A New Spin on the AutoTrader Buy-a-Thon

[joe.pistell]

Just a few pieces left 'till the BEAST descends into Used Cars.

Is DealerTrack Chrome the Answer Google Has Been Looking For?

"Dear Mark O’Neil,You are the Chairman and CEO of DealerTrack with a fascinating bio that includes being President of an Auto Dealer Group, you’ve worked at Intel, you co-founded CarMax and you’re Director at DealerTire.com. It’s quite clear you have a nose for opportunity and with your Harvard MBA, you know how to leverage it. I hope this information finds its way to your desk...."​

 

[joe.pistell]

More Example's of Google "leveraging it's power" !

Google is now offering Hotel Reservations from it's Google Places Pages:
Atlanta Marriott Marquis

What does that mean to us?
It's common knowledge that our industry is several years behind very progressive industries like ecommerce, travel, health, etc... Google is pouring time and money into taking a cut of the traffic inside these progressive industries. It only makes business sense that the lessons learned will trickle down into our arena.

Dealers alone are spending roughly $300-$500 in ad costs PVR and we're selling 15million units annually... and thats just for NEW sales. Used is a whole 'nother opportunity.

VENDOR EXEC's: Read this thread.

• Chip Perry and Mitch Golub, get your best minds on the shifting sands ahead!
• WebVendors like Dealer.com, eCarList, TK, DealerFire, ADP, Cobalt, et al, the shifting power PLAYS RIGHT INTO YOUR LAP.
• 3rd party lead sources... your pie is not done shrinking.

gulp... https://www.google.com/advisor/uscredit#!search&si=14&tknid=572391371

Wow, first thought was "very nicely done", seconds later my 2nd thought was "is that scary or what!"

 

[joe.pistell]

I am surprised that this hasn't happened... yet.

Another "Uncle Joe" 1st:

used buick enclave - Google Search

I've cracked into Google's store, got all the bugs out, pointed it to my adwords account and... now I wait for Google to catch up! Imagine how strong a Google Adwords would be with a Vehicle pic.

See pic to product example: Jeep Wrangler Seat Covers

Vendors, once the beast (Google) lowers its sights on our vertical, look out. Mega game changer is an understatement (read this post). I've been in discussions with a VP of a Google Products Technology vendor (edgenet.com). I wanted her to explore our space, but, their biz model wont work here. Someone hook me up with an exec. over at "Google Products". I need to bend their ear for 30 mins and open up our door.

Also... after I worked my inventory into Google's store, I've requested to be enrolled in Google's new Local Merchant beta. I am sure Google won't know what to do with my application, Google's is not aiming for our space (yet), so my request will be overlooked.

It's just another open project on my desk and remember! "you heard it here DR 1st!!!

 

[joe.pistell]

Wonder why Google trades at over $500/share?

ouch. its nearly doubled in 18 months. GOOG is now >$900

 

[joe.pistell]

Joe, you're a one man "Think Tank." Some large company needs to make you director of strategy! You could do for the auto industry what Steve Jobs did for Apple.

haha, had a pal pass me this thread from 3 years ago, Jerry T NAILED IT!

Currently employed as:

Joe Pistell
Senior Director Product Innovation & Performance
Dealer.com

Wow, Jerry T in the ninja talent scout!

 

[joe.pistell]

Current Driving sales post: Will Google Wipe Out The Need For A Website? | Grant Gooley | Grant Gooley | DrivingSales


Connects to this DR classic thread... 3 years ago.

Just another example of how "I heard it on DealerRefresh 1st"

 

[Alex Snyder]

it Tuesday

After a few conversations with Cliff Banks (one of which was a watchable RefreshFriday: here) it sounds like Cliff is considering moving Cox Automotive away from buying status to selling status. His reasoning for doing that is due to a comment Mark O'Neil, COO of Cox Auto and former CEO of Dealertrack, made at a recent talk. Mark said that Cox believes the future of automotive retail is in fleet purchases. He further went on to say that within the next 10 years fleet deals will account for over 50% of all automobile purchases in the United States.

In my opinion, and Cliff says I'm thinking in the right direction, this means Cox will not need the same kind of investments in all of it's consumer-facing products. That's KBB, Autotrader, Dealer.com, MakeMyDeal and potentially VinSolutions.

After stumbling upon this old thread it got me laughing in my head about how this whole scenario has shifted. If it actually shifts.

At the end of the day, I can only believe that Mark is lost in the corporate echo chamber that is so easy to fall prey to. I was in it not too long ago myself. It is an echo chamber that believes autonomous vehicles will be here pretty soon. Now that I'm out of that echo chamber, I'm not of the same opinion anymore.

 

[john.quinn]

Now that I'm out of that echo chamber, I'm not of the same opinion anymore.

WHAT?????

Are you saying I won the bet???

Don't go soft on me now!

 

[mikesayre]

I can only believe that Mark is lost in the corporate echo chamber that is so easy to fall prey to. I was in it not too long ago myself. It is an echo chamber that believes autonomous vehicles will be here pretty soon. Now that I'm out of that echo chamber, I'm not of the same opinion anymore.

I agree. So many questions right now. I think there will be a lot of expensive ongoing legal discussions and laws with municipalities, states, federal
governments that will push the costs of operating autonomous vehicles into an unrealistic territory for individuals. I'm guessing it will take 20+ years to sort out for fully autonomous. I think the driver assisted features and safety enhancements of the technology will help improve driving in general, especially the transportation and hauling industry.

I wonder what the insurance would be on a fully autonomous vehicle, or even now with a driver on standby?
https://www.npr.org/sections/alltec...s-raise-questions-about-who-carries-insurance

The accidents won't help the cause, how scary would it be to be in a head on collision while playing cards?
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=self+driving+car+accidents

It's all in a very early stage...
https://www.transportation.gov/AV/federal-automated-vehicles-policy-september-2016

 

[craigh]

At the end of the day, I can only believe that Mark is lost in the corporate echo chamber that is so easy to fall prey to. I was in it not too long ago myself. It is an echo chamber that believes autonomous vehicles will be here pretty soon. Now that I'm out of that echo chamber, I'm not of the same opinion anymore.

just have to put a ~ in front of all predictions