Our Insights

7.18.12: PRESS RELEASE

ATLANTA, July 18, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- AutoTrader.com, the ultimate automotive marketplace, has launched an enhanced mobile site (m.autotrader.com) for the over one million consumers who access the site each month from a mobile device. With more advanced searching, sorting and viewing features, the revamped mobile site delivers an improved experience and helps shoppers perform the tasks they need the most when they're on the go.

"There's a new generation of shoppers among us, and their use of mobile devices is growing quickly," said Jose Puente, director of mobile products at AutoTrader.com. "Mobile shoppers have different needs and expectations when they're using their smart phones than when they're using a computer, and the significant enhancements we made for the new mobile site were designed with those needs and expectations in mind."

Site statistics from AutoTrader.com indicate that mobile usage for car shopping increases on the weekends, when people are less likely to be in front of a computer. These shoppers are further along in the car shopping process, so they are primarily focused on finding specific vehicles and dealers or private sellers near them. Therefore, several of the enhancements to the mobile site centered on improving the search functionality and integrating location-based and map features, among others.

New and improved functionality in the mobile site includes:

• More Search Options. The mobile site now includes more search options, enabling shoppers to include preferences on engine, transmission, seller type, drive, doors, fuel, mileage, exterior color, body style, features and keywords.
• New Sort Options. Now shoppers will be able to sort their search results by a variety of criteria, including price, distance, mileage, year and make/model.
• Location-Based Features. Leveraging the GPS feature inherent in many of today's smart phones, the new mobile site enables shoppers to use their current location rather than entering their zip code for each search. They can also take advantage of a default search radius that adapts to their location.
• Map View for Search Results. Shoppers using their mobile phones can view results in a map layout, so they can easily see which dealers or vehicles are closest to them.
• Access Recent Searches. Shoppers can now easily access their previous searches, as well as vehicles they've recently viewed.
• Share Listings on Facebook. The new mobile site makes it easier than ever for shoppers to share vehicle listings with their friends on Facebook.
• Improved Photo Viewer. Great vehicle pictures help create an emotional connection between shoppers and vehicles they're considering, and with the mobile site's enhanced photo display, great pictures will look even better.

The number of unique visitors accessing AutoTrader.com from a mobile device has increased substantially year-over-year, pointing to the growing trend of increased mobile usage in the car shopping process. Additionally, AutoTrader.com's mobile site has topped one million unique visitors every month since October 2010.

"We're proud of the growth that we've seen in the usage of our mobile site," Puente continued. "For the millions of shoppers who access AutoTrader.com from mobile devices each year, these new features should be a welcomed addition to their car shopping experiences."

AutoTrader.com launched its first mobile site in April 2010 and followed that launch with the development of two mobile apps: an iPhone app in June 2011 and an Android app in October 2011. Each mobile property has continued to be improved to accommodate the increasing needs of shoppers on the go.

About AutoTrader.com

Atlanta-based AutoTrader.com, created in 1997, is the Internet's ultimate automotive marketplace and consumer information website. AutoTrader.com aggregates in a single location millions of new cars, used cars and certified pre-owned cars from thousands of auto dealers and private sellers and is a leading online resource for auto dealers, individuals and manufacturers to advertise and market their vehicles to in-market shoppers. The company also provides a robust suite of software tools for dealers and manufacturers to help them manage and market their vehicle inventory and display advertising on the Internet. AutoTrader.com continues to grow key business metrics, including revenue, profitability and site traffic. Today, AutoTrader.com attracts more than 15 million unique monthly visitors who utilize the site to review descriptions, photos and videos of vehicles for sale; research and compare vehicles; review pricing and specials; and read auto-related content like buying and selling tips and editorial coverage of major auto shows and automotive trends. AutoTrader.com operates two other auto marketing brands, AutoTraderClassics.com and AutoTraderLatino.com. AutoTrader.com also owns used vehicle management software company vAuto, Kelley Blue Book (Kbb.com), HomeNet Automotive, a leading provider of online inventory management and merchandising solutions for the automotive retail industry and VinSolutions, a leading provider of end-to-end solution platforms for dealers. AutoTrader.com is a majority-owned subsidiary of Cox Enterprises. Providence Equity Partners is a 25 percent owner of the company and Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers is also an investor. For more information, please visit www.autotrader.com.

SOURCE AutoTrader.com

For further information: Julie Shipp, +1-404-568-7914 (o), or +1-404-558-7837 (m), julie.shipp@autotrader.com