Fly on the wall, you hit the nail on the head. I was in private party all except the last year of my 8 years. The last year I was first in circulation then in commercial sales. Our city used to be the call center, if you want to call it that, for our region of 5 other cities. That was right before the big split. After the split and cox took over, when our csr's quit, we could not hire anybody to replace them. Then pretty soon we started rolling overflow calls to orlando. In the mean time, the prices started going up to the point I guess they were trying to do away with the RTS ads. When customers would get Orlando, things would get screwed up big time. Pretty soon, we were no longer taking any calls and everything was going to Orlando totally. Right about this same time last year, our last 2 employee in private party besides the managers and supervisors were let go all the sudden one day. Both had been with the company close to 15 years. One was one of the CSR's, the other was our front counter person. My postion was also eliminated and that is whey I was moved to circulation. Anyway, after that, all they would get coming into the office was mad people who had their ad screwed up on the phone. It just got worse and worse. It was like they were trying to run us out of business (which turns out they were I guess). Right before thanksgiving when the completely closed private party across the country, our last remaining employee up there of 30+ years was let go. Everyone else in the office was assured that this would be the end of the layoffs and everything will be fine. See how that turned out.

As far as the books coming back to certain markets, the auto and truck trader are not going away at all. They are still going to be printed (for now) except only with private party content. With all the mad customers, and no dealer ads, the books will be mighty small.

Hey, News OTS: I heard that in about 10 or 12 markets that had been "shut down" a while back like: Winston Salem, Raleigh, Roanoke, etc., that the private-seller Auto Trader will come back in a week or two in those shuttered markets.
The source, aka {Deep Throat} is no longer employed but I believe it, and figure that DE is playing hardball on contract enforcement and the financial penalties are most likely severe, so they might as well deliver the AT in those markets anyway if they are delivering the DE books.
On another note, my prediction for Private-Seller revenue/activity for '09 is that it will continue to die a slow, miserable "you can pry my cold dead fingers off of my upside-down payment book" death as ATC will probably abandon run-till-sold packages in lieu of 6 or 8 weeks max to control runaway print costs(or raise the package price substantially,or, maybe make an 84-grid postage stamp sized photo book?) and the skinny little books will be replaced by more robust free pubs and free-ad websites and venues launched by attentive, caring competitors across the land.
For example, when all private-seller calls started going to the big ATL call center
(the cloud) last January, I started my own little analysis on total average ATC weekly ads vs Craigslist.org automotive entries in some key markets. ATC was getting famous for forcing customers to place ads online only. Need a photographer? Forget it, with a capital F-U.
Interesting stuff, and by now you can all guess the outcome... If not, just picture a pronounced trend line that is not moving in the appropriate direction on a big graph.
My attempted advice on the matter fell on stone-cold, deaf ears, of course. When the organization took the unbelievable and legendary, warm & fuzzy service away from the very customers who made us famous,(and I have to tell you, my heart bleeds still for all those great private-seller folks that were sent packing on those little secret consolidation missions) the private sellers went away as fast as they could press the backspace key. I think this is the part where I say that you ought to dance with the one that brung ya.
To make matters worse unfortunately, the joined-at-the-hip-but-not-really connection with Dominion (that customers still don't understand), made the situation much more harmful, because their new call center in Seattle was pathetically 15 times worse.On-hold times of 30-45 minutes were normal and the association with AT crippled the effort. Long time customers would come to field offices (if they could find them after the offices moved) to try to change and ad and AT folks were required to say:
"You'll have to call them, you are out of my data base now"
The former AutoTrader claim to fame is no longer. No more brand recognition, cover changes, cover price changes and trials, no more engaged employees proudly portraying the company vision, and a lot of advocate customers that were brought along to financial success, one car sold at at a time, now have nobody to turn to.
Let's see word of mouth and referrals start working now.
What a sad day indeed.
Sorry for the lengthy diatribe, but now I feel much better.

To Longtime Cox/Traderpub employee:
Please resend your resume, as I have received several, and am interviewing right now. Since this is anonymous, I have no idea which one was yours, but I would love to talk to you!

My understanding is that there are 2 distribution contract/agreements out there:
One is for the free-distribution of the now defunct free pubs AutoMart, AutoMercado, etc, and that was for 5 years from the onset of the big D, and at a totally ridiculously negotiated (extorted) rate per magazine with a built-in 6% rate increase per year, and a minimum fee per week nationwide regardless of how many less magazines were printed, and must be paid until the contract expires regardless of the existence of the pubs. The other contract is for CAT to provide Dominion with delivery services and display (pockets) space on the racks for the paid Dominion pubs, Boat Trader, Heavy Equipment Trader, Cycle Trader as well as their national titles, for a period of 28 years at a fairly low rate per book sold in return. If both parties agree to an amendment, that deal could perhaps be changed.
You do the math and tell me who got the best deal here. The president once said in a meeting that the negotiation to dissolve the partnership between COX and Landmark was similar to taking a bowl of spaghetti and separating it one strand at a time. Unfortunately, I think that Landmark got all the spaghetti strands, and COX ended up with salty, starchy, hot water that turned cold very quickly.
Nice work.
I am enjoying and savoring my last day and I can assure my superiors that I am operating with the same spirit of hard work and professionalism as I always have.
I had a job all lined up at Circuit City until last friday...

To News on the Street... what are you talking about? What is the book called? Is it a Cox book?

