kbb products manual
DESCRIPTION
robust manual, of features, that take the automotive dealership step by step, through our products and servicesTRANSCRIPT
David Kantor 312-469-0076 [email protected]
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DELIVERS
DELIVERS
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Index:
Prolog Page 03
KBB Leads Programs Page 07
LeadDriver™ Page 09
KBB.com PreOwned Classifieds Page 10
CDM DealerServices™ Service Modules Page 19 PreOwned Inventory Page 20
New Inventory Page 23
KBB Addendum Programs Page 24
New Inventory Page 26 PreOwned Inventory Page 28
How-To-Create and Use Page 29
Market Pricing Tool Page 32
Inventory Posting Tools Page 35
eBay Page 36 Craigslist Page 41
Backpage.com® Page 61
Defining Button Colors Page 65
VideoLot™ Page 66
AutoOffice™ Page 72 Customer Testimonials Page 81
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PROLOGUE
Through the twelve months ending July 20, 2010, during the most severe economic
downturn since the great depression, over 83.7 million unique visitors1 made KBB.com a
part of their vehicle purchasing decision.
1 www.compete.com – July 2010.
Is Kelley Blue Book™ Relevant In Today‟s Economy?
With virtually no retail advertising 83.7 million unique visitors thought so, exceeding:
AutoTrader.com by 3.7 million unique visitors and
Cars.com by 42.2 million unique visitors
When was the last time a shopper countered your offer on their trade-in with anything other than a KBB? Proof positive that KBB delivered a potential buyer!
Want to achieve the five points of profit in a typical dealership transaction?
When you can sell a vehicle.
When you can “hold” on the trade
When you can put a client in the “box”
When you can sell accessories
And when, in a post-transactional environment, you can return the customer for service.
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It can’t be done without a customer into your store! Kelley turns shoppers into
buyers!
CDM Dealer Services and Kelley Blue Book:
We Are Much More Than Photographs, Window Stickers and Buyer’s Guides
The Brands of Kelley Blue Book, in Partnership with CDM Dealer Services, Provide These
Opportunities!
A Proven Ability To Deliver Shoppers: Every time a shopper “pulls out” a Kelley Blue Book report to prove that his or her trade is worth more than you have offered definitively proves that KBB drives customers into your showroom!
An Included Subscription to KBB Values as a part of AutoOffice™:
Provides an “inline” tool to help insure the competitiveness of your pricing in order to attract shoppers and to help you achieve targeted gross profit margin targets.
Kelley Blue Book Branded Products: In support of your marketing programs.
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Innovative KBB Products Like Our Used Car Addendums: An integrated tool within AutoOffice™ designed to help you build value in your inventory and
hold gross margin on your sales.
Access to the All New KBB Leads Program: An new subscription program that combines the proven sales generation power of LeadDriver™ with our
new lead generation portal, the Trusted Marketplace, a part of KBB.com
All With A Brand That Represents:
Trust,
Reliability,
Consistency,
Confidence,
Value,
And
Quality
To the Consumer
For better than 83 years, through 11 recessions and 1 great depression, KBB is
still the one brand that 2 out of every 3 shoppers consistently turn to as a part
of their vehicle buying decision!
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Does Having or Not Having the Kelley Blue Book Brand a Part of Your Digital Marketing
Program Make A Difference?
You Bet It Does!
Is the Kelley Blue Book brand relevant in
today’s economy?
You Bet It Is!
With 5.7 Million Unique Shoppers Validating the
Relevance of KBB.com in April 2010
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KBB Leads Programs
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Relevant, Yes; But, It‟s Still About Capturing a
Lead and Getting The Shopper To Your Dealership.
Most people in the car business look at KBB.com as a research site; but for
years, Cars.comTM
and then AutoTrader.com© paid Kelley Blue Book many,
many dollars to have shoppers access their inventory through the kbb.com
portal.
If the KBB experience only ended with research, why would anyone have
paid to list inventory on KBB.com?
Over the years, both AutoTrader.com® and Cars.com™ have!
Kelley Blue Book begins with research and transitions to selection!
Now, with LeadDriver™ and the all new “kbb.com Pre-owned Classified Package”
program, available exclusively through CDM Dealer Services you and your dealership will
have the opportunity to access unlimited, undiluted, high quality leads from kbb.com for a
fraction of the cost that others charge.
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Your best source of potential sales, has been and always will be from visitors to your
website; and Kelley Blue Book, through its LeadDriverTM
program, is the best tool with
which to secure website visitor contact information.
Embedded In your website visitors no longer need to leave your site to visit www.kbb.com
and we all know that a measure of success for a website is its‟ “stickiness” or ability to keep
shoppers on your site.
Relying on the shoppers need for a valuation on his or her trade, LeadDriverTM
captures
vital contact information and forwards undiluted leads to your dealership for follow-up.
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KPOC: Kbb.com Pre-Owned Classifieds Package
The All-New Leads and Listings Program on Kbb.com Only from CDMDealer Services.
Mining data from an unmatched pool of unique visitors to kbb.com, this all-new leads and
listings package is designed to help more in-market shoppers find your inventory and your
dealership with:
With Enhanced Features That Include:
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With Enhanced Features That Include:
1Videos require a Minimum of 4 Photos
And…
With the Increased Exposure of a Dealer Store Front Microsite on KBB.com
Placement
Dealership Name
“Newly Listed” Merchandising Icon
“Price Lowered” Merchandising Icon
Kelley Blue Book® Digital Window Sticker
Kelley Blue Book® Suggested Retail Value
Blue Seal Listing Icon
Video1
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With Enhanced Features That Include:
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And…
Vehicle “Value Enhancements” like the KBB Blue Seal™ listing
Dealership Banner Featured Inventory Used Inventory Tab About Us Hours of Operation Phone Number and e-Mail Address Dealership Website Link Store Address Get Directions Store Amenities
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As Well As the Ability to View Your KBB Digital Window Sticker
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Click To View Your Digital Window
Sticker
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Supported By Advanced Reporting Features in AutoOffice™ or Exported to your CRM or Cell Phone
e-Mail Leads Report Phone Leads Report
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Higher Prominent Placement:
o CDM customers appear higher in the initial search results.
