Cars.com Takes One-stop Vehicle Shopping to a New Level
01/23 3:49P (BW)
Story 0042
ORLANDO, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 23, 2000--
Using Chrome Data Corporation's Web Carbook(TM), cars.com Allows
Consumers to Research New Vehicles Online Before Purchasing
Cars.com, a leading automotive online shopping service, today announced the
adoption of Chrome Data Corporation's Web Carbook, an online configuration tool
for new vehicles designed to send high quality leads to dealers and allow
consumers to more accurately specify their car choice and the options they want.
Chrome Data Corporation is the only independent provider of automotive data and
software for researching and ordering cars online.
Chrome's Web Carbook allows cars.com to provide Web site visitors with optional
equipment, vehicle pictures and MSRP pricing with to-the-penny accuracy.
"Purchasing a vehicle can be a time consuming and overwhelming event in a
consumer's life. Cars.com simplifies the car shopping process for consumers,"
said Mitch Golub, general manager, cars.com. "By adopting the services of Chrome
Data's Web Carbook we are creating a leading comprehensive automotive information
site which will point more shoppers to our car dealers.
Web Carbook allows dealers to refine the leads they receive through the cars.com
site and reply with the closest matching vehicle and a best price offer. Cars.com
is a comprehensive car information Web site, providing users access to local and
national inventories of new and used vehicles, as well as automotive reviews,
model reports, advice, a dealer locator and financing information.
Cars.com is strengthened by more than 130 local newspaper affiliates, and the
relationships these affiliates share with car dealers and buyers. Cars.com has
established a national online network empowering consumers, affiliates and
dealers to make smart business and consumer choices.
Chrome is the only independent data source. "Our independence brings both
accuracy and credibility to cars.com and its process," said Jim Adkisson,
president of Chrome Data. "By adopting the same data standard used throughout the
industry by dealers and other professionals, cars.com will join many others
looking to make automotive e-commerce more efficient for consumers."
About cars.com
Cars.com simplifies local new and used