Automotive News, Press Releases, and Events

CarsDirect announced in June 2009 that it would offer free used car inventory listings to Chrysler and GM dealers who had received franchise termination notices, aiming to support them through the transition period. The move recognized that many terminated dealers weren't simply closing but pivoting to used car operations or new brands, and needed immediate sales support. The offer was positioned as a goodwill gesture to help dealers stay viable in their communities during a critical few months.

VinSolutions announced a 2009 integration with R.L. Polk & Co. that lets subscribing dealers access monthly Polk Cross Sell™ reports directly within the VinSolutions platform via a single button click. The integration offers two subscription tiers, allowing dealers to receive reports for new vehicles, used vehicles, or both. The thread is a press release announcement with no discussion or dealer commentary.

The thread covers KBB.com's July 2009 launch of its own dealer inventory classified listings program, breaking from its prior AutoTrader partnership. Dealers debate whether the new platform will cannibalize traffic from Cars.com and AutoTrader, while one commenter notes that only about 8% of KBB's 13 million unique visitors historically clicked through to inventory, questioning the added value. The broader takeaway is skepticism about yet another classified listings entrant in a fragmented market that many feel would benefit from consolidation.

Kelley Blue Book announced the July 2009 launch of 'The Trusted Marketplace,' a new vehicle classifieds platform on kbb.com designed to match consumers with vehicles based on desired characteristics. The key differentiator was a pay-for-performance business model, positioning it as a cost-efficient alternative to traditional subscription-based listing services like AutoTrader or Cars.com. The announcement generated interest from dealers curious whether KBB's trusted brand and new pricing model could shake up the online classifieds market.

AutoTrader.com announced a major media buy expansion by adding ESPN and ABC to its broadcast advertising mix starting in July, covering Monday Night Football, college football, NASCAR, and MLB. This doubles their media exposure on top of existing placements on TNT, MTV, VH1, Comedy Central, and Spike TV. The thread generated minimal industry discussion, with only a brief off-topic reply from a car salesman.

Cobalt announced the launch of its second-generation mobile dealer website interface in June 2009, designed specifically for in-market automotive shoppers on the go. The interface prioritizes high-intent actions like calling the dealership or getting directions, with Cobalt claiming mobile users were nearly three times more likely to visit an Hours and Directions page than standard website visitors. The thread appears to be a press release post with limited additional discussion, but highlights early dealer recognition of mobile-optimized experiences as a conversion tool.

Jeff Kershner promoted a J.D. Power and Associates webinar on using social media analysis to uncover automotive consumer insights during tough economic times. A attendee reported it was one of the best webinars on the topic, highlighting a key finding: online consumer buzz about car buying correlates closely with actual dealership sales, with a surprisingly short lag between stated purchase intent and real transactions. A guest commenter asked whether a recording was available.

XIGroup, a Dominion Enterprises division, announced a 2009 integration with Dealer Specialties to deliver real-time inventory updates — including price changes, photos, and dealer comments — automatically to dealer websites. The key takeaway is that changes made through any Dealer Specialties tool instantly reflect on the dealer's site, eliminating the lag that had long frustrated the industry's push toward true real-time data.

ContactAtOnce! announced a chat rollover feature and managed live chat service for auto dealers in May 2009, allowing dealerships to handle website chat leads and automatically route them to trained staff when dealer personnel are unavailable. The core value proposition is that adding live chat to a dealership website increases visitor engagement and lead capture, even outside business hours. The thread appears to be a press release post introducing the product's availability rather than a discussion with community debate.

A recap of the 2009 NYC Google Automotive Summit explores the root causes of the auto industry's downturn, including decades of artificially inflated demand, labor laws from the 1930s, and OEM dealer over-expansion. Commenters highlight the shift toward transparent selling and digital marketing as the path forward, with the key takeaway that dealers who modernize their sales and marketing practices now stand to thrive over a five-year horizon.