Exclusive Direct Leads:
o “Cut-out” the middle man and connect directly with the consumer.
Enhanced Merchandising Features
o Stand out from the rest with unique and exclusive merchandising callouts.
Video Included on Your Listings
o Bring your listings to life and let the video do the selling for you.
Timely Updates To Keep Your Listings Current
o Inventory gets refreshed on kbb.com up to 5 times per day.
Increased Brand Exposure with a Dealer Storefront
o Maximize your online selling power with your very own Dealer Storefront on kbb.com.
1 C.A. Walker Research Solutions, Inc. Most Visited Automotive Website According to the 2009 Summer Automotive Website Usefulness Study
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How It Works:
Pricing as a reflection of probability is based on the size of your pre-owned inventory.
The larger the inventory, the higher the probability of generating a lead, and the more expensive the package.
Pre-Owned Packages:
Pricing will
be based upon the amount of inventory held by the dealer; so, if the dealer has 175 cars on the lot, that inventory will fall into Price Bracket Level 2.
One Inventory = One Storefront.
Expected Lead Time For Store Front Creation and “Ready-to-Receive” Lead Status is Seven (7) Working Days.
Total Vehicles Package Price Brackets
FROM TO
Zero Up to 99 Level 1
100 Up to 199 Level 2 200 Up to 299 Level 3 300 Up to 399 Level 4 400 Up to 499 Level 5 500 Up to 599 Level 6
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Service Modules
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CDM Lot Service Program
Pre-Owned Lot Service Module:
Enhanced Pre-Owned Package Includes:
Your Choice of Nine (9), Twelve (12), Fifteen (15) or More Photos
Customized Kelley Blue Book Brand Window Sticker with: o KBB Suggested Retail Price Capability and/or o Lot Price Capability
Pre-Owned DMS Polling with Automated “Adds and Deletes”
Pre-Owned DMS Polling with DMS Pricing Capability.
Rapid Retail: If a vehicle is updated between services, Rapid Retail posts one stock photo in lieu of “No Photo Available” notice.
Nightly Unlimited Exports to Dealership Website and to most third party Retail Websites (i.e. AutoTrader, Cars, vAuto, etc.)
Exports to an array of FREE Third Party Inventory Listing and Display sites.
Choices of CDM “Frame-In” Inventory Display Options including:
o Listing or Thumbnail Vehicle Views o Choice of Color Combinations o Spanish and English Compatibility o Carfax and/or AutoCheck Integration o Digital Window Sticker o KBB LeadDriver™ Integration o Available Video (Additional Charge)
o Digital Gas Mileage Display o Custom Photo-Stamping o Large vehicle photo display (Up To 1600 x 200) o Detailed Dealer Contact and Map Location Information o KBB Logo Integration with:
KBB Suggested Retail Pricing (If Desired)
Lot Pricing
Web Pricing
AutoOffice™ Web Based Inventory Management Tool with: o Automated GM Smart Auction Integration o Manheim OVE Integration o Self-Print Capabilities for
Window Sticker Reprinting
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Buyer‟s Guides Reprinting
Addendums
KBB Mirror Hang Tag Printing
o AutoRules™ Automated Pricing and Management Tool
With Ability To Display: Lot Price
Web Price
ACV
KBB Suggested Retail
And Market Pricing Tool
On a Single Dashboard
Vehicle Staging Is Included.
Custom Photo Stamp on Primary Photo is Included.
An Included Subscription To Kelley Blue Book Suggested Retail Pricing, Now Updated Every Week.
Value Building Used Car Addendums
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Includes the Added Value of Kelley Blue
Book Branded Window Stickers and KBB Suggested Retail Values.
62% of Online Shoppers Are More Likely to Buy From a Dealership That Displays Kelley Blue Book Values on Their
Window Stickers* *KBB 2008 ROI Survey
Available In A Variety of Styles
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New Vehicle Lot Service Module
Enhanced New Vehicle Package Includes:
o Up to 4 Photos [3 Exterior and 1 Interior]
o Automated DMS Polling with Rapid Retail.
o Nightly Unlimited Exports to Retail Websites.
Including your dealer website.
o DigitalLot™ New Car Retail Website. o Automated and Manual Decoding “down to” vehicle trim levels. o Vehicle Addendums o Responsive Customer Service Even on Saturday! o An Included Subscription To Kelley Blue Book Suggested Retail Pricing, Now Updated
Every Week.
Reasons To Consider Actual New Car Photos:
1. Research shows that 78% of “in-market” shoppers are more likely to respond
positively to actual photos of “on-line” inventories of new cars and light trucks than respond to stock photos of those same inventories.
2. A vehicle described as Charcoal Grey with a Black interior accompanied by a stock
photo showing a White vehicle with a Saddle interior creates confusion in the mind of
the shopper and can distract from the features and benefits of the vehicle.
3. Automated VIN Decoding of New Vehicles Like Automated VIN Decoding of Pre-
Owned Vehicles Is Limited to Model Codes. Manual Decoding is needed to properly
describe and build values based upon accurate data.
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KBB Addendum Program Enables You to Build Value In Your Inventory By Monetizing The Retail
Value of Enhancements like:
Safety Inspections
Reconditioning
One-Owner Vehicles
Certification
After-Market Equipment
Original Equipment Packages
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i
08 Fall
Build Gross Profit
AutoOfficeTM
allows you to print New and Used Car
Addendums that enable you to list, monetize and express
the retail value of enhancements that you add to both new
and used vehicles such as Certification and/or Reconditioning on Pre-Owned Vehicles; Tire and Wheel
Packages and Performance Packages such as Spoilers and
Air Dampers on New Vehicles in much the same way as
Manufacturers list the retail value of packages on the
Monroney Stickers on new inventory.
