically said "welcome to autotrader.com". Like we had a choice in the matter. Unlike those fortunate enough to be let go, we are not eligible for severance pay. So having made this career choice years ago and being a top producer for years because of automart print in a very depressed market, I thought that I would work for Automart forever. Or at least until I could convince my hubby to move to a warmer climate, and then I thought I could just transfer. Instead, Last monday, I get a call from one of my best friends who will soon be and ex-employee, and she is crying and asking me if I got the text message about us all being fired. How do you tell your best friend that you didn't recieve that text, instead you got invited to attend a conference call that was offering you another job??? My friend is a single mom and worked her butt off for this company, and I can barely stand to talk to her because of the guilt that I feel for still having a job. To all of you that are losing your positions, I am so sorry and I hope that better things are coming your way soon. And to all my dealers...I don't know what to say. We've laughed all these years about trader greed, well look who isn't laughing now. Good luck to all, and I hope that what some of you have said isn't true about them getting rid of us after they get all of our print revenue, but the way things have gone since the split I wouldn't put my money on it.

KNEW IT...

I am a former employee who chose to leave about 5 months ago. I served 9 years with Trader and Cox and believe me it was hard to do. About 2 years ago we were in a meeting in Ohio and all they could talk about was internet so I knew then that this would happen. Reverse market was my first thought and then closing locations.

I was one of the top reps in our office. It seemed about every couple of years they cut my territory when I had already built it up and paid my dues in cold calling. All of my managers with the exception of 1 or 2 were pure crap and only cared about themselves. Cox, I must say, was the worst company I have ever worked for. I was only a number to them and that's it!

After putting up with all the bull----, re-deployments, lying, and down right DISRESPECT. I finally said goodbye and have never been happier.

Thank God I found a company that knows how to treat there employees. My heart and thoughts go out to everyone that was wronged by this company who I am sure is sleeping well and not losing one ounce of sleep for all the pain and suffering they have caused.

Just remember Cox, "KARMA ALWAYS COMES BACK AROUND."

Atlanta is where the top tier of ATP sales reps throughout the country were invited and entertained offers of employment from Mr Chip Perry, CEO @ AT.com.

Anybody here want to cash my next paycheck for me?

Cox has a long history of screwing the business' that they acquire going back to The Weather Channel with John Coleman the original founder. It is poetic justice that they are now embroiled in a law suit with Dominion. Both companies have engaged in monopolistic tactics and have tried their best to stifle competition in any manner they can. I applaud you Carmen in your earlier post in offering help to any individual who wants to start an independent pub. I checked out your zoomautos.com site and its pretty nice.

What are the offices saying that have already received theri servance pks?

what happened in Atlanta?

Employee: Where are you interviewing at?

Soon to be:
Who are your "sources" at HR?" Do you believe that they can really be trusted? I would think that consistent and deliberate enforcement would hold more water than selective, case-by-case enforcement, presumably based on the success of any startup or needle movement of a competitor? I guess it depends on the integrity of the select few who will now be swallowed up by ATC. Do you think that they will rat on their friends who they may be coming to soon for another opportunity anyway once their sacrificial mission plays out? I guess it depends on how brainwashed they got in Atlanta last week.
The other side of this is that COX has had no apparent problems or guilt in hiring sales people that came from competitors and the trade info that was asked for in that process. When I was hired up here in the North 2 years ago shortly after this "divorce" or whatever you all call it, I was not even asked if I had signed a non-compete with my former employer, and I was welcomed with open arms but was also "expected", (although not in writing) to bring my clients with me, which I did and they happily took the money with [again] no guilt whatsoever. Then all these good things I though were coming my way really started spelling the beginning of the end... AutoExtra lost the slick covers, went B&W and all the positions that I was told I could sell on the new display program during the big blitz went ROP to save money. Then, all of the ads that I took and promised to my clients would appear on AT.C at no charge got blocked, as well as the blocking by ATC of my 800 tracking numbers that helped my credibility with my converted clients as that all changed, and my promised level playing field became a sand box that resembled a badly abused cat litter box, and I became elevated to a position of ceremonial shmuck with my dealer advocates and confidants. So I got pretty much lied to from day one. Bitter ??? Of course not! I am finally liberated next week.
It will be interesting to see what happens next.

Dan, I think you sound sexy when you get so passionate, you must be very bitter. I think I like it.

I worked on AutoExtra.com for a little over a year. I was a developer on the website. It's no wonder this is happening when the entire web team is telling management the site needs to be redesigned and instead of allowing their own design and web teams do this, they hired an outside firm that charged around 2 million bucks. A lot of this money was for advertising and such, but why wasn't the in-house team allowed to do this? Some folks in upper management should've been canned for that, but instead, all of the hard-working employees are being laid off. Luckily, I jumped ship right after the first round of layoffs occurred in the Norfolk office.

Always in need of a laugh. Especially as next week approaches!
Wish me luck on my round two interview tomorrow.