I know for a fact that contract expires in 2011,providing Dominion is not bankrupt.

anyone know why just two days ago,the word was NO Auto Trader will be returning.Now as of yesterday a privite seller book called ,I think ,,Auto Trader will return Febuary 6.

Contractural obligation with Dominion is 28 years? What are you talking about? If you mean the distribution contract, its for 3 years, which is coming up real soon.

I think the switch to focusing on women and their whole initiative of that, which included spending $1 million on an ad agency to come up with the new logo and design you see now. What a waste and it's a shame that bad decisions by upper management were what ruined AutoMart.com.

All my longtime friends that I've worked with for so many years. Have faith, I've enjoyed working with all of you for the last 13 years. I hope that our paths may cross again under better circumstances. I'm sure some of us will be working together again in the future. For now, the best of luck to everyone accross the nation that has been layed off. Reflect! Interested!

Anybody that would continue to work for COX/AutoTrader.com is a fool. It is only a matter of time before they get you as well. You will be singing the same song as these poor guys who were canned. Read the writing on the wall. You are not employees. Your a number and nothing more. Reading these 127 posts is proof positive

Dominion would make out like bandits but CAT is just going wait until they go out of business.

btw.. the contractual obligation for print is for 28 years. LOL

Thanks "Cox -Bye Bye!"

Did Auto Mart have a uniform commission structure or did it vary from market to market. I know dominion reps make anywhere from 14% - 25%. Was this true with Cox?

I still can't believe they see no value in keeping profitable, producing markets like yours up and running.

Yea, even though I am already gone I still get company emails. That one was funny. To Dan and Shelly, sent Shelly a resume per her request the other day, hopefully she got it, have not heard back yet.

Hi Folks,

Friday is the last day for most people, GOOD LUCK! We are going to be opening several markets and are seeking managers and reps. Please consider working for an establised firm that will commit to performance AND outstanding compensation plans. We are ready and hope many of you contact me when your active employment stops.

We will be in many markets in teh next several weeks and we need quality people. My emal is: [email protected] and my phone number is 678-990-2209

To Still Curious...
my top producer was $30k week, we were up to $75k in weekly revenue in July. Stinks, eh?

To MRBSHOFF --- hey dude! Nice email. call me back!

Oh, the big scary email from corporate came today to all employees, "unfortunately, not all of our employees appear to be operating with the same spirit of hard work and professionalism" -- oh darn it -- after you fired 4000 of us in an email we're not working hard... (more quotes) "Any employee making such misrepresentations will be subject to immediate termination" - oh geez, don't terminate my employment, it only ends TOMORROW!!! This is from Buddy Solomon, VP & CFO, Cox Auto Trader. So sorry BUDDY that we're disappointing you - let me tell you what a disappointment you and Cox have been as well.

signed,

one of 4000 people out of a job via email!!!!

I am a Managing Editor for a new publication in Oklahoma. I have a cox.net email address because they have cornered the market here in Edmond, Oklahoma on cable and internet, so we had no choice. It is unfortunate that the suspicion level is so high, but I was planning to launch my pub before AT even sniffled, let alone fell ill and died. I have competed against them for my entire vendor life, however I hope to clear up any confusion with this post.
The saddest thing that I see here is the absolute lack of empathy from the Cox group, and the eminent sale of ATC only strengthens their bottom line, a large part of which is ... wow... NEWSPAPERS... aka Print.
There are 3 ways to contact me, [email protected] (I use that to check my email remotely)... [email protected], and through Dan Fagan (see above post), as he is the COO of the company that I represent. Smart Media Solutions.
Google me if you have any further doubts...
but I will fill the gap immediately in Oklahoma.

Regarding Non-competes in California:

A noteworthy exception to the willingness of states to enforce properly drafted noncompete agreements is a state with high concentrations of high technology businesses: California. Section 16600 of the California Business and Professions Code provides that "every contract by which anyone is restrained from engaging in a lawful profession, trade, or business of any kind is to that extent void." As a practical matter this means that in all but a very few and unusual types of situations, noncompete agreements are not enforceable in California.

Who are you and what are you talking about?

Your original post had a cox email contact. Are you with cox? I am confused.

Just want to say thanks to all you folks who have worked hard and are now getting the shaft. I stumbled upon here after getting a little suspicious with the way circulation levels have fallen off ( I handle a route in SE michigan and the route brings in around a third of what it did a year ago when I started) Its pretty sad how this has all happened. When I first started driving in the early 2000's and began my first car search-the autotrader print mags were the ONLY way of finding a vehicle outside of going dealer to dealer or happening on for sale signs on the side of the road. My customers (the stores I dist too) have been complaining lately on how much both sales levels have dropped off and how thin the magazines are now getting. I'll admit to being a bit of a skeptic when reading info over the internet and such but I must say that the info here seems to fit pretty nicely with my own observations. Just want to say thanks and give well wishes to those that posted this stuff. Me personally, I'm just trying to hang in there till may at the latest-I'll have my undergrad degree then which hopefully will leave me with more options. Also just a couple weeks ago they forwarded a letter/email to all carriers about the changes with automart-seemed pretty vague though and seemed like it left room for more "cuts" or at least that was my interpretation of it- if anyone is curious to it let me know- thanks again and best wishes to all,

Wow... it's really getting hot out there! Only means that the time is right... and BTW... We only have a couple of positions left for the new book... If you or anyone you know wants a seamless transition to a "better" print option, please email me at [email protected]!
The clock is already ticking...
Good Luck out there!

Does anyone have a projected date that Cox will kill off printing Auto Trader, Truck Trader and the other?