OEMs List and Monetize
Value Added Items Here
Add an Addendum to the right of the Window Sticker to List and
Express Monetized Retail Values in Pre-Owned Inventory Add-
Ons.
Add an Addendum to the right of the
Monroney Sticker to List and Express Monetized Retail
Values for New Vehicle Inventory Add-Ons
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New Car Addendums – A Lot Service Option
NEW VEHICLE ADDENDUMS
Brings the MSRP from the New Car Monroney as is posted in the DMS and Automatically Adds
the Feature Pricing to Display the New Selling Price.
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BASE PRICE [MSRP]
+
FEATURE PRICING
=
YOUR PRICE
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Pre-Owned Addendums – Easy To Create and
Simple To Print with AutoOfficeTM
How To Use:
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Step 1: Locate and Select Your Vehicle Stock Number in
AutoOfficeTM
Step 2: Monetize Your Value Added Options In the “After
Market” Tab.
Your Features – Your Prices
Step 3: Insert The Blank Addendum Sticker Into The
Printer and Print
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USED CAR ADDENDUM
Steps To Create Addendums
Brings The Vehicle Price Forward From AutoOffice™
But Does NOT
Add To The Selling Price.
Monetizes Features
But
DOES NOT
Bring Down A
Total
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1. Login to AutoOffice™ 2. Go To “Vehicle Management” in the Blue Top Navigation Bar. 3. Select “Vehicle Listing” from the Vehicle Management Drop Down. 4. Select the vehicle for which you want to create a Used Car Addendum Sticker. 5. Go To the “EDIT” dropdown for that vehicle.
6. Select “Edit Vehicle” 7. Go To the “AFTER MARKET” tab at the top of the page. 8. Select the “Available Feature” that you want to add to the addendum if it is listed.
9. Use the “RIGHT ARROW” button to move the “Available Feature” to the “Selected Feature” Box.
a. If the “Available Feature” is listed, but incorrectly priced:
i. Select the Feature ii. Select Add the Feature iii. Add the Correct Price [No Dollar Sign, Decimal Point Needed] iv. You will get the following Error Message:
“Feature Already Exists. Try To Enter Another Feature.”
v. Select “OK” vi. Select “DELETE FEATURE” vii. Re-price with correct price. viii. Select “ADD FEATURE”
b. If the “Available Feature” is NOT listed:
i. Type the Name of The Feature in the “Feature Box” ii. Add the Price in the Price Box to the right of the Feature Name [No Dollar
Sign, Decimal Point Needed] iii. Select “ADD FEATURE”
Steps To Print Addendums
1. Go To “Print” in the Blue Top Navigation Bar. 2. Select “Print” 3. Select “Window Stickers/Buyer‟s Guides” from the “Print” dropdown. 4. Select the Vehicle (s) for which you want to print the New or Used Car Addendum by placing
a Check Mark in the Check Box. 5. Click on the Preview Icon to the right of the check box to get to the Preview Screen. 6. In the Upper Left Hand Corner of the Preview Screen Select “New or Used Car Addendum”
from the “Window Sticker” dropdown. 7. In the “Buyer‟s Guide” dropdown located immediately below the “Window Sticker”
dropdown, choose “None Selected” 8. Click the “Refresh Preview” Button on the Right. 9. Preview the New or Used Car Addendum. 10. Print Using the “Printer Icon” on the Left
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Market Pricing Tool
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$
Add Our All New, Easy-To-Use Embedded Market Pricing Tool For Less Than $100.00 Per
Month
Step 1: Locate and Select Your Vehicle Stock Number in AutoOfficeTM
Step 2: Click the Green Dollar Button
Step 3: Set Your Search Parameters, Set Your Zip Code, View Exact and Similar
Matches, Evaluate and Adjust Your Pricing.
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Click Icon To View Actual
Specific Vehicle Ad
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Inventory Posting Tools
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Getting setup with eBay Here are things a dealer needs to get started on eBay as a seller: 1. Create an eBay UserID.
2. Once you have a confirmed buyers account, you need to upgrade your account to a sellers account. As a licensed dealership, you have two options to do this:
a. Add a credit card and banking account to your eBay account to verify your identity and set up an automatic payment method. Your eBay fees will be paid every month without any worry of missing a payment!
Read through the information on this page and click the „Become a Seller‟ link at the bottom of step 2 on that page. If you choose this method, please call eBay back once you have set up your account so they can make sure your account is properly marked as a dealership at 866-MOTORS4.
b. If you do not want to submit any financial information, eBay can verify your identity and open your seller‟s account with information from your state DMV issued Dealer License.
Just fill out and submit the online Seller Account Registration for Licensed Vehicle Dealers.
Once you have submitted this online form, you must fax a copy of your Dealers license to eBay at 866-596-8354. Please include the eBay user ID you have created.
Because eBay doesn‟t have any financial information on file, they will email an invoice to you every month and you will need to remember to make the payments!
You can mail in a company check, pay through Pay Pal, or pay online with a credit card.
You will then need to create your eBay Token. Your token is the way eBay communicates
with our software without you having to re-enter information every time.
When you click the “Generate Token” button you will be taken to an eBay login screen.
Then simply type in your user ID and
password.
This will take you to a screen that asks you to confirm your identity.
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If you are using the computer you always use eBay on, you will probably not be taken to this screen.
However, if you are not taken to this screen,
do not be alarmed, it just means you have already confirmed your identity with eBay.
Type in your information and eBay will call and verify your phone number
Type in the PIN number you were given by the automated message from eBay.
You will see this screen once your identity is confirmed.
If you have already confirmed your identity with eBay, you will be taken to this screen.
Press the blue “I agree” button. You are agreeing to our
software‟s privacy policy by continuing. After you click “I agree” you
will be taken back to our software and your token will be generated. You are now ready to begin posting vehicles on eBay.
