Cox Auto Trader Makes Strategic Moves to Improve Online Automotive Advertising Business

[Shelly Peacock]

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!

 

[Dan Fagan]

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]

 

[Shelly Peacock]

Well said, Dan!

 

[Is the glass half empty or half full?]

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.

 

[SP]

@ 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

 

[SP]

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

 

[SAW THIS COMING]

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.

 

[SP]

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?

 

[Longtime Cox/Traderpub employee]

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.

 

[NJ]

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