Mobile car shopping, a Cars.com study
In a just-published study conducted by Nielsen for Cars.com, mobile car shoppers were found to be younger, affluent, and more likely looking for a new car, as compared with those in the US who car shopped by other means. Nielsen talked to 1600 shoppers, some of whom even used their smart phones right from the dealer’s lot.
“It’s no secret that mobile devices have completely changed the way consumers shop, making it crucial that retailers – automotive or otherwise – understand who mobile shoppers are and how they’re using their devices differently than their laptops or desktops,” said Sharon Knitter, Cars.com senior director, Mobile, in the announcement. “This study informs our ability to deliver a great car shopping experience to our users no matter what screen they’re visiting us on, as well as making us a better partner to our dealer customers and advertisers as they implement their own mobile marketing strategies.” Continue reading
Texas truckers text via PickupTrucks.com
Cars.com and its subsidiary PickupTrucks.com have a front and center presence at this year’s Texas State Fair. As one of every four vehicle owners in Texas drive pickups, and one of every five consumers searching Cars.com for vehicles reside in Texas, this fair is a good choice for Cars.com marketing. Since 1989, the State Fair’s Auto Show has grown from 84,000 to 300,000 square feet of vehicles on display, activities and entertainment in two buildings and an outdoor truck area. Editor Mark Williams quoted below is a recent hire, and former editor of Truck Trend magazine. Continue reading
Here’s a detailed look at Cars.com technology
Want a peek at the technologies used at Cars.com? Baseline magazine, an online IT magazine published by Ziff Davis, has published an extensive review of what the company is doing on the technology front, including its use of various tools and servers. It’s based on an interview with Kayne Grau, VP of technology at the Classified Ventures company.
Grau joined Cars.com last fall to lead a team of 70 engineers with an annual budget of $11 million. (This article makes no mention of how much his current budget is, but it refers to Cars.com as having 750 employees.)
“Performance, security and the ability to display the right content quickly and seamlessly are crucial,” the article quoted Grau. “It’s what differentiates a company.”
Where’s David Corken of Cars.com? Here …
Here’s why Cars.com is looking for a new VP of operations: Total Attorneys LLC, a Chicago practice-management company for small law firms, hired away David Corken, the former VP of operations at Cars.com.
Corken, now COO at Total Attorneys, was VP of operations at Cars.com for more than six years. He was responsible for account management, customer service, ad operations among other activities. He has both a BBA and an MBA from Notre Dame.
Auto dealer reviews: Talkin’ ’bout your reputation
Contact At Once chat on AutoTrader.com
Live chat provider Contact At Once just announced that it has enabled live chat on AutoTrader.com. The auto and rental-focused software provider also enables online conversations for Apartments.com, Cars.com, CarsDirect.com, CarSoup.com, and 7783 auto dealers throughout the US.
Contact At Once has released not only the details of its arrangement with AutoTrader.com, but also a video by an Atlanta-based auto dealer who shares some powerful testimonial about live chat for dealers.