Posting a Vehicle to eBay Posting to eBay is much like posting to Craigslist or Backpage, only there are auction settings.
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Putting a listing up on eBay is simple and can be done quickly.
First, you will want to select the vehicle you want to post.
Select the “Prepare Auction” button or select it from the drop down menu to the right of your screen.
Confirm all the vehicle details, auction title, condition, and the description. Then click: On the next page is where you set up the auction.
Select the type of auction and the duration.
Typically dealers will have their auctions up for a week or more.
Next, you will want to set a low starting
bid. You would want it to start low so potential buyers will bid.
You can set a Reserve or “Buy it Now”; but these fields are not required.
A reserve is recommended so you get the full amount you want for the vehicle. If there is no reserve, the winning bidder could potentially buy your car for the price they put in!
Clicking the “Save and Preview” button will take you to the template page.
Pick a template and review your ad.
If everything is to your liking, click the “Post to eBay” button.
eBay FAQ
Why should I go with eBay Motors?
There are a few reasons you should post with eBay Motors.
The first reason would be global exposure. Your customer base has never been bigger with
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eBay.
Second, they offer 4 free listings every 12 months.
Third, eBay bidders are in the market for a vehicle NOW and routinely buy within 30 days.
Can I update my listing after it is posted?
You can update your listing as long as there has not been a bid on it. You would have to end a listing that has been bid on in order to edit it.
Where can I find my leads?
Your leads are located under the “Leads” tab under “eBay active.”
This will show your most recent bidders and any persons requesting more information.
What are the eBay Motors fees?
You pay an Insertion Fee to list a vehicle on eBay Motors.
The first four listings are free to list.(subject to change)
The listing fee is $20 (subject to change) after the first four listings in a 12-month period.
The Successful Listing Fee is charged when you receive your first bid on a listing without a reserve price or when your reserve price is met.
There's no additional fee charged after the vehicle sells.(subject to change)
You won't be charged a Successful Listing Fee (subject to change) if:
There's no bid on your item.
No bids meet the reserve price on your reserve price listing.
Otherwise, you'll be charged a Successful Listing Fee, whether or not you carry out the sale with the buyer.
Successful Listing Fees (subject to change) on the First Four Listings in a 12-month period:
$125.00
Fees Starting with the Fifth Listing (subject to change) in a 12-month period: $100.00
Why can‟t I find my vehicle by searching?
If you just posted a vehicle to eBay and you are not finding it when you search with the appropriate keywords. Your listing will be posted on eBay and can be viewed in My eBay, it may not be immediately searchable by the keyword or category for several hours.
Where your listing appears in search results may be based on certain factors including listing format, end time, keywords, price and shipping cost, feedback, and detailed seller ratings. Notes: Although your listing will generally be searchable within 24 hours, for Trust and Safety reasons, there may be times when this takes longer.
If you still can‟t find your listing through keyword or category searches, check your listing title for any
special characters added next to important words (e.g., *, !, /, @).
The search tool may overlook words that contain these characters.
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How do I end an active eBay auction?
If there are more than 12 hours before the end of the listing, you can end your listing early.
If there are any bids on your item, you can end the listing or you can sell the item to the high bidder.
If there are 12 hours or less before the end of the listing and there are bids on your item, you can‟t end the listing early. However, you may cancel bids or sell the item to the high bidder.
Note: Canceling bids or making changes to a listing with bids when there are 12 hours or less remaining can damage the buyer experience and can undermine trust.
To end the listing early:
1. Find your active listing in either the EBAY ACTIVE queue or ON THE LOT
2. Select the reason you're ending your listing early and choose "End Auction."
3. Your listing will end and will no longer be active on eBay.
Bidders who did not win the listing receive an email that their bid was canceled and that the listing ended early.
eBay Settings: After you have set your eBay Token you can change your eBay default settings.
Typically, an eBay auction will go for 7 days or more.
Most of the preset settings will work for your dealership.
You may want to change the default deposit information according to your dealership.
Also, the “Days to Full Payment” varies with dealers.
Some request full payment within 3 days of winning the auction and then some give customers a week. It all
just depends on your dealership.
When you are finished with the settings, hit the “Save” button.
Getting Started with Craigslist Craigslist is a powerful online advertising tool if used correctly. With Craigslist, you can increase your dealership‟s exposure within your market, which then leads to increased clientele. Sometimes, though, a dealer will get overzealous and post too many ads at a time in too short of time.
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This is abusing the Craigslist system and can eventually get them flagged as spam.
Keep in mind that posting to Craigslist is about the quality of the ads, not quantity. In most Craigslist markets your ads will stay up for 30 days and that gives potential customers plenty of time to find your vehicle.
In some diluted Craigslist markets ads only last 7 days.
The first thing you will need to do when getting started with Craigslist is to create an account. All you need for an account is a valid e-mail address and phone number.
Go to the Craigslist site in your city and click “My account” at the top left. This will take you to a login screen. The next thing you will have to do is phone verify your account. In order for you to post to
the dealer section, Craigslist requires you to prove you are a real person. They will either text your phone or call with an automated message. You will then type in the verification code and your account will be verified. You can only verify one account per phone. You are now ready to begin posting to Craigslist.
Step 1:Select Inventory Posting Tool from the dropdown under “Marketing Channels”
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Step 2: Select Settings From The Top “Blue” Navigation Bar
Step 3: Go To “My Account” and Fill Out or Insure That The Account Information Is
Correct.
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Step 4: Select “Template”, Under “Settings”, From The Top Blue Navigation Bar:
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Step 4A: Confirm or Create Craigslist Banner:
Step 5: Select “Craigslist”, Under “Settings”, From The Top Blue Navigation Bar
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Step 6: Insure Template Defaults Are Selected As You Desire Or Change and Save
Step 7: Select “Inventory From The Top “Blue” Navigation Bar
Step 8: Select And Click On The “cl” Button From Your Inventory List For The Vehicle Your Wish To Post To Craigslist.
