DSMM - Funny!
Simply outrageous Stupidity - Hmmm I wonder what that would like like?
Simply outrageous Stupidity - Hmmm I wonder what that would like like?
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AutoTrader.com Pricing???
- Thread starter Alex Snyder
- Start date
Wow, this is a great fourm and suggested reading for all involved. I have been in print and online media for the automotive industry for more years than I care to express. Your comments are all correct although, a few of the reps reporting their experiances with AT and ATC sound a bit more like sour grapes than appropriate. Senior management at most companies can be at times misunderstood but yes, they are concerned with shareholder value, afterall that is their main job description.
Dealers have a difficult task in driving new sales in todays economy versus any other time in thier history. Additionally, their marketing dollars are stretched to the limits. Today however, the dealer is aforded many more choices for advertising than ever before. The 800 pound gorilla i.e. Newspapers of the past have given way to Radio, than Television, targeted print, i.e Auto Trader the internt and of course ATC.
One post suggested investment in their own web page, smart! it's easier to control content and manage inventory and yes, it requires some attention by a dedicated staff member. Invest the time! ATC is also a viable and valuable tool assuming you understand how to use it properly. My pappy always said, "don't keep all of your eggs in one basket" well, he did'nt say it that way but I got the point. Set a marketing budget and stick with it. Use multiple channels of marketing and run reasonable and knowing ROI's on every source. Even sources with a lower ROI are viable to a point. In classic fasion, GM's and Sales Managers skip the homework necessary to make these decisions are more drawn to the sales pitch by a good ad rep. I say this with the upmost respect for those reading these posts, I would classify you as the exception to this generalization.
In time however, history always repeats itself and the 800 pound gorilla of today will be replaced by something more affordable and with better results tomorrow. Who knows, it maybe here today.... Keep looking!
I wish all of you, current and past ATC/ATP reps and of course, the dealers who depend on marketing solutions not classified advertising, the best of luck in 2009
Dealers have a difficult task in driving new sales in todays economy versus any other time in thier history. Additionally, their marketing dollars are stretched to the limits. Today however, the dealer is aforded many more choices for advertising than ever before. The 800 pound gorilla i.e. Newspapers of the past have given way to Radio, than Television, targeted print, i.e Auto Trader the internt and of course ATC.
One post suggested investment in their own web page, smart! it's easier to control content and manage inventory and yes, it requires some attention by a dedicated staff member. Invest the time! ATC is also a viable and valuable tool assuming you understand how to use it properly. My pappy always said, "don't keep all of your eggs in one basket" well, he did'nt say it that way but I got the point. Set a marketing budget and stick with it. Use multiple channels of marketing and run reasonable and knowing ROI's on every source. Even sources with a lower ROI are viable to a point. In classic fasion, GM's and Sales Managers skip the homework necessary to make these decisions are more drawn to the sales pitch by a good ad rep. I say this with the upmost respect for those reading these posts, I would classify you as the exception to this generalization.
In time however, history always repeats itself and the 800 pound gorilla of today will be replaced by something more affordable and with better results tomorrow. Who knows, it maybe here today.... Keep looking!
I wish all of you, current and past ATC/ATP reps and of course, the dealers who depend on marketing solutions not classified advertising, the best of luck in 2009
Bye Bye Auto Trader…
I used to work for the company, and was very shocked (well, sort of) from recent events.
So I found some information online, have been in contact with a lot of old co-workers, one of whom made it to the national cut, and will transition to AutoTrader.com.
As you’ll see in this article in the first link, they will be closing ALL AutoMart and AutoExtra publications in all markets, and shifting to strictly online. While the article STATES that they will be keeping all Auto Trader and Truck Trader Magazines that are currently running, still running, one of the survivors indicated on yesterday’s conference call, with Ian MacDonald, the Vice President of Sales Ops, in not so direct terms, that the Auto and Truck Trader titles will be eventually out too—that they are shifting them to strictly private party ads, but because that will shrink the books dramatically, and lack substantial content, it will give them their out to do away with them altogether. The only reason they are leaving them for now, is due to distribution/rack agreements with Dominion Enterprises/Landmark Media Enterprises. The second link indicates a pending lawsuit between the two companies, due to this whole mess.
The rep also said that Ian indicated that all reps coming over from AutoTrader/AutoMart will all be HEAVILY bonused on whatever business they can bring from where they were, onto the AutoTrader.com side.
