WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif., Aug. 19 CA-J.D.-Power-Reports
WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif., Aug. 19 /PRNewswire/ -- Among online buying
services, AutoTrader.com ranks highest in satisfying dealers with new-vehicle
leads, while Cars.com ranks highest in satisfying dealers with used-vehicle
leads, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2008 Dealer Satisfaction
with Online Buying Services Study(SM) released today.
The study, which measures dealer satisfaction with online buying services,
ranks vehicle-lead providers in two segments: independent new-vehicle and
independent used-vehicle. Within those segments, four factors measure overall
dealer satisfaction with online lead providers: business generation; dealer
support/service; competitiveness of fees; and transmission of leads. An
additional factor, advertising, is also included in the independent
used-vehicle lead segment.
AutoTrader.com ranks highest in dealer satisfaction with online
new-vehicle lead providers for a second consecutive year, performing
particularly well in the business generation, dealer support/service and
transmission of leads factors. Following AutoTrader.com in the segment
rankings and performing above industry average are Cars.com, Dealix and
AutoUSA, respectively.
In the used-vehicle lead segment, Cars.com achieves high ratings from
dealers in the areas of business generation and transmission of leads.
AutoTrader.com follows Cars.com in the used-vehicle-lead segment rankings and
performs well in the areas of dealer support/service and advertising.
"The strong performance of AutoTrader.com for two consecutive years is
founded on its most notable strengths -- the quality of leads and the amount
of contact with the dealership -- both of which are especially important to
dealers," said Jon Osborn, research director at J.D. Power and Associates.
"Cars.com has been steadily improving in the used-vehicle-lead segment
rankings during the past two years, so it is not surprising that the service
improves from its second-rank position in 2007 to earn the highest rank in
2008."
The study finds that overall satisfaction in the used-vehicle lead segment
has declined considerably in 2008, averaging 581 on a 1,000-point scale,
compared with 613 in 2007. The decline is driven primarily by decreases in
satisfaction within the business generation factor, specifically in the areas
of the quality and quantity of leads.
The study also finds that the average number of online lead providers that
dealers subscribe to has increased steadily in recent years -- from 5.6 in
2006 to 6.8 in 2008. In addition, approximately one-half (53%) of dealers
report subscribing to a lead notification program, which instantaneously
alerts dealers to an incoming lead via cell phone voice or text messages.
Dealers who subscribe to lead notification programs tend to have high levels
of satisfaction with the services. Approximately two-thirds of subscribing
dealers "completely agree" that lead notification programs work well and
believe that they are worth participating in.
"As both new- and used-vehicle sales decline, it is now more important
than ever for dealers to cast as wide a net as possible toward the limited
supply of vehicle shoppers, which is one reason why dealers are increasing
their use of online lead providers in the hopes of generating more traffic and
sales for their dealerships," said Osborn. "Also, dealers use vehicle lead
notification systems to try to differentiate themselves from their competitors
through faster lead response times. In this highly competitive industry,
creating even a slight edge over other dealers is critical during a period of
slow sales."
The 2008 Dealer Satisfaction with Online Buying Services Study is based on
4,141 dealer evaluations of the online buying services they use. The study was
fielded in April and May 2008.
About J.D. Power and Associates
Headquartered in Westlake Village, Calif., J.D. Power and Associates is a
global marketing information services company operating in key business
sectors including market research, forecasting, performance improvement,
training and customer satisfaction. The company's quality and satisfaction
measurements are based on responses from millions of consumers annually. For
more information on car reviews and ratings, car insurance, health insurance,
cell phone ratings, and more, please visit JDPower.com. J.D. Power and
Associates is a business unit of The McGraw-Hill Companies.
About The McGraw-Hill Companies
Founded in 1888, The McGraw-Hill Companies (NYSE: MHP) is a leading global
information services provider meeting worldwide needs in the financial
services, education and business information markets through leading brands
such as Standard & Poor's, McGraw-Hill Education, BusinessWeek and J.D. Power
and Associates. The Corporation has more than 280 offices in 40 countries.
Sales in 2007 were $6.8 billion. Additional information is available at
http://www.mcgraw-hill.com.
J.D. Power and Associates Media Relations Contacts:
John Tews Syvetril Perryman
Troy, Mich.Westlake Village, Calif.
(248) 312-4119 (805) 418-8103
john.tews@jdpa.com syvetril.perryman@jdpa.com
No advertising or other promotional use can be made of the information in
this release without the express prior written consent of J.D. Power and
Associates. http://www.jdpower.com/corporate
Dealer Satisfaction Index Scores
(Based on a 1,000-point scale)
New-Lead Services Segment
AutoTrader.com 637
Cars.com619
Dealix 615
AutoUSA 604
New-Lead Services Segment Average 588
Autobytel Inc. 578
AutoMart.com547
eBay Motors 540
Vehix.com 505
Included in the study but not ranked due to small sample size are:
CarsDirect, CarSoup.com, Jumpstart and IMotors/Reply.
NOTE: The study also measures dealer satisfaction with manufacturer and
member lead services, however, rankings are unavailable due to small or
insufficient sample sizes.
Used-Lead Services Segment
Cars.com662
AutoTrader.com 651
Used-Lead Services Segment Average 581
eBay Motors 566
Autobytel Inc. 552
Vehix.com 527
AutoMart.com526
Included in the study but not ranked due to small sample size are:
CarsDirect, CarSoup.com, UsedCars.com and SAM'S CLUB Auto Buying Program.
NOTE: The study also measures dealer satisfaction with manufacturer and
member lead services, however, rankings are unavailable due to small or
insufficient sample sizes.
SOURCE J.D. Power and Associates
