TrueCar names AutoTrader veteran Chip Perry as CEO

[ryan.leslie]

Interesting...

“I’ve followed TrueCar’s progress for many years and am truly excited to be joining the company,” Perry said in a statement. “My initial focus will be on TrueCar’s dealer partners -- listening to them and finding ways to serve them better.”

Mr. Perry's accomplishments at Autotrader are notable. What do you think happens for TrueCar from here?

http://www.autonews.com/article/201...-chip-perry-as-ceo?cciid=email-autonews-blast

 

[craigh]

I am not as up on the situation as Joe and others, but I'm thinking it's going to take a huge shift to turn this ship around.
Hopefully he's up to the task.

 

[Bill Simmons]

If they were trying to calm the fears of investors, mission accomplished if you look at today's stock chart. Will be interesting to see where it goes after Chip has been in place for awhile.

 

[Jeff Kershner]

If they were trying to calm the fears of investors, mission accomplished if you look at today's stock chart. Will be interesting to see where it goes after Chip has been in place for awhile.

Wow - I'll say. Wonder what the higher ups at ATC was thinking?

Former CEO Scott Painter was outsted in August, while also resigning his positions as chairman and member of board of the directors.

TrueCar president John Krafcik also resigned in September for a position with Google, working on their autonomous car.

Chip has a big job in front of him. Much of the dealer body hasn't been so good to TrueCars.

http://forum.dealerrefresh.com/threads/truecar-now-masking-customer-email-addresses.4431/

https://www.dealerrefresh.com/write-off-policy-end-for-truecar/

http://forum.dealerrefresh.com/threads/truecar-sued-by-dealers.4352/

Will Chip try and evolve TrueCar into more of a listing site and compete with AutoTrader.com head to head?

 

[kevinfrye]

Has he been made Captain of a sinking ship???

 

[skutchhenks]

My guess is they will move into more of a outside sales rep model and establish business relationships with their dealer and OEM network. While also developing more feature upgrades and package bundles to sell. Kind of like Autotrader, but for new vehicles and research.

 

[joe.pistell]

IMO, based on my interpretation of TrueCar's PR & TV commercials, their desired workflow has the car shopper using their tool to discover a car on the dealer's lot, then, goto a TrueCar dealer with a lower price. #FAIL.

Shoppers are using the TrueCar's tool as a web-rooming tool (they're comparing your asking price to prepare their offer).

If this is the case, and I am a TrueCar dealer, I am paying $$$ for someone already on my car... Ouch.

 

[Jeff Kershner]

IMO, based on my interpretation of TrueCar's PR & TV commercials, their desired workflow has the car shopper using their tool to discover a car on the dealer's lot, then, goto a TrueCar dealer with a lower price. #FAIL.

Shoppers are using the TrueCar's tool as a web-rooming tool (they're comparing your asking price to prepare their offer).

If this is the case, and I am a TrueCar dealer, I am paying $$$ for someone already on my car... Ouch.

I've heard many many dealers that are NOT on TrueCar, NOT paying for their service say... we're a "TrueCar dealer too", we just don't pay their $250.00 sales fee. Reinforcing what you're saying Joe - many shoppers using TrueCar will walk into any dealer that has the vehicle they're considering and ask if they can match the TrueCar price.

 

[yagoparamo]

(POSITIVE) TC found a way to channel car buyers into the dealers that bought leads from them, not an easy task.

(NEGATIVE) However they have failed to find a business model where the dealers feel that they are paying the right amount for the sale. There are a few other issues tor solve such as some of the circling back (insurance guy telling customers to submit sale via TC so he gets a cut).

(THE FIX) Without knowing Painter, it seems that his personality and way to see the model didn't go well with the the industry, he is out. I'm somehow pretty confident that if someone can put this together is Perry.

 

[ed.brooks]

I've heard many many dealers that are NOT on TrueCar, NOT paying for their service say... we're a "TrueCar dealer too", we just don't pay their $250.00 sales fee. Reinforcing what you're saying Joe - many shoppers using TrueCar will walk into any dealer that has the vehicle they're considering and ask if they can match the TrueCar price.

There are lots of different types of customers including; The folks looking for LESS negotiation and less aggravation who tend to gravitate towards TrueCar / Costco / one price type of dealers and then there are the "best deal" grinder type of customers who will tend to gravitate towards the dealers that say, "we're a "TrueCar dealer too", we just don't pay their $250.00 sales fee" #JustSayin