Automotive News, Press Releases, and Events

The thread discusses SiSTeR Technologies receiving a USPTO patent for their Pictures-To-Video (Pic2Vid) process, with concerns that it could be used to threaten competing vendors offering similar photo-to-video services. An anonymous commenter warns that companies like Dealer.com and Dealer Specialties could face legal action, while a SiSTeR-affiliated marketer frames the patent as a point of industry pride rather than a legal weapon. The thread ultimately fizzles without resolution, with Jeff Kershner noting the anticipated industry ruckus never materialized.

Jeff Kershner promotes a HookLogic webinar focused on capturing higher-quality leads from dealership websites and improving showroom visit rates from third-party lead providers. The thread highlights the challenge dealers face in identifying which leads are most likely to convert and how tools like HookLogic can help prioritize and act on those leads. The post reads largely as an endorsement and promotional announcement rather than a debate or discussion.

DealerRater announced its expansion into Canada in May 2011, hiring a dedicated Regional Account Manager to help Canadian dealerships manage online reputation and reach in-market shoppers. Canadian dealers in the thread responded enthusiastically, with one expressing hope for DealerRater awards to follow and competitive motivation after seeing a rival dealership's strong Google review presence.

TrueCar announced a licensing agreement with Black Book (National Auto Research/Hearst Business Media) to incorporate used car values into its newly launched consumer website, ClearBook.com. The partnership positions ClearBook as the first free used vehicle pricing website enhanced with Black Book's 60-plus years of industry data, aiming to give consumers more reliable used car pricing information.

TRADER Corporation, Canada's leading automotive marketplace, announced an exclusive partnership with vAuto to launch TOptimizer, bringing vAuto's Live Market View inventory management tools to Canadian dealers for the first time. The product includes stocking, appraisal, and pricing modules already used by over 3,500 U.S. dealers. Early feedback from Canadian dealers who had previously accessed vAuto was reportedly very positive.

Black Book Online announced the launch of Activator Complete, a tool combining trade-in valuations with a soft credit score estimator that doesn't require sensitive personal data like SSNs. A commenter raised concerns about whether the tool might reduce formal credit applications or skew toward prime borrowers, and a follow-up from the pilot program revealed that 81% of estimated scores came in above 630, with several dealers reporting increased credit app volume and none reporting a decline.

Kevin Frye shares a recap of Digital Dealer 10 in Orlando, highlighting standout presentations, vendor exhibits, networking, and a memorable encounter with R. Lee Ermey at the Blackbook booth. Replies from attendees and those who missed it praise Frye's session on social media as a standing-room-only success, with broad agreement that dealer investment in industry education is growing. The thread reads largely as community validation of both the conference and Frye's reputation as a trusted educator in automotive digital marketing.

Jeff Kershner announces a last-minute Dale Pollak webinar addressing how the Japan crisis is impacting new and used car inventory and sales for dealers and manufacturers. The post urges dealers to tune in and links to a related forum discussion, positioning Dale Pollak as a key industry voice for understanding the market disruption. The core takeaway is that dealers need to stay informed on supply chain effects to adjust their used and new car strategies quickly.

The thread celebrates DealerRater reaching 300,000 dealer reviews, with Jeff Kershner praising the platform as a near-universal fit for dealership reputation management. Replies mix genuine congratulations from a dealer with strong review numbers, and lighthearted jabs at Acton Toyota's dominance on the platform, with one commenter noting rivals are motivated to close the gap. The overall tone reflects broad industry enthusiasm for DealerRater while acknowledging that top-ranked dealers face growing competitive pressure.

The thread explores whether Tesla's Apple-inspired showroom model—designed by former Apple retail chief George Blankenship—represents the future of car sales. Commenters draw parallels to Scion and Saturn as earlier attempts at reinventing the retail experience that ultimately failed, while agreeing that a hybrid of virtual and just-in-time inventory models is likely where the industry is headed. The key takeaway is that the concept isn't entirely new, but manufacturer commitment and advertising support are critical to making it stick.

A press release announces that CarsDirect.com has renewed its licensing agreement with automotive chat provider Contact At Once! and integrated live chat into its redesigned website. The goal is to convert more organic traffic into leads for dealer partners by following Contact At Once! best practices for consumer engagement. The announcement highlights chat as a key tool for turning passive online shoppers into active, high-quality leads.