The thread announces a Dealer.com-hosted webinar on leveraging first-party leads, featuring DealerRefresh contributors Jeff Kershner and Alex Jefferson alongside Jennifer Suzuki and David Kain. The post promises a full recording and transcript, while pointing readers to DealerRefresh's library of internet marketing and best practices content. Feedback from participants was brief but positive, with the host noting strong audience response to the segments.

Dealers and industry professionals debate whether social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook represent a fundamental shift in automotive marketing or simply a new channel supplementing existing CRM and advertising strategies. A key insight that emerged is that relationship-building and word-of-mouth — not banner ads — are the real opportunity, illustrated by a real example where a tweet about a car purchase generated two additional sales leads. Early adopters are experimenting cautiously, with most advisors recommending dealers master existing digital tools before layering in social media.

Kevin Frye steps in to review the 6th Digital Dealer Conference in Las Vegas after regular DealerRefresh contributors couldn't attend, covering sessions, vendor meetings, and key industry takeaways. Replies from attendees including Derek Hammond and Ralph Paglia add color, with Paglia noting the conference offered far more content than any single review could capture, including a Sunday night gathering that drew over 100 people. The consensus was that Digital Dealer 6 was a strong, actionable event, with DealerRefresh earning notable mentions throughout.

Jeff Kershner announces the launch of the DealerRefresh Technology Support & Best Practices Forums, describing it as a resource for dealers navigating automotive technology — likening it to a 24/7 NADA without the sales pressure. Early reactions were enthusiastic, though some vendors quickly pushed back on critical threads. The brief replies touch on the Digital Dealer Conference 6 Twitter hashtag (#DD6) and a new industry stats thread posted in the forums.

DealerRefresh members discuss plans to attend the 6th Digital Dealer Conference in April 2009, with several community members confirming attendance and a few announcing last-minute speaking roles. The thread highlights sessions on web traffic growth and social media, while doubling as an informal meetup coordination thread among industry regulars. A recurring inside joke about cheerleader photos and friendly banter about who will represent DealerRefresh give the thread a strong community feel.

Jeff Kershner announces the launch of the new DealerRefresh Dealer Technology Forums, designed to give dealers and vendors a dedicated space to discuss CRM, desking solutions, inventory management software, and more. The forum was created in response to daily reader inquiries about dealer technology tools. Early replies show enthusiastic support from the community, with members praising the rapid growth and ambition behind the platform.

Trilogy Enterprises announced a cash tender offer to acquire all outstanding shares of Autobytel Inc. at $0.35 per share, representing a 32% premium over the trailing 30-day average closing price. The offer signals a potential consolidation move in automotive digital retail during a period of severe industry downturn in 2009. For those tracking automotive lead generation and online retail platform history, this thread captures a pivotal acquisition moment for one of the industry's earliest digital car-buying services.

The thread promotes Dealer Synergy's Internet Director Immersion Program, a 3-to-5-day workshop in Philadelphia in April 2009, with a DealerRefresh reader discount. Replies from dealers and managers who have worked with Sean V. Bradley are uniformly positive, citing measurable progress in their internet departments and praising his energy and methods. The overall takeaway is strong peer endorsement for the training, with multiple attendees recommending it to anyone considering growing their internet sales operation.

The thread announces Dave Hanson's appointment as VP of Interactive and Creative Services at eCarList, an automotive software provider. Hanson previously served as director of Brand Marketing at Yahoo, where he led partnership development and interactive engineering. CEO Len Critcher highlights the hire as a move to strengthen eCarList's online product offerings and consumer experience capabilities.

ContactAtOnce! announced a license agreement with Cars.com in January 2009, enabling live chat functionality called DealerChat across Cars.com's franchise and independent dealer listings. The partnership aims to help dealers engage in-market shoppers in real time and drive more sales. The sole reply speculates the integration could push Cars.com toward a more social, connected experience.