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?

Yeah, it's been a sad couple months for what used to be an amazing company. I long for the days of Trader Publishing Company w/ B. Reith & R. Jamin.

These so called CATAM "VPs", who were certainly over employed goofballs (except Menard), knew about this all along and led us on. Hmmm, let's bring in "The Scott" and "Uncle Joe" from ATC to turn this around. Turn it around? I was forced to watch my Auto Mart margins go from 35% on $40k weekly revenue to 5% after absorbing a monthly DD expense of $60k+ and ATP operations that had been losing money for years. It kills me.

Think about it; Reith "retires" from Auto Mart, RJ gets canned from ATP, they can half the ATP managers in a reorg, J. Moore is "laid off" (I think because he wouldn't play ball with these Cox clowns), the AM & ATP managers "compete" for Market Manager positions, the MMs then lay off 50% of their managers, then MMs are canned, the RDs were lied to, then the whole thing gets closed down!

The writing was on the wall, I just didn't want to see it. Being an Area Manager who brought home brass each annual meeting, it breaks my heart to see all the effort, money, and time away from my family traveling all go to waste. Way to go Cox, way to stick with an investment.

BTW - Do you think Jimmy Hayes, Uncle Joe or "the Scott" have Call Source logins? Perhaps they should have reviewed dealer calls before deciding to kill it.

There's still demand for the products.
I hope each of the former RDs and MMS decide to grab that market share with their own books. Those Cox clowns are too disorganized to even go after non-competes. Trust me, I saw it first hand.

Thanks for reading my rant.

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.

I found out today - for sure, that JV Rockwell has not purchased AutoMart; but have heard from several people that the Yahoo deal will happen. If anyone from Cox corporate is reading this give the employees a chance to run the print business and be responsible for Circulation, composing etc. Hell, it doesn't work anyway - right??? I will purchase Automart print in my city for $1. In return I will support Automart.com or AutoTrader.com in the magazine - free advertising for Cox websites and great press for the Cox organization. As a matter of fact I will buy every city for $1 and make a damn good living doing it.My dealers are pissed about the decision and if I had $50 bucks for every phone call I received hearing people vent I could retire. ( But print doesn't work and Internet is booming ) My dealers are telling me that their Internet leads suck from everyone. Oh well I am sure there is a great reason for all of it. Maybe all the Manheim auction sites will close down as well because most dealers are buying online anyway. MY ASS !!

All of your opinions are worth listening to and are very interesting. I also feel that COX will make a huge mistake by cutting out the printed books. Just goes to show you what these people with "MBA's" are capable of. Oh wait, we have experienced that for a few years now. Is it the greed that spurs recklessness or their "BOOK TRAINED BRAINS"?

What the location office in places like Chicago, Milwaukee and Minneapolis????

RE new rumor,

We were told about this a couple of months ago here. There were several buyers interested, one was Google I think, yahoo might have been mentioned. But yes, bottom line they did not buy because of the print, they didnt want to mess with it. We were also told that the auto and truck books would be going to once a month. That will continue long enough to fullfill the contract with Dominion, then that will go away compeletely.

I don't agree that it makes sense. yahoo has been in financial trouble since they staved off the forcible takeover by Microsoft. I can't imagine that they could raise the funds to make this acquisition happen.

There is another wrinkle with a few of their content providers that an acquisition of atc would cause significant conflicts of interest. Where is "here" where this is such a sure thing?

I LEFT TWO YEARS AGO WHEN COX BOUGHT THIS. I KNEW THIS WAS NOT GOING TO BE GOOD. I LOVED MY JOB TILL THAT POINT. MADE GREAT MONEY. HOPE YOU ALL THE BEST. JOBS ARE FEW AND FAR BETWEEN RIGHT NOW. OBAMA STARTS HIS NEW JOB TOMORROW, I HOPE HE CAN FIX THE MESS THE COUNTRY IS IN.

all of us here know that the Yahoo deel makes sense,this may have been in the works for a while.