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Step 9: Wait For All Vehicle Pictures To Download:
Step 10: Remember To Log Into Your Craigslist Account
(Use “Login” Button On Light Blue Reminder Bar)
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Step 11: By Selecting “Listing Details” From The Step 1 of 3 Bar, You Can Review and Change All Of Your Posting Details
Step 11A: By Scrolling Down This Page, You Can Add Comments To Your Craigslist
Posting and Select The Sales Person For This Specific Posting.
When You‟re Finished Click On the Save And Continue Button Which Brings You To The
Listing Details Screen
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Step 12: You Can Manage Or Add Photos By Selecting The “Manage Photos” Option On
The Step 1 of 3 Vehicle Details Bar At The Top Of The Page, Or By Selecting The
“Manage Photos” Option At The Bottom Of The Page.
Step 12A: You Can Add Pictures Here By Uploading Additional Photos:
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Step 12B: You Can Manage Your Photos By “Clicking” On The Primary Photo (Previous
Screen Shot) To Bring Up This Screen:
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Step 13: Clicking On The Save And Continue Button Brings You To Step 2 of 3 In The
Craigslist Posting Process: The Review and Change Page
Step 14: Your Current Price As Posted In AutoOfficeTM
Shows Here On This Screen; But Must Be Re-Entered Manually As Most Craigslist Postings Use Special Pricing.
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Step 14A: You Can Also Change The Layout Of Your Craigslist Posting By Clicking On The “Change Layout” Button
Step 14B: Step 2 of 3 Reviews Your Posted Ad
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Your Photo Array
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Your Features, Contact Information And Post To Craigslist Option:
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Step 15: Screen 3 of 3 Apply or Login To Craigslist and Final Posting To Screen
Step 16: “cl” Button Changes Color To Indicate Status:
White= Available To Be Posted
Yellow= In The Process of Being Posted
Green= Posted On Craigslist
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Step 17: Finally, By Clicking On The “Leads” Button On The Top Navigation Bar You Can
Review All Of Your Lead Activity, Your Craigslist Active Vehicles and You Can Export Your
Leads To Your CRM OR TO Specific Email Addresses:
Step 18: The Dashboard Option Gives You Updated Information on Your Posted Vehicles.
Go To www.craigslist.org, Open Your Account and Start Selling Cars!
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Craigslist Errors
Craigslist: Similar Posting Already Submitted
When listing different cars to Craigslist, if by chance you are listing a vehicle similar to one you have
already posted, you might get the following error after typing in the Captcha code.
If you do see this message, close this Craigslist page and get back to the software. When you see “Was this ad posted successfully?” Click No.
After clicking No, you will need to modify the layout. Make sure you click Randomize to change the title as well as change the Layout to something different than what you previously posted with.
If you still get the same error above, I will suggest changing the Layout to Plain.
The two things that Craigslist associates with double posting are the title and the banner filename.
Another step you can try is download a free program called CCleaner that will erase all temporary internet files as well as cookies and cache that can potentially prevent you from listing a vehicle.
CCleaner – a FREE system optimization and cleaning tool http://www.filehippo.com/download_ccleaner/ - click on the top right link to get the latest version.
Craigslist: URL not populating in the software
If you visit your Craigslist active section in the software and you do not see a URL link populate after a few hours or more, there are two different scenarios why this could be happening:
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The first reason is not being logged into Craigslist prior to posting.
The second reason is your listings are being ghosted. Ghosting is a clever way Craigslist has designed
to avoid spamming of the site.
Each computer has a unique IP address. If a vehicle is posted by the same IP in different cities and Craigslist sees the same IP being used in multiple cities, the vehicle may be ghosted. If you use the
same email or account to post in multiple cities, the vehicle may be ghosted.
The Title and Content are the essence of the listing. Craigslist has the ability to automatically cross match the contents to make sure every listing is unique. If they find out something wrong with the listing, either it will generate a Posted Already code or it will be ghosted. Also, if a vehicle is posted more than once per 48 hours, Craigslist may Ghost your vehicle.
If your postings are being ghosted, follow the steps under “Craigslist: Similar Posting Already Submitted” (Page 51) to try and fix the issue. Also, having more than one Craigslist account and
posting from different computers could solve the problem.
Craigslist: Flagging
What many dealers do not realize is that Craigslist is community run.
This means that users like you and I can flag any listing for any reason.
There are four reasons a listing could be flagged on Craigslist, only two of which a dealer would really have to worry about.
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1. Mis-categorized – Meaning that the listing was posted in the wrong section of Craigslist. 2. Spam/Over-posting – This is the main issue. Over-posting is the main cause of listings getting flagged. This happens when a dealer tries to post large quantities of their inventory on Craigslist in too short of time.
If you‟re posting 10 cars at a time, then you‟re probably getting flagged. Craigslist users will see all 10 cars on the main page and flag them almost immediately as spam.
A good way to avoid this issue is to post in waves. When you come into work in the morning, post maybe 5-7 cars, then around lunchtime post 5 more. When you are getting ready to leave from work post another couple cars so they will always be at the top of the page without overloading the system.
Another trick is to switch up the layouts you are using. We suggest you switch layouts every two or three cars. Using the same layout for every listing could potentially get you flagged. This raises a red
flag because repetitive listings are seen as spam. If you are trying to post to multiple cities, then you will need to follow all the tips above, and clear
your cookies. Craigslist places a cookie on your computer so they can tell what/where you‟re posting. Also, wait a couple days in between markets before going back to them. Use the CCleaner program to clear your cookies before you post. In some markets, such as bigger cities like Los Angeles, the rules are strict. If your market is busy then I would suggest using mostly the plain layout. The plain layout is just like the generic Craigslist posting except with more information and pictures. In busy markets anything that looks computer
generated will most likely get flagged. Having more than one Craigslist account and posting from different computers could also help prevent you from getting flagged.