First of all, my last day was Friday, and to all who are wondering the severance is 1 week of your average pay over the last year for every 1 complete year of service.

Getauto is dealer specialties, which is dominion, and NO getauto.com is not going to take over the print books. Your dealer specialty rep doesnt know what he is talking about.

As for the non-compete, yes its in place but there is really not going to be anybody around (locally) to enforce it.

Our market here is still VERY strong in the book. I would not be surprised if somebody does not come in and start one up again. Our publication here, like other cities, was started years ago and was a family owned and run business, then cox (trader pub) bought them out.

I have not heard anything about some cities continuing to put out the book, its a nation wide deal, they are not going to pick and choose what to keep and what to dump. They are dumping the whole thing.

According to HR at Cox - every no compete will be held on a case by case basis.They may not enforce it but will enforce the confidentiallity agreement. I think this is hillarious considering we will be sharing trade secrets that apparantly don't work.LOL. I think we should all focus on the main issue here - the girl that posted this is HOTTTTTTTTTTTTT!!!

even if true do you really want to trust your future to a company that obviously does not care about its employees. At the first opportunity they will spit you out.

I don't understand, I got an Email from my manager this morning and he talked about some secret managers meetings and that some cities may be looked at to continue running the pubs. Has anyone heard any more on this?

I worked for Trader as a sales rep for 18+ years. Four years ago after loosing faith in Trader management, I joined 6 other disgruntled employees to start ZoomAutos.com Magazine in San Diego(Trader's strongest market). There is great opportunity for everyone who has just been dumped by Trader. Start your own Magazine! I am offering ZoomAutos.com as a "Production Hub" for anyone wanting to start a new magazine anywhere in the country. We can provide Magazine layout, Display page building, Website creation and management, Internal ad management site, Dealer feed processing, Distribution plan, and General guidance for an affordable rate. You just need Sales and Distribution teams (and of course money). Checkout our site and email me anytime if you are considering your own magazine. [email protected]

The key semantic difference in a non compete is "you will not provide services directly or indirectly, in connection with the marketing, sales, promotion, production, or distribution of any conflicting product in any conflicting territory. As marketed by Cox print has been a separate entity wholly different from the internet. It would be extremely difficult for a valid non compete claim to be enforced. Cox by their previous marketing in that they differentiated print and internet will doom their efforts to prevail legally. However that does not mean that they will not threaten and bluster. Consult an attorney if you have doubts and good luck.

Employee,

Don Stapleton is not entirely right. Non-competes are illegal in CA for the most part but not all cases.

There are a couple of circumstances of where they are enforceable and they have to do with selling ownership in the company.

Regardless of what state you are in, I would suggest you consult with legal counsel before making your own determination. It could end up costing you if you make the wrong decision.

I would check with an attorney about the semantics and specific language of the non-competition and non-solicitation aspects of the agreement that every regional director, general manager, general sales manager, sales manager, and sales representative or sales assistant signed as a requirement of their employment.
You will no doubt soon notice (if you have not yet received it) that a copy has been conveniently provided to you as part of your separation and severance package as a glaring reminder of how bad your life is really about to become.

The real issue is that COX has in fact abandoned print, but not dealer advertising and marketing per se and they know it.They have simply transitioned to a 100% online media strategy. The non-compete specifies that you will not provide services directly or indirectly, in connection with the marketing, sales, promotion, production, or distribution of any conflicting product in any conflicting territory.

However, all it may take is a precedent somewhere in the country where a judge interprets the actions by COX of slapping a restraining order on a sales person who goes out and simply tries to make a living doing what they know best as unjust, unfair, and with malicious intent on the part of the big monster company that first lays off hundreds of loyal employees and then tries to prevent them from gaining employment in the 10% unemployment world that we are all about to experience first-hand. After all, the true intent of the non-compete was just to keep people from jumping ship and divulging secrets, or after they got fired for being lousy sales people who would not make it anywhere else anyway.
Interesting puzzle for them. If COX comes on too strong here, what will happen is that every [former] advocate of the organization is going to hear from their former reps on how their dear friends and consultants who made their ndealerships successful are being absolutely trampled over every which way by the huge company that now wants to cram 3 internet sites down their throats and ask for more money yet essentially telling them at the same time that the thousands that they have been spending up to this point on print was a huge waste of money? Good luck with that one!
While you should not make disparaging remarks about your former employer or make inaccurate statements, you are still allowed to speak your mind. Remember that the voice of one may be small and faint... I would hope that when the collective voice of the many afflicted who rise up and state their case honestly and without prejudice and simply and truthfully tell their story, that things will perhaps change for the better and people will be allowed to work in their chosen field of expertise.

Technically the company has not left the market. Just a division of the company. right?

all non competes are void. They never were valid in California as they are illegal in this state. No court in the land would be able to enforce a non compete when the company exits its business.

Does anybody know if we are employable by competitors or if our non compete agreement still applies even though the company is going under??

Thanks!