AutoNation Parts Ways With Third-Party Lead Providers, Pursues Own Online Project
In its pursuit of establishing an online store where shoppers can do (almost) everything related to the car-buying experience, AutoNation Inc. announced last week it would no longer use third-party lead providers, focusing instead on its own online plans.
Automotive News reports the move is related partly to rising costs, whose savings will be invested toward AutoNation’s online storefront as laid out in the announcement by CEO Mike Jackson:
We’re really looking at the whole spectrum of how we interact with our customers. We’re also going to be looking to broaden the brand attributes of AutoNation and move into different business fields with branded products from AutoNation, whether that’s service contracts, warranty contracts. We’re full of ideas.
The project, launched in 2012, aims to make shopping for a new car at any of its 229 branded dealerships as seamless as possible, from making the purchase at home, to finalizing financing et al the next day. $100 million will be invested into the project over the next several years, with the bare-bones version of AutoNation’s storefront opening for business in December 2014.
Seattle-based writer, blogger, and photographer for many a publication. Born in Louisville. Raised in Kansas. Where I lay my head is home.
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The company I work for, which is in an entirely different industry, has also greatly reduced the number of leads we get from third party vendors. The quality of those leads has been poor.
"The leads are weak?" The ***** leads are weak? You're weak. I've been in this business fifteen years...
Second Prize…..Steak Knives! Third Prize…..Hit the bricks!…
They're not talking about advertising or autotrader guys...sheesh.. 3rd party lead providers include this website, "search for a vehicle". Idiots put their info in there along with the car they're interested in and then its sold. The guy above saying they were weak leads is right. Dealers will buy say 500 for $1500 and close maybe 30 of them.