Settings:
There are a couple important settings for Craigslist.
First, would be your main Craigslist site.
Choose the city your dealership is in, or the one closest to it. Your city may not have a metro area, but just in case it does choose the one closest.
This way you can have customers who are close to you.
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You want to display the hit counter or else you will not know how many people viewed you ad.
By displaying the contact dealer button you are giving your potential customers another way to contact you.
If you choose “No” for this setting, your e-mail address will appear anonymous in the Craigslist
posting.
You also want to link back to your website so potential customers can look at the rest of your inventory.
Backpage.com® is the up and coming competitor for Craigslist. With the numbers of visitors
now up in the millions per month. Backpage.com® is also a great place to post your vehicles.
Backpage.com® is similar to Craigslist in many ways, including how you post.
The first thing you will need to do is create an account.
You can do this by going to the Backpage® site in your city and scrolling all the way down to the bottom of the page.
By clicking on the “Account Login” link, you will be taken to the login screen.
There will be a blue link that says, “Sign up for an account.”
Click the link and put in all the necessary information. You will need to verify your e-mail address in order for your account to be created. Once this is done, you will have an account.
The next thing you will have to do is phone verify your account.
In order for you to post to the dealer section, Backpage® requires you to prove you are a real person.
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They will either text your phone or call with an automated message. You will then type in the verification code and your account will be verified. You can only verify one Backpage® account per phone.
You are now ready to begin posting to Backpage®.
Posting to Backpage.com®
Posting to Backpage® is very similar to posting to Craigslist.
You MUST be logged in to your account in order for the ad to post correctly!
You would begin with either clicking the BP button or using
the drop down and selecting “Post to Backpage®”
This will take you to Step 1 of 3 Steps:
In Step 1 you can change any information that pertains to the vehicle. You can also change the description and the condition of the vehicle. Once you are satisfied with
any changes you‟ve made, hit the “Save and Continue” button. Next to
the “Save and Continue” button there is a drop down where you can change the salesperson. The name that appears as the selection in the drop down will appear on the ad.
You are now at Step 2 of 3 Steps:
Step 2 is where you can make layout and title changes.
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You want to use the “Randomize” button to change up the title of your listing. Also, switch the layout every couple of cars.
Click the “Send to Backpage” button
down at the bottom when you are ready to post.
Backpage® will either open up into a new window or a new tab. When the page is finished loading, scroll down to the bottom and hit continue.
Type in the CAPTCHA and preview your ad. Click the “Place Ad Now” button
You will come to a screen that tells you that the ad was posted successfully.
You are now at Step 3 of 3 Steps:
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If you see this screen, then you did NOT post your ad properly.
Login to your account and try again.
Settings:
Backpage.com® settings are similar to Craigslist settings.
First, choose the Backpage.com® city either in your city or the closest city to you.
If you have a Backpage.com® account then you will want to put the e-mail address associated with it in the slot.
If you do not put your e-mail address here, then you‟re going to have to type it in once you get to Backpage.com®
You want to display the hit counter so you know how many people are
looking at your ads.
You should display the contact dealer button so you can receive e-mail leads from your postings.
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Button Colors:
There are three colors of buttons that tell you what is happening with your postings.
Gray: The gray button means the vehicle is new and has never been posted to any site.
You can click on it to post to that portal.
Green: The green button means the posting was successful.
You can click this button to go to the latest posting of your vehicle. However, if the button is green and you cannot click it, it means you weren‟t logged into your account on Craigslist or Backpage.com® while you were posting.
Yellow: The yellow button can mean a few things as well.
First, your listing was flagged. o If your listing was flagged, repost.
Second, your listing was deleted. o This happens after your listing is flagged.
Third, your listing was “In Process” meaning that the listing never actually made it to Craigslist
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or Backpage.com®.
o If you are using the Ebay feature, the yellow can mean you need to repost your listing or that the vehicle is sold and has not yet been paid for.
VideoLotTM
With I.T.V.P*
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*Instant Triggered Video Production
Videos Drive Sales:
Larry Pryg, the National Marketing Manager for GM‟s Certified-Used Auto Business
recognized that dealer websites that have video are two-times more likely to generate phone
calls or emails from prospective shoppers than websites without videos.
VideoLot™ Delivers Video “Walk-Arounds” in Real Time:
Some providers take 48 hours or more to generate video; others take 24 hours or more;
CDM Dealer Services™ creates videos that are ready to play on your website in seconds with:
1. Opening and Closing Video “Wrappers” that allow dealers to reinforce branding and marketing messages that can be customized on a per vehicle basis as needed.
2. Vehicle Specific “Smart” Content that allow you to communicate the most marketable features of each unit of your inventory.
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3. Human Voice Narration using a fully automated completely configurable script
generation system to provides shoppers with a natural sounding narration and an educational overview for the vehicle they have interest in.
4. Smart Overlays that provide the ability to map standard or custom overlays to a
configurable voice track.
5. Integrated 3rd Party Content designed to provide shoppers with relevant and
informative content such as vehicle history reports; dealer warranty information and OEM Certification Specifications.
6. Configurable Menus allow shopper the option to select only the features they choose such as; but not limited to: Vehicle Thumbnails; Carfax Reports;
Dealership Location Maps; GM Certified Reports; Contact Dealership Email
Links; Send To A Friend Form; and other custom options.
7. Reporting Capabilities that track every user click on every video, to include the number of plays, exact playtime, image views, etc.
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8. “Triggered” Instant Production: VideoLot™ was been create with a series of
thresholds called “triggers”, so that changes to things like price or vehicle features
set into motion an immediate re-generation of your video in order to insure that
only the most current information available for that specific vehicle is communicated to the shopper.
