Car Buyers Using Autotrader Travel Farther, Transact Faster

Local Market Guidance Leads to Local Impact for Autotrader Clients

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Apr 27, 2017, 10:03 ET

ATLANTA, April 27, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Consumers using Autotrader, which connects with more actual car buyers than any other third-party listing site, are willing to travel farther – 60 miles on average – for their next vehicle compared to the 42 miles on average traveled by all car buyers that use third-party car shopping sites^[1]. This allows Autotrader dealer clients to gain a local advantage and cast a wider net when it comes to the more than 4 million leads^[2] that are generated by the industry's most influential listing site^[3] each month.

"We're focused on driving the most audience, influence and impact for our clients, and this isn't a one-size-fits-all-markets solution," said Steve Lind, senior vice president of operations and general manager of Autotrader. "Beyond understanding how far, literally, local car shoppers are willing to go to locate and purchase their next vehicle, Autotrader offers sourcing tools and market reports that help dealers stay on top of what's happening in their local market to capitalize on the qualified showroom traffic we're consistently providing."

Helping drive these qualified car buyers to local dealerships, VDP views (Vehicle Details Pages) on Autotrader totaled more than 1 billion in 2016, with an average of more than 40 million VDPs viewed per month based on the top 10 markets^[2]. As the most visited third-party shopping site^[4] for the twentieth consecutive month, according to comScore Media Metrix® March 2017 ratings, these listings are seen by more actual car buyers than any other third-party site^[4]. Plus, those car buyers on Autotrader are ready-to-transact several days sooner than those visiting the next-closest competitor site and 12 days faster than those on CarGurus^[5].

Reaching a wider, more qualified car buying audience has an impact in the local markets where Autotrader experienced an increase in shopper activity and sessions in the first three months of 2017^[6]. During the first quarter of 2017, Autotrader shoppers in Atlanta were 5.3 percent more active on vehicle listings compared to the fourth quarter of 2016, while car shoppers in Chicago and Houston were 7 percent more active, and shoppers in Miami-Ft. Lauderdale were 8.5 percent more active^[6]. These are just a few of the large local markets Autotrader is having an impact over the previous quarter.

About Autotrader
Autotrader is the most visited third-party car shopping site, with the most engaged audience of in-market shoppers. As the foremost authority on automotive consumer insights and expert in online and mobile marketing, Autotrader makes the car shopping experience easy and fun for today's empowered consumer looking to find or sell the perfect new, used or Certified Pre-Owned car. Using technology, shopper insights and local market guidance, Autotrader's comprehensive marketing solutions guide dealers to personalized digital marketing strategies that grow brand, drive traffic and connect the online and in-store shopping experience. Autotrader is a Cox Automotive™ brand. Cox Automotive is a subsidiary of Cox Enterprises. For more information, please visit http://press.autotrader.com.

About Cox Automotive
Cox Automotive Inc. is transforming the way the world buys, sells and owns cars with industry-leading digital marketing, software, financial, wholesale and e-commerce solutions for consumers, dealers, manufacturers and the overall automotive ecosystem worldwide. Committed to open choice and dedicated to strong partnerships, the Cox Automotive family includes Autotrader^®, Dealer.com^®, Dealertrack^®, Kelley Blue Book^®, Manheim^®, NextGear Capital^®, vAuto^®, Xtime^® and a host of other brands. The global company has 33,000 team members in more than 200 locations and is partner to more than 40,000 auto dealers, as well as most major automobile manufacturers, while engaging U.S. consumer car buyers with the most recognized media brands in the industry. Cox Automotive is a subsidiary of Cox Enterprises Inc., an Atlanta-based company with revenues exceeding $20 billion and approximately 60,000 employees. Cox Enterprises' other major operating subsidiaries include Cox Communications and Cox Media Group. For more information about Cox Automotive, visit www.coxautoinc.com.

¹ 2016 Year-End Sourcing Report provided by KS&R
² Based on March 2017 Dealer Activity Report (DAR) Drive the Five Data
³ 2017 Cox Automotive Car Buyer Journey Study; Defined as: Autotrader.com, CarGurus.com, Cars.com and TrueCar.com.
⁴ 2017 Cox Automotive Car Buyer Journey Study
⁵ Data excludes cross visitors of comparison sites
⁶Autotrader Enterprise Analytics Netezza using the field of "customer DMA" comparing Q1 2016 with Q1 2017

SOURCE Autotrader