Furthermore, according to the grapevine, the apparent reason for the final doing-away with the print components, is due to the fact that in recent months, when AutoTrader.com/Cox Auto Trader was put up for sale and then taken off, was because they were contacted contacted by big companies like Yahoo, Google, as well as some other large companies, with POSSIBLE interest, but no one was interested in the print division. By doing away with that division now, it will make them a better product overall to sell to either company, or to any other high bidder.
There’s also speculation that they will group together any and all print debts under the Cox Auto Trader/Auto Mart division (which of course includes AutoMart.com and AutoExtra.com), separate AutoTrader.com out into its own completely separate entity more-so than it is now, and file bankruptcy, leaving only AutoTrader.com remaining, and leaving an entity with little-to-no debt—prime to put to market.
This in itself would obviously mean bye-bye AutoMart.com and AutoExtra.com(which was already known), and would make sense, as with the cancellation of their print products, their databases would shrink IMMENSELY, with no more basic feeds from print. And who would sell it? The print reps who sold for them before are gone by January 23rd. And the reps going to AutoTrader.com (only 140 or so out of like 1400 sales reps), are being bonused to take business AWAY from the other units, AutoMart/AutoTrader/AutoExtra.
For example, the majority of Auto Mart listings in my area come from the book, as their online penetration is MUCH weaker than their print penetration. The listings now in our area will be a joke…
The links below:
For dealers who are getting tired of the on-going Trader Publishing saga (separating Auto’s and Commercial Trucks), the Cox Auto Trader saga (Auto Trader versus AutoMart versus AutoTrader.com), and the continued, unreasonable price increases, my advice is simple:
Look to your LOCAL forms of classified advertising…they are market-based, they have their own brands and reputations, hopefully have been around for a while, and in turn, have business models that will keep them strong and in play for a long time to come, without succumbing to corporate greed.
Good luck to all! (Dealers and Auto Trader and Auto Mart victims.)
I used to work for the company, and was very shocked (well, sort of) from recent events.
So I found some information online, have been in contact with a lot of old co-workers, one of whom made it to the national cut, and will transition to AutoTrader.com.
As you’ll see in this article in the first link, they will be closing ALL AutoMart and AutoExtra publications in all markets, and shifting to strictly online. While the article STATES that they will be keeping all Auto Trader and Truck Trader Magazines that are currently running, still running, one of the survivors indicated on yesterday’s conference call, with Ian MacDonald, the Vice President of Sales Ops, in not so direct terms, that the Auto and Truck Trader titles will be eventually out too—that they are shifting them to strictly private party ads, but because that will shrink the books dramatically, and lack substantial content, it will give them their out to do away with them altogether. The only reason they are leaving them for now, is due to distribution/rack agreements with Dominion Enterprises/Landmark Media Enterprises. The second link indicates a pending lawsuit between the two companies, due to this whole mess.
The rep also said that Ian indicated that all reps coming over from AutoTrader/AutoMart will all be HEAVILY bonused on whatever business they can bring from where they were, onto the AutoTrader.com side.
Furthermore, according to the grapevine, the apparent reason for the final doing-away with the print components, is due to the fact that in recent months, when AutoTrader.com/Cox Auto Trader was put up for sale and then taken off, was because they were contacted contacted by big companies like Yahoo, Google, as well as some other large companies, with POSSIBLE interest, but no one was interested in the print division. By doing away with that division now, it will make them a better product overall to sell to either company, or to any other high bidder.
There’s also speculation that they will group together any and all print debts under the Cox Auto Trader/Auto Mart division (which of course includes AutoMart.com and AutoExtra.com), separate AutoTrader.com out into its own completely separate entity more-so than it is now, and file bankruptcy, leaving only AutoTrader.com remaining, and leaving an entity with little-to-no debt—prime to put to market.
This in itself would obviously mean bye-bye AutoMart.com and AutoExtra.com(which was already known), and would make sense, as with the cancellation of their print products, their databases would shrink IMMENSELY, with no more basic feeds from print. And who would sell it? The print reps who sold for them before are gone by January 23rd. And the reps going to AutoTrader.com (only 140 or so out of like 1400 sales reps), are being bonused to take business AWAY from the other units, AutoMart/AutoTrader/AutoExtra.
