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Autobytel says dealers pay only for online leads they get
June 18, 2008The online new- and used-car site Autobytel says it has long allowed auto dealers to pay only for the online leads they actually get. A company spokesman made the remarks in the wake of a recent announcement from UsedCars.com, which markets itself as "the only major used car lead service" that does so. The Autobytel spokesman says it launched its used vehicle program featuring pay-per-performance pricing in November 2007.
As reported earllier, the Autobytel program, which leverages the MyRide.com platform, features preferred listing placement for subscribing dealers and pay-for-performance pricing.
Dealer inventory receives free premium placement and enhanced listings during consumer searches on all of Autobytel’s car sites, including Autobytel.com, Autoweb.com, Car.com, and Carsmart.com, as well as the company’s new flagship site, MyRide.com, which features a unique automotive search tool that allows shoppers to quickly sift through millions of listings to find the exact vehicle they’re looking for.
Each program dealer listing includes a trackable toll-free phone number that allows shoppers to phone the dealership directly. Dealers pay only for quality phone leads (calls lasting more than 30 seconds) generated through these numbers, in addition to quality verified purchase requests, according to Autobytel.
Cobalt and its Dealix division last week announced record growth for its UsedCars.com site. UsedCars.com's unique visitors have doubled in the past 14 months, the company says, making it the fastest growing automotive resource site, according to Media Metrix. The company attributes the growth in large part to its pay-for-value offer to dealers.
It also says dealers are only charged when they receive a lead from an interested customer.
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