I was with Trader/Cox for 11 years and recetly went to work for Call Source, running their Autos division. We are looking for reps across the country, good base salary with high earning potential. Please email me your resume of your interested. Thanks Pogo Parr

SoCal: You said it; it is a sinking ship and the upper mgt is full of lies and promises. Ask any of the visitors to this site, and I think you'll find that they agree. If you have another option, I would certainly entertain it.

To those who are or have launched books in the wake of the disaster: I wish you the best of luck in your new venture. We have all learned from Cox's mistakes and "penny-wise, pound-foolish" ways!

Isn't it funny that the managers who rode the sinking ship that was CATAM are now piloting ATC?

I am interviewing for a position with ATC Latino, but after reading all these comments I don't know what to do. Why are they hiring if they just laid off 4000 people? What should I do? I don't want to jump onto a sinking ship.

Would it surprise you? First lets see did they meet with everyone at the Auction and tell them it was the year of the rep and everything is peaches and cream, if so then your done!

I have not heard that but all logical evidence points to it.

Has anyone hear if Cox is closing down all hardcopy books?

Hello thanks for the imput r. green and good luck to you also!!!

I got my check on time. I am sure you will all get what they promised you, the people left to handle all the problems will be out also, I'm sure their morale is in the basement, good luck to all of you in any and all new endeavors...From a 20 year employee!!!

Great idea, Jeff Kershner! You should go around the world and distribute great motivational books or books on CD/MP3 and tell them to listen to it a few times.
You know.. people drinking water that's contaminated with sewage, or scrounging for a few grains or roots, children doing slave labor in sweatshops, others in this country who are down to their last penny, with no where to turn. Those books and cd's will cheer em up! Maybe they just need a good kick in the ass to motivate em; you can do that too, cause you have real "good" solutions to these problems!

all- dont let Cox bring you down! you have to rise above. stay confident people will do the right thing--i guess, with time and lawyers? either way...

By the way, I don't think print targeted publications are dead. There will always be a need. The results will depend on the economy and will go up and down like it always has. Customers would admit that results were down with all of their advertising mediums. They just cut way back because if their not selling cars, they can't pay for it.

Be patient, as long as you turned in your paperwork signed, sealed, and delivered you will get your check. They have followed through on everything they said they would.

Relax they will not screw you

Wake up and smell the cofee Dedicated!!!!!

I dont understand I know i am suppose to get paid Friday I have just one pay ocming as severance do you mean i will not get it, I thought Jim Kennedy and his Mom were all about the working people??????????????

PRINT IS DEAD PAY US

scared, yes it is true carspot is going away. In fact, it was Carspot that I was working on when i was let go in december. Our city was a test city for running Carpot from the print side. I was offered the position of running it mid last year. Before that, I was in circulation. If I would have stayed where I was, I would have still been working there. Of course that would only have delayed things because the circ people will be going too.

Its funny though, our office went thru a big deal of getting dealers switched over to Carspot. The dealers I had loved it quite a bit and depended on it. Then all the sudden they go back to the dealers and say sorry, we are not doing it anymore so you are SOL. Carspot Pro is still up and running, and all my old dealers can still just go in an upload their own vehicles and it all still exports to where it was. So basically all these dealers are getting the exports etc for free.

Anyway, keeps up posted on this, I am sure interested to see what happens to carspot. I had a feeling something was up with it for several months before I was even told I was getting canned. Have not heard about this homenet thing.

OH MYYYYYYYYYYYY

most people have received theirs...some of ours are being held. id contact a lawyer than the company. no one will give you answers about anything so be prepared.

Hello out there please someone let me know if they have received their severance, i hope this is not gonna be an issue!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Scared,
Sorry to confirm what you've heard, but I've heard the same that Carspot is going away. I haven't heard Homenet mentioned to replace them though.
I've heard Homenet is handling all the car data for ATC now, but that's it.

Hello!!!!!!!! are you kidding me now they are playing with severance, if your last day was the 23rd of January you should of had your first severance pay on the 13 of Feb. people whos last day was feb 6 should get the first severance check on Feb 27th. My understanding is the person working on our packages was let go also and then they called her back to get Cox thru the transistion of closing automart,autotrader. So I am sure she is not all dedicated to doing so, knowing that her job is done when she is done with that. So hopefully we should get our checks, if not maybe Joe and Ian will hook us up with some cash to get by

Has anyone heard anything about the current CarSpot Vehicle Photographers being laid off soon ? We have been told that Homenet will be the new platform (replacing CarSpot platform) but rumours have been surfacing that Atlanta home office is having issues getting the CarSpot equipment (camera and DUO) to be compatible with the Homenet platform and most likely ATC will be stopping their photo service to current dealers, leaving us photographers out of a job. Management has been very secretive telling us they are testing equipment in certain regions right now and that they will have training for us soon. A lot of what we are told is that they can't tell us specific things ~ "I wish I could tell you - but I can't. Trust me."
I even heard that someone of importance was answering questions at a training session in Atlanta recently and told the Advertising Consultant's that "CarSpot in no longer. Homenet will NOT be replacing CarSpot...they are two different things. We will not be selling photo service anymore."

I just found this message board and am very nervous now about my job !!! A lot of what I have read I have witnessed first hand (regarding the Advertising Consultants traveling now with former Trader Pub reps to switch the magazine revenue to ATC online) and what I have heard about the layoffs, so I am hoping for a reputable source here.

Just curious how many people r out there in same boat!

Think I should find representation?

Thanks Shelly, yes I might be interested in getting on the train. I will be emailing you again soon.

Long Time Trader Employee-
No, the Tulsa mag is not mine, and is indeed competition for me, but only because of the deluge of dealers in OKC, and the fact that I haven't had time to even get to Tulsa yet.
We plan to add it, but right now, I am busy in my own town.
Competition doesn't concern me, because when we started in Atlanta 4 years ago, we had a ton of books to compete with. Slowly they all went away... even the "Mack Daddy" of all. Now, we are the last man standing, and publishing a huge book with no competition. Publications may come and go, but we have a formula that works, and plug and play is the operative term these days.
I wish you all well... email me if you want to get on the train!