For example, the majority of Auto Mart listings in my area come from the book, as their online penetration is MUCH weaker than their print penetration. The listings now in our area will be a joke…
The links below:
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hamptonroads.com
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hamptonroads.com
For dealers who are getting tired of the on-going Trader Publishing saga (separating Auto’s and Commercial Trucks), the Cox Auto Trader saga (Auto Trader versus AutoMart versus AutoTrader.com), and the continued, unreasonable price increases, my advice is simple:
Look to your LOCAL forms of classified advertising…they are market-based, they have their own brands and reputations, hopefully have been around for a while, and in turn, have business models that will keep them strong and in play for a long time to come, without succumbing to corporate greed.
Good luck to all! (Dealers and Auto Trader and Auto Mart victims.)
I heard the AutoTrader is in trouble right now, buying out their competition. I heard on the local radio station in Edmonton here that a new site is evolving and i've been looking at it's progress and it is growing each day. www.canadasautos.ca is the website.
Last year we did a test with a local website and organic SEO only. We drove more traffic to the website than AutoTrader did and at $2600 per month. The funny thing was the AutoTrader rep tried to take credit for the traffic, but we had our stats to prove otherwise.
Yeah the Auto Trader is a bunch of greedy bastar**. Mhy friend who owns a dealership contacted them to advertise before my website came up and they would not leave him alone for advertising on the magazine. He finally hung up cause they would not stop.
Auto Trader sucks.
Auto Trader sucks.
If the "Former ATC SalesRep" offended you...so be it. Your type should be used to it. YOU offend every INTELLIGENT person that walks into your showroom. 10 yrs from now you will all be playing the "Carmax" game with all car sales--new and used. No more sending the sheep "TO THE BOX". Much more civilized process--you will still send your kids to Ivy League schools if you can still buy them in. Oh...but by then 1 in 4 of you will be a used car lot. As another "FORMER" ATC sales rep--price increases are what YOU deserve. Crying back in the day when each sale "Cost" you about $125 per copy--burn in hell. Liars...are your lips still moving?
- May 1, 2005
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Re: Skip Dillard.
You're weak at negotiating, a wimp and probably got your head chopped off by a good salesman at some point. Get over it. Go back to your cube and dream of a day of "civilized" car buying process. You’re too weak to have it any other way!
If the CarMax model works than:
1- They wouldn't be losing money
2- Didn't have to reduce the inflated price of their cars
3- All dealers would do business the same way as them.
But this is not the case; CarMax relies on people afraid of confrontation, hires pencil pushers not salesmen, offer mediocre prices and shaky warranties. The end game in the car business remains the same, buy for A and sell for B, everything else is just BS.
As far as the ATC reps are concerned, they need to get used to making less than 100K per year, their female reps need to get off the boob jobs and the Louis Vuitton Bags, corporate needs to stop spending millions on useless training and meetings and trainers need to stop getting trainees high on the ATC kool aid.
ATC’s profits have flat lined, they are at a plateau, changing the website’s fonts and colors won’t cut it anymore.
God forbid craigslist Autos get their shit together and make their auto search a little better, ATC will be history.
You're weak at negotiating, a wimp and probably got your head chopped off by a good salesman at some point. Get over it. Go back to your cube and dream of a day of "civilized" car buying process. You’re too weak to have it any other way!
If the CarMax model works than:
1- They wouldn't be losing money
2- Didn't have to reduce the inflated price of their cars
3- All dealers would do business the same way as them.
But this is not the case; CarMax relies on people afraid of confrontation, hires pencil pushers not salesmen, offer mediocre prices and shaky warranties. The end game in the car business remains the same, buy for A and sell for B, everything else is just BS.
As far as the ATC reps are concerned, they need to get used to making less than 100K per year, their female reps need to get off the boob jobs and the Louis Vuitton Bags, corporate needs to stop spending millions on useless training and meetings and trainers need to stop getting trainees high on the ATC kool aid.
ATC’s profits have flat lined, they are at a plateau, changing the website’s fonts and colors won’t cut it anymore.
God forbid craigslist Autos get their shit together and make their auto search a little better, ATC will be history.
ATC is probably decent at inventory aggregation and benefits independent and individual sellers more than branded dealerships, and provide terrible returns to dealer groups compared to SEO efforts on individual inventory records. How much more for my logo? Can I be above the fold? what if they highlight my ad? Give me a break, I'd rather use windshield paint!