“Triggering” can be used to insure accuracy of data; but it can also be used proactively to give you the ability to use our videos in a limited duration scenario
such as “President‟s Day Sale.
Simply select an appropriate Opening and Closing Wrapper from our library, change the pricing on the vehicle for the sale period; “trigger” the video re-
generation and produce a video that is “sale” ready and reflective. At the end of the
sale, simply restore the original price and a new video will be created.
Featured Benefits
Video Feature VideoLot™ Benefit
Automated Video Generation Automated video generation means we can
generate or update 1000’s of videos in seconds.
Video Opening and Closing
Wrappers
Allows dealers or web portals to include customized
branding on every video.
Vehicle Specific Content
Automatically generated Vehicle Scripts highlight the
most marketable attributes of a vehicle based on
vehicle facts from our VIN decoder.
Human Voice
Real Human Voiceovers make for a better all-round
video experience. Including vehicle specific details
spoken in multiple voices, and many speech scripts to
select from to add variety.
Computerized Speech
Synthesis
Synthesized Voiceovers allow us to generate scripts
dynamically, and even accept custom scripts.
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Packages
Smart Overlays
The only video solution where overlays provide
additional vehicle information while that vehicle attribute
is being discussed.
3rd
Party Content
Adds 3rd party graphic details and voiceovers to better
describe the unique features of the vehicle and to
enhance the video experience.
Configurable Player Menu Customize the video player menu to include only the
options that make sense for a particular website.
Real-time Video Rendering
The only video system that can render videos in real-
time, which allows us to produce and update videos as
vehicle information changes. No 24-hour delay or
rendering backlog like other video systems.
Distribution
Videos are completely self-contained, fully- portable
vehicle units, that can be distributed anywhere and
shared on social networking sites like Facebook,
MySpace and Twitter.
Video Splash Screen
Loads immediately into the video player, avoiding any
delay while the video is loading. Allows website to
display custom information and or image.
Reporting
Advanced reporting on every video click allows dealers
to analyze viewer trends and adjust marketing
campaigns accordingly.
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Basic:
o Unlimited Vehicle Videos per Month. o Includes Text To Speech.
o Includes Export to Website.
o ADF E-Mail Address for CRM
o No Wrapper
Advanced
o Unlimited Vehicle Videos per Month.
o Includes Human Voice Over Speech. o Includes Carfax Banner If Desired
o Includes Exports to AutoTrader, Cars.com and others setup to accept Video
feeds.
o ADF E-Mail Address for CRM o Standard Wrapper Unless Upgraded
Premium
o Unlimited Vehicle Videos per Month.
o Includes Human Voice Over Speech.
o Includes Carfax Banner If Desired
o Includes Exports to AutoTrader, Cars.com and others setup to accept Video feeds.
o ADF E-Mail Address for CRM
o Standard Wrapper
o Adds “Push-Tube” technology for automated display on You Tube.
All-In “Enhanced with VSEO”
o Unlimited Vehicle Videos per Month. o Includes Human Voice Speech.
o Includes Carfax Banner If Desired
o Includes Exports to AutoTrader, Cars.com and others setup to accept Video
feeds. o ADF E-Mail Address for CRM
o Standard Wrapper Unless Upgraded
o “Push-Tube” technology for automated display on You Tube.
o Adds video website optimization as a part of the package.
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YouTube Distribution: Our YouTube distribution process is completely automated, but does require some basic setup steps. Before distributing videos to YouTube, our video
support team creates a YouTube channel for your dealership if you do not already have a
channel. The YouTube channel includes information about your dealership including:
1. Title
2. Description
3. Channel Tags (for VSEO)
Once the channel has been created, a subset of each dealer‟s vehicle inventory is automatically determined and uploaded to the YouTube channel. The selection is
usually based on the unique vehicle Year, Make, Model and Color. This ensures a good
distribution of uploaded inventory on a daily basis. Each video that is uploaded includes
searchable information about the dealership and the vehicle, including:
1. Website URL
2. Contact Number
3. Vehicle Year, Make, Model, Engine, Transmission, Color and Miles.
4. Address
5. Search Tags (for VSEO: including the cities the dealer trades into.)
YouTube Playback: Shortly after your videos have been posted to YouTube, Google will
index the videos and the accompanying keywords/ tags will ultimately determine the
videos ranking in Google‟s Search results.
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- AutoOffice™
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CDM‟s Robust, Easy-To-Use, Web Based, Inventory Management System.
Incorporates a New Decision Friendly Dashboard
Enables Viewing of All Aspects of the Vehicle On A Single Dashboard
From
•Picture Status •Days In Inventory •Picture Count •Mileage
•Edit Options •Asking Price
•Stock Number •Web Price
•Vehicle Type: New, Used, Certified etc. •Book-In Price (ACV)
•Year •KBB Suggested Retail Price •Description •KBB Edition (Updated Weekly)
•Body Type •Market Pricing Tool Icon
•Transmission •Damage Disclosure Icon
•Color
Single Screen, In-Line Price Evaluation, Editing and Updating
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Call To Action Buttons At The Bottom of Each Screen
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Includes:
Online Vehicle Booking-In
Accurate and Automated Vin Decoding
A General Information Tab That Enables:
o Interior and Exterior Color Identification and…
o Mileage Recording
o Stock Number Designation and
o Window Sticker and Buyer‟s Guide Selection
o Inventory Status Selection
o Certification Status
and……
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o A One-Thousand Character Comment Tablet With Comment Builder with A
Comment Library, and Awards Section. Helps Build Vehicle Value and…
o A Five Hundred-Character Global Comment Tablet
A Pricing and Options Tab:
o With “Select/Deselect” Options as they apply to the decoded vehicle,
o With default Options and Kelley Blue Book Suggested Values Including: i. Wholesale Lending ii. Retail
o Pricing Fields for: i. Book-In Price ii. Cost Price iii. Asking Price and iv. Web Price
A Standard Features Tab That:
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Allows Manual “Select/Deselect” Options for:
i. Safety
ii. Interior
iii. Exterior
iv. Mechanical and
v. Mileage Specifications for the Decoded Vehicle with Engine and
Transmission Specific Differentiations.
