AutoTrader.com Revolutionizes Online Search for New Cars With 'Front-Line Listings'

ATLANTA, Feb. 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- AutoTrader.com, the ultimate automotive marketplace, today introduced "Front-Line Listings," a revolutionary change to the way new car inventory is presented in searches on the site.  Inspired by the front lines at dealerships across the nation, Front-Line Listings create a virtual dealership front line that is customized for each car shopper, providing consumers with a better shopping experience while increasing exposure and engagement for dealers' new car inventory.  

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The majority of shoppers who come to AutoTrader.com begin by conducting an "all" search, which includes both new and used cars.  With the new Front-Line Listings, new car inventory that matches a user's search is aggregated into a rich multimedia listing that is comprised of an anchor car that best meets the shoppers criteria and a filmstrip of other matching vehicles directly beneath that anchor car — complete with photos, videos, pricing information and more for each vehicle.  This new format provides dealers with more effective and robust ways to present other new cars on their lot that also closely match the shoppers search criteria.  This enhanced merchandising opportunity on the search results page enables dealers to benefit from increased exposure for their new car inventory and better consumer engagement.  

"For years, AutoTrader.com has been the only site that allows shoppers to search for new and used cars simultaneously, and we've taken that functionality one revolutionary step further with the Front-Line Listings," said Chip Perry, President and CEO at AutoTrader.com.  "With most consumers beginning the car shopping process searching for new and used cars, Front-Line Listings enable new car inventory to compete more effectively with used cars — enticing consumers who are sitting on the fence."

Among the new features of the Front-Line Listings are:

• "Smart" Anchor Car – The vehicle that best matches the search from each dealership is featured in the listing, acting as an anchor for the rest of the dealership's listing.  This new format provides maximum real estate for the vehicle in the search results page and enables consumers to instantly see a photo and pricing information — two critical elements for successful online listings.
• Front-Line Scrolling Display – Additional inventory that matches a user's search is showcased in an easy-to-browse format below the anchor car, so shoppers can quickly view the other new cars at that dealership.  Each car featured in the scrolling display includes pictures, compare and save options, pricing information and more.  Vehicles in the display are prioritized based on how closely they match the user's search and how well they are merchandized.
• Affordability Highlights – Affordability is an important factor for car shoppers, and the Front-Line Listings make it easier for dealers to highlight special pricing and incentives on their new car inventory.  Specifically, dealers can display both the MSRP and dealer price, and the recently released Promote by Payment feature allows dealers to merchandise their listings with purchase or lease payments, providing multiple ways for dealers to entice shoppers on the search results page.
• Better Consumer Experience – Front-Line Listings include numerous enhancements that make it easier for consumers to access more information about the new cars that match their search parameters.  From the search results page, shoppers can select cars to compare, save cars to their MyAutoTrader.com page and go directly to a vehicle's details page, removing the extra step that was previously required.  

Previously, when a search returned multiple matching new cars from single a dealership, the search results page included one entry for each dealership that contained dealership information, the number of matching vehicles and a link to view the listings on a separate page.  Front-Line Listings, however, give consumers the choice of either going directly to the details page for one of the featured vehicles or visiting the page with all of the listings from that dealership.  

Tested extensively in 2010, the Front-Line Listings delivered exceptional results for dealers.  Shopper interaction with search results pages and vehicle details pages that utilized Front-Line Listings increased 200 – 300% when compared to non-test markets.  Also, testing showed that when dealers took advantage of the merchandising opportunities, such as adding pricing information and photos for new cars, views to the vehicle detail pages increased 300 – 400% over cars lacking merchandising.

"With Front-Line Listings, dealers can show a shopper the car that most closely matches their search and easily display a variety of other cars that the shopper may also want to consider," said Perry.  "Our research shows that by doing this, dealers can increase the views all the relevant cars get and increase shopper interactions with their listings.  That kind of exposure is key to using internet marketing most effectively to help car shoppers find the right car for them and to influence them to buy from you."

For more information about Front-Line Listings and other AutoTrader.com products and services, visit booth #901S at the NADA Convention and Expo.

About AutoTrader.com

Atlanta-based AutoTrader.com, created in 1997, is the Internet's ultimate automotive marketplace and consumer information website. AutoTrader.com aggregates in a single location millions of new cars, used cars and certified pre-owned cars from thousands of auto dealers and private sellers and is a leading online resource for auto dealers, individuals and manufacturers to advertise and market their vehicles to in-market shoppers. The company also provides a robust suite of software tools for dealers and manufacturers to help them manage and market their vehicle inventory and display advertising on the Internet. AutoTrader.com continues to grow key business metrics, including revenue, profitability and site traffic. Today, AutoTrader.com attracts more than 15 million unique monthly visitors who utilize the site to review descriptions, photos and videos of vehicles for sale; research and compare vehicles; review pricing and specials; and read auto-related content like buying and selling tips and editorial coverage of major auto shows and automotive trends. AutoTrader.com operates two other auto marketing brands, AutoTraderClassics.com and AutoTraderLatino.com. AutoTrader.com also owns used vehicle management software company vAuto, Kelley Blue Book (Kbb.com) and HomeNet Automotive, a leading provider of online inventory management and merchandising solutions for the automotive retail industry.  AutoTrader.com is a majority-owned subsidiary of Cox Enterprises. Providence Equity Partners is a 25 percent owner of the company and Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers is also an investor. For more information, please visit www.autotrader.com.

SOURCE AutoTrader.com