@ the new rumor,

Do you have any credible source for this rumor or are you just stirring the pot? Seems so unlikely to me that you just might be on to something.

SP

The lay-off notices are in and 3,500 are facing an uncertain future. I was one of you four years ago when I quit my Auto Trader job in San Diego to become a partner at ZoomAutos.com. Many people said we were crazy to compete with such an established company as Auto Trader/Auto Mart but we believed the opportunity to create a better magazine and a better internet site was worth the effort. We also believed that it is the people who represent the product that can make the difference between success and failure.

All of us at Zoom are shocked at the decision by our former employer to pull out of print. Maybe Cox management looked at the future of print and saw the glass half empty. My partners see the glass half full and believe there is a bright future when print and the internet are managed and integrated properly.

It is true that it is not easy to go out on your own and it requires hard work and sacrifice but the rewards for those of you who can see the glass half full are great.

All of us at ZoomAutos.com are cheering for each of you to stay positive and wish you success with your next job. For those of you thinking about joining our team, look for the earlier post from my partner, Carmen Cafro and send him an email.

Well said, Dan!

Many former Trader people have started successful magazines. It is HARD, expensive, and not what you expect. But the rewards have been remarkable. My partners and I started a magazine a few years ago in Atlanta. CarSmarts.com has grown because we could respond to the market and we always kept our overhead low. We never took our customers for granted and appreciate the trust they have in us.

It seems like there are a bunch of us in this forum that are now on our own. Either with our own magazines or working for others. AutoTrder/AutoMart was a wonderful place to learn and we are thankful the education.

It was simple....put a lot of magazines into alot of hands and our DEALERS would win. We were blessed with great employees and wonderful (and patient) partners. This latest evolution by Cox is a shock and I wish my friends and former peers the best. Like many folks here, we are going to expand our market and will seek partners and oppotunities for the new markets.

A long time ago, a few people were terminated from great jobs and looked around and decided to start Home Depot. Home Depot was founded because Bernie Marcus and Arthur Blank were fired. The opportunity to do something like that was put together in the ashes of disaster.

We wish the best to the Cox employees that will be given "generous" severance packages and offer them the opportunity to start over.

Good luck everyone.
Dan Fagan [email protected]

Having been in print in Atlanta, we watched the debacle of Trader run in circles, but with smart competitor strategies, and a magazine that worked, we had no problem sidestepping that storm. Now, stronger than ever, we have opportunities starting in the OKC and Tulsa market... probably more in the near future. Email me at [email protected] for more info... and good luck You have been granted a fabulous "Get out of Jail FREE" card!

Are there any of the brand names that are not running at this time available for others to use as there own. like dealer auto guide, etc.

Here goes - AutoTrader.com will be purchased by Yahoo - on one condition, kill the print. This announcement will be made in 90 days. Also, Automart and Automart.com name rights have been purchased by JV Rockwell - announcement in 90 days. AutoTrader and TruckTrader will go to a monthly publication and be killed in about 120 days . You will see heavy TV media for ATC during this transition. Coinceidentally you will see a very similar announcement from Dominion over the next week.

Here goes - AutoTrader.com is being purchased by yahoo - on one condition, kill the print. Automart.com and Automart print have been purchased by JV Rockwell and the announcement will be made in 90 days ( they have bought the name rights but can't put another book on the street for 90 days.).AutoTrader and Truck Trader will go to a monthly format in about 4 weeks and will last for 120-160 days - then disappear. Why?? To show more profit to the bottom line and YAHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! Please write this down and remember where you read it - 90 days. Coincidentally look for an announcement from Dominion in the next week or so, they are next. If anyone can find out if this is absolutley true please post.

is a short definition of whats happened to my city since June. The so-called Market Manager and Director,where a joke in evryones eyes that they poisioned with their ideas on how to totaly screw up a awesome bissnuess.They drove a good great preforming city into the ground.Shame on you Cox for ever putting these people in power.