An Aftermarket Tab That:
Allows You To Indentify, Add and Monetize Vehicle Specific Available Features
and Aftermarket Values such as:
i. A reconditioning retail value
ii. A certification retail value
iii. A value for after-market running boards
iv. Popular Equipment Packages, etc.
Values Are Added In This Screen That Can Be Printed On Either The New Car
Addendum or the Used Car Addendum.
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A Confirmation Tab That:
o Allows You To View a Summary of the Vehicle Information that you added.
o Make necessary Corrections to the Vehicle Information o Save the Vehicle and…
A Photos Tab That:
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o Allows You To Add Additional Photos with Bulk Upload Capability o “Drag and Drop” Photo Sequence Change Capability
Additional Features Included as a part of the AutoOffice™ package:
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Separate AutoOffice™ Accounts To Manage New and/or Used Inventories
DMS Polling with Automatic “Adds” and “Deletes” to Inventory
Rapid Retail – Posts Stock Photo Until Replaced by Actual Photos.
Unlimited Exports.
A FREE Export and Listing on the New KBB.com Trusted Market Place™
Exports To All Approved FREE Export Websites
Access to KBB.com Merchandising
o Newly Listed
o Price Reduced o KBB Values
Access to Kelley Blue Book Values (Retail and Wholesale)
On-The-Lot Merchandising with the Ability To Print:
o Standard Kelley Blue Book Branded Window Stickers1
o Compliant and Appropriate Buyer‟s Guides1
o Kelley Blue Book Hang Tags1
o Vehicle Addendums1
1=Forms Must Be Purchased Separately from CDMDealer Services
DigitalLot™ Website “Frame-In” (Retail Inventory Gallery)
Custom Photo Stamp on Primary Photo
Wholesale Auction Posting to GMAC and Manheim
CPO Program and Integration
Comment Builder for Vehicle Descriptions
Full Kelley Blue Book Marketing Package with
o Kelley Blue Book Retail and Wholesale Values
o Kelley Blue Book Value Update Tool
o Kelley Blue Book Evaluation Reports
Available Embedded AutoOffice™ Market Pricing Tool
Available Embedded AutoOffice™ eBay, Craigslist and Backpage.com® Upload Tools
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Customer
Testimonials
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Teams With
As
National Car Sales Is Named Used Car Dealer of the Year by DealerRater.com for 2009.
National Car Sales, named DealerRater.com's Used Car Dealer of the Year for 2009, has recognized the company for its support in receiving this award through CDMdata products and services. CDMdata provides National Car Sales with its DigitalLot(R) Solution, allowing dealerships to more effectively manage and market its pre-owned car inventories, and hosts National Car Sales' Web site inventory display with its DigitalLot Web product. In addition, National Car Sales integrated trusted Kelley Blue Book (R) Suggested Retail and Trade-In Values to its Web site to instill consumer confidence when purchasing a vehicle.
"We know how imperative it is to provide extensive information to customers researching inventories online. Considering the volume of monthly retail sales, we searched for vendor partners that provide products and services with the level of quality and automation that allow us to control our own destiny and success," said David Pilcher, executive vice president of National Car Sales. "CDMdata has been at the core of this strategy for more than seven years. Their technology and support has enabled us to achieve success and provide award winning customer service."
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Kelley Blue Book Values?
See what Anna Zornosa, general manager of Dealix told Ralph Kisiel in
February 23, 2009
“Usedcars.com offers data
from Kelley”
Usedcars.com now has data from Kelley Blue Book, allowing used-car shoppers to compare vehicle prices listed by dealerships with the Kelley Blue Book suggested retail values.
“Providing Kelley Blue Book’s values to Usedcars.com visitors ultimately helps consumers feel confident they are paying a fair price,” says Damon Bennett, director of business development for Kelley Blue
Book……………………
…….About half of the used-car dealers using this Web site price their used vehicles below the Kelley Blue Book price, says Anna Zornosa, general manager of Dealix. “In other words, half the inventory is priced below KBB, so this is a feature that really helps us merchandize,” she says.
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All Use Kelley Blue Book Values; LeadDriver™ Keeps Them On Your Site The Trusted Marketplace Displays Your Inventory To Potentials Buyers!
Finally, it is all about sales and “moving metal”. Since 1926, Kelley Blue Book, The Trusted
Resource®, has provided vehicle buyers and sellers with the new and used vehicle
information they need to accomplish their goals with confidence.
According to the C.A. Walker Research Solutions, Inc. - 2008 Spring Automotive Web Site
Usefulness Study, kbb.com is the most useful automotive information Web site among new
and used vehicle shoppers.
And no other medium reaches more in-market vehicle shoppers than kbb.com.
So in reality, what makes CDM Dealer Services™ a good buying decision is our connection
to Kelley Blue Book and the symbiotic relationship that allows us to integrate Kelley Blue Book products into any of our programs.
But selling is as much about psychology as it is about product. Factors like validation and trust
play a far larger role in the buying decision than people recognize, and no resource in the
industry represents more validation and greater trust than does the Kelley Blue Book brand.
Together CDM Dealer Services™ and Kelley Blue Book provide a winning combination that
will save you money and help you both survive the bad times and prosper in the good times
that are surely to come.
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We value your business and we are here to help. To learn more about our other programs;
our current promotions and our new lower pricing just give me a call or send me an email;
but always remember that you can buy the program as a whole or you can “pick and select”
from the modules, so let‟s see what we can do for you and your dealership!
I thank you for your consideration.
David Kantor Business Development Consultant Midwest Region Direct: 480-305-6735 Cell:312-469-0076 Fax:949-267-4906 [email protected]
KBB New Products and Programs.docx
Updated August 14, 2010