AutoTrader.com Pricing???

[Internet Jeff]

Joe Pistell,

Would like to share my results of Autotrader.com with you and what works for me in my market. Im sure I could learn some things from you as well. Contact Mr. Kershner for my info.

My responsibilities include handling all of the incoming calls and emails from AT, dealer website and GM OneSource- setting the appts, taking the appts, closing, and finally the delivery.

Obviously I end up cherry picking, and the least time consuming/highest profit deals are the used car leads from AT. Could only imagine what the dealership could produce from all incoming leads if I had the time to work properly. It's a work in progress and big paradigm shift for the dealership.

Look forward to speaking with you Joe.

 

[ian.statler]

Let me try this again. I took a screen shot of it this time.

http://tinyurl.com/343upo

Maybe these will be part of the "ALPHA" packages. ??

 

[Al]

When ever the "cost per closed deal" conversation is brought up with Autotrader, they get very quiet. As a customer of theirs for the past 5 or so years the phone call numbers are going down year upon year. We've maintained our top tiered listing position with them but with the rising rate increases it's costing us considerably per deal sourced from them. We track all walk ins and have incentivised our staff on providing us with accurate walk in traffic sourcing. We've informed them that in order for management to most effectively spend the ad dollar to gain the most customer traffic, we need to acurately know where our walk in/showroom traffic is coming from. They've been very cooperative in doing this as it only helps them in the long run also. I'm not so sure that the added features of the past year or so have managed to do anything significant in bringing more attention to our pre owned vehicles listed with them, anyone else experiencing this? Our Rep is a good guy and looks out for us w/tips etc. but it seems even his head is spinning as to how to sell the product w/a straight face to us anymore. I'm not sure that the investement we've made w/them is paying off as it once was and I'm curious to see if we stepped down to a cheaper product w/them for 4 or 5 months we'd notice any real significant difference? other than possibly saving cost per closed sourced deals from them.

 

[Joe Pistell]

IMO: Reduce AutoTrader position spending.

Customers can see positioning structure. Customers are drilling down to year-make-model then sorting by price (wouldn't you?).

Create select Loss Leaders from your prime sellers list (highest volume sellers). Be sure to price yourself a few ticks below market. Add text to suggest large selection and special pricing.

Viola' Traffic again!
Joe

 

[Jennifer Schrader (blog)]

I like reading these posts to get the feed back from everyone that is having both good and bad opinions on auto trader. Like I said they work good only when you work them too. I hear from so many dealers spending thousands of dollars on ad's that don't work, 3rd party leads, just invest in a website that actually captures the customers then having to pay for them to come to your site! Getting a properly optimized site and getting to the top of the organic searches is the best way to go then to pay to be at the top. I am not trying to sell anything but from my past experience I would rather dump a buttload of cash on a site that actually pays you back in the ROI!

Working the comments really good for auto trader will give back what you put into it. Just an hour a day if not less making creative comments will capture your customers online.

Enjoy selling and good luck!

 

[DS]

I laugh out loud at all the self righteous dealer personnel that cry about AT making money. Guess what, if you could do something better you would have. Try branding you dealership on your budget...

HA, HA, HA

Ain't going to happen. Hire an employee to do SEM and SEO? Now your budget is already blown through the roof, with no more traffic than you get now.

Know why AT works? Its called Top Of Mind Awareness. When a customer is constantly being drilled to search for cars and find a car on AT.com they use the service. Then when they go to look for a car, they don't have to use a search engine because they already know about AT. Can't say that about the dealership's sites, especially as the internet core audience matures.

Can anyone on these posts tell me why you would spend literally tens of thousands of dollars per month on mass marketing (i.e. newspapers, tv, radio) that reach only 3-4% of the public that s actively shopping for a vehicle at any one time?

You give $100000 a year to a newpaper showing 10% of your inventory, that reaches 400000 people a day. At a 4% shopping rate for cars we are talking about 16000 POTENTIAL viewers of your liner ad. For a quarter of that price you can list ALL your inventory on AT, show specs, research vehicles, get financing quotes and even fill out applications before they come in.

Now I see why you want to get rid of it. Because you can justify your jobs. Some times in going into a dealer I think "you are too stupid to work/own this dealership". More times than not that is proven out.

 

[Spencer (blog)]

I think you've missed a big point discussed here and that is many dealerships not seeing positive enough ROI for the investment in Autotrader's Premium Listings. Lets talk price & effectiveness. Toyota dealership w/50 used units with Autotrader Premium listings @ $5600 a month rate. Same dealership at the middle tiered level of ad product from Autotrader @ $1800 a month. Cost per used unit listed w/Premium Listings @ $112. Cost per used unit listed w/middle tiered ads with Autotrader @ $36. Selling 5 units per month on average from the Premium Listing product costs @ $1,120 a copy, selling 5 used units w/middle tiered ad product costs @ $360 per copy. Listening to the same spiel on and on from Autotrader about how valuable the Premium Listing products really are, priceless!

 

[Michael (blog)]

I love the latest "DS" post must be someone that works at Autotrader. Sounds like he just got out of one of their training classes and all he/she compares Autotrader to is the traditional media vs. other internet resources dealers can use.. Cars.com,UsedCars.com, AutoUsa, Autobytel, Dealix, Google Base, SEM/SEO, tools to capture customer info on their website, hmmm? Apples to Oranges sounds like spin zone to me.

Love the arrogant attitude and devious laugh "ha ha ha" and then calling dealers, or ISMs stupid or justifying their jobs? That's a great approach - let's insult our customers.

 

[Jennifer Schrader (blog)]

I agree with you Michael! I talk to so many dealers everyday and going in to the approach of the confidence of dealers trying to gather ideas to sell more cars. They are not stupid, along with the ISM's. I had been an ISM for 4 years before jumping aboard with TK Carsites and having that comment from DS aka AT insulting dealers and ISM's shows he/she never worked on the floor. They must hate their job at AutoTrader! Maybe DS needs to justify their job!!

 

[Alex Snyder (blog)]

Congratulations Jennifer - you are the 100th poster in this thread!

Notice how many people have jumped in this thread to refute on behalf of AutoTrader, but will not leave their actual information? Wonder why? If these people feel as though they're adding something worthwhile to this thread, they should be open about who they are. Engage in the debate. Show us why we're wrong. Debate is a healthy thing, and we're missing it these days. Thank you "Internet Jeff" for being the exception - I may not agree with you on this one, but I respect you for working to make a debate.

When people hide behind the interwebz, and don't fight back when challenged, that person is a waste of time.

Dealer Refresh gives us all the opportunity to have a voice - vendors and dealers together. Let's debate - let's make ourselves better!