AutoTrader's integration of its Trade-In Marketplace onto KBB.com is examined, offering consumers an 'Instant Trade-In Offer' after receiving a KBB valuation. Dealers debate whether the tool helps close deals by reducing fixation on inflated KBB numbers or creates problems when bids come in far below KBB estimates, potentially driving customers away. The thread also surfaces skepticism about Hollenshead's bidding strategy and whether the tool is truly designed to help dealers retain retail inventory or quietly funnel cars to auction.

PCG Digital Marketing and DrivingSales.com launched a 16-week Automotive SEO Study inviting 100 dealership employees to learn and apply SEO strategies, committing roughly four hours per week. Results were to be published and presented at the 2011 NADA Conference in San Francisco. Commenters were generally enthusiastic about the learning opportunity, though one raised a pointed question about how participant data might be used beyond the NADA presentation.

CARFAX has launched the Dealer Advantage Program, offering participating dealers unlimited access to Vehicle History Reports, Auction Quick Check, and enhanced point-of-sale materials at no extra cost. The program is designed to help dealers leverage the CARFAX brand, citing research that over 80% of used car shoppers prefer buying from a CARFAX Advantage dealership. The thread has minimal dealer discussion, with only an irrelevant spam reply following the announcement.

A brief warning post urges digitally savvy dealers not to grow complacent, arguing that previously behind competitors have now attended 20-groups, social media conferences, and digital marketing workshops and are ready to compete aggressively. Both Jeff Kershner and Brian Pasch echo the message, emphasizing that maintaining a competitive lead requires continuous investment and vigilance. The key takeaway is that past advantages in digital marketing can erode quickly if dealers stop paying attention to how the landscape is shifting around them.

Jeff Kershner recaps recent DealerRefresh blog content covering call tracking best practices, a live dealer chat interview with Contact At Once! following their AutoTrader.com partnership announcement, and a look at Google's +1 button relevance for dealerships. The thread points to several must-read resources for dealers evaluating vendor tools and emerging digital marketing trends. It serves as a content digest rather than a debate, making it useful for dealers wanting a quick overview of timely industry topics.

The thread announces CarMax's 2011 pilot launch of EasyShop in Raleigh and Fayetteville, a program allowing used car buyers to complete more of the purchase process online before visiting a store. The post serves largely as a news relay with a redirect to a separate DealerRefresh forum discussion on whether EasyShop represents the future of car buying. Dealers and industry professionals interested in digital retailing trends would find the linked discussion more substantive than this announcement post alone.

The thread examines Facebook Questions and Google's +1 feature and whether these social signals represent a genuine opportunity for car dealers or simply add noise. Participants debate the potential for brand visibility boosts—comparing +1s and Likes to review counts on sites like DealerRater—while raising serious concerns about gaming, spam accounts, proxy manipulation, and the overall reliability of these metrics. The key takeaway is cautious optimism: the tools could meaningfully amplify dealership reputation if authentic, but are highly vulnerable to manipulation that could undermine their value.

An April Fools' Day joke post parodies automotive marketing guru Larry Bruce by advertising a fake "Bruce Event" at a Super 8 in Bismarck, North Dakota, complete with intentionally misspelled claims about 70%+ conversion metrics. Community members play along with jokes about the hotel being fully booked, who would host, and Larry Bruce's reputation for promoting 'tiny classified ads.' The thread is lighthearted industry humor with no real content, though it hints at underlying skepticism toward overhyped automotive marketing speakers.

The thread announces the 10th Digital Dealer Conference taking place April 19th in Orlando at the Rosen Shingle Creek Resort, with Jeff Kershner encouraging attendees to plan their session schedules in advance to get the most out of the event. A reply promotes Digital Dealer cover speaker Rob Fontano and ITZ Media Group's video marketing services, including a testimonial from a dealer claiming growth from 50 to over 400 cars sold per month. The thread is largely promotional with limited substantive discussion about the actual agenda content.

Dataium released data showing that the March 2011 Japanese earthquake triggered a significant and continuing decline in online automotive shopper activity, with Japanese brands hit hardest. Their ASI index, which tracks consumer intensity and engagement across nearly a dozen behavioral signals, had been trending positively through February before reversing sharply after the disaster. While all automotive makes saw some impact, the data makes clear that Japanese manufacturers bore the greatest drop in consumer interest.