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Black Book — DealerRefresh Vendor Library
Black Book provides vehicle valuation and market data used for pricing, appraisal, and trade-in decisions at dealerships.
About suggest a correction →
Black Book provides vehicle valuation and market data used for pricing, appraisal, and trade-in decisions at dealerships.
What you do with it
access reliable wholesale and retail valuation benchmarks, so they can make confident, defensible pricing decisions that reduce disputes with customers
When a dealer needs to appraise a trade-in or price a used vehicle
deploy a trade-appraisal lead tool on their website and social/mobile channels, so they can generate higher-quality trade-appraisal leads that convert to appointments and sales
When a dealer wants to capture in-market shoppers before they visit the lot
reference a widely recognized, industry-standard data source during negotiations, so they can reduce valuation friction and build buyer trust at the appraisal desk
When a dealer needs market credibility with consumers who arrive with their own valuation research
Community evidence → Stable
The DealerRefresh community treats Black Book as an established, credible valuation benchmark alongside NADA and KBB, regularly including it in shortlists of go-to appraisal and wholesale pricing resources. Its Activator trade-appraisal lead tool drew genuine interest, with some members noting its mobile-responsive design and 'Super Lead' concept as meaningful differentiators. However, sentiment is mixed on the website trade-tool side: at least one dealer explicitly cited a reason not to use Black Book values on their site, and direct comparisons with KBB show divided opinions on data accuracy and lead quality. Overall, the community respects Black Book as a data source but treats its consumer-facing lead products as one option among several rather than a clear category winner.
Valuation benchmark credibility and industry longevity7 mentions
Black Book vs. KBB trade-appraisal tool comparison5 mentions
Trade-in lead generation via Activator / online tool5 mentions
Wholesale / market report data for inventory pricing4 mentions
Data licensing and third-party integrations (TrueCar, Cars.com, etc.)3 mentions
Skepticism or reservations about using Black Book values on dealer websites2 mentions
25 mentions · 8 positive · 2 negative · Scored from 20+ years of candid DealerRefresh discussion. Scores shift as new conversations happen.
POSITIVE
"Black Book Online, the leading online vehicle trade-in sales lead generator, today announced an upgrade to its Activator® platform with features designed to help automotive dealers generate more high quality trade-appraisal leads via mobile technology and social media."
Black Book Online Ontroduced Mobile Feature →
POSITIVE
"Black Book Online offers Dealerships the "Super Lead"... Most DealerRefreshers are very familiar, if not already a user of Black Book Online trade appraisal service... I sat down with Mike McFall, President of Black Book Online, for a quick Q&A about the new service."
Q&A with Mike McFall, President of Black Book Online →
POSITIVE
"Black Book used car values. This allows TrueCar to provide richer information and further enhance its recently launched used car pricing website, [ClearBook.com], with extensive information supplied by Black Book, a valued automotive industry resource for more than 60 years."
TrueCar Incorporates Black Book Used Car Values to Enhance ClearBook.com →
POSITIVE
"Black Book Online today announced the launch of its Activator Complete product, further empowering car buyers while simultaneously inventing the "Super Lead" for dealers."
Black Book Online Launches Activator Complete - The Super Lead →
POSITIVE
"I just started at Black Book as a data licensing manager couple weeks ago and I think I have an idea that not many people are doing and wanted your opinions. My job is to come up with creative idea's for companies to use our data."
Turning Service Customers Into Sales With Trade In Values →
POSITIVE
"Black Book has partnered with Cars.com to provide official trade-in valuations to the platform's 30+ million monthly visitors, giving consumers access to the same valuation tool used by dealers nationwide. A Texas dealer notes that this partnership could reduce valuation disputes since Black Book is more balanced than competitor KBB"
BlackBook Partners With Cars.com →
POSITIVE
"Black Book®, AuctionNet®, NADA Guides®, Kelley Blue Book®, GALVES Auto Price List®, CARFAX® and AutoCheck®"
VIN Viper Delivers Instant Car Values and History Reports Saving Dealers Time and Money →
POSITIVE
"The tool uses Black Book data and responsive design to work across devices, creating urgency while helping dealerships capture leads and close sales."
New Trade-In Widget and in showroom Closing Tool →
NEGATIVE
"One reason I woundn't use Black Book Value on my website (right now)"
One reason I woundn't use Black Book Value on my website (right now) →
NEGATIVE
"positioning it as superior to traditional Black Book trade tools"
Appraisal Tool - seeking BETA testers →
MIXED
"Dealers discuss whether to use Black Book or Kelley Blue Book (KBB) trade appraisal tools on their websites, with mixed opinions on effectiveness."
Who uses both, Black Book and Kelley Blue Book trade appraisal tools, on their site? →
NEUTRAL
"Black Book Online (Activator) vs KBB Lead Driver... I'm sure at one point or another, almost every Internet sales manager has used one or even both of these online trade evaluation tools... What about the actual car values? There are many times a large difference between the two companies values."
Dealer Website Trade-in Tools; is it KBB Leaddriver OR Black Book Online? →
NEUTRAL
"spending $780/month on listing services (CarGurus, Autotrader, Carfax, Black Book)"
Small Dealer Needs Advice →
NEUTRAL
"respondents point to traditional valuation resources (NADA, Black Book, Galves) and modern merchandising software that use checkboxes to automatically adjust vehicle pricing based on featured options"
What's a HOT Option worth? →
NEUTRAL
"The original poster responds with a preliminary list of options including Manheim Market Report (MMR), ADESA Market Guide, and Black Book—all subscription-based services that provide weekly or daily wholesale market reports and pricing data."
Auction Sales Data? →
NEUTRAL
"scan VINs to pull real-time pricing data from sources like NADA, Black Book, and Kelley Blue Book"
Handheld Vehicle Appraisal Tools - what are you using? →
NEUTRAL
"Black Book had 100 dealers surveyed. The end result noted 92% of auto dealers are going to expand their Internet departments this up and coming year."
Black Book had 100 dealers surveyed. →
NEUTRAL
"Over the past year or two, each of our stores have each had varying levels of success using KBB, Blackbook, AT TIM, etc."
Trade in Appraisal tools - suggestions? →
NEUTRAL
"What's happening over there at Black Book Online? Give Jeff a call Larry!"
The Weekly Refresh - Bill Heard Chevy, Video Advertising, Larry Tabloff, Google G1 or BlackBerry Storm →
NEUTRAL
"Hearst owns Canadian Black Book and a few other interesting ones too."
Cars.com hires JPMorgan to explore possible sale →
NEUTRAL
"Amber Powell | Senior Automotive Analyst, Black Book"
Women in Remarketing 2022: Insights & Takeaways →
NEUTRAL
"sonic loads there sites up with everything dealer.com offers as well as the black book video greeting"
Dealer.com Site Performance →
NEUTRAL
"Mike McFall from Black Book Online on optimizing mobile marketing strategy"
Webinar: Make Mobile a Bigger Part of Your Online Marketing Strategy →
NEUTRAL
"Dealers compare trade-in valuation tools (Black Book, AutoTrader TIM, PureCars, Edmunds, and Accu-Price)"
Best "Value Your Trade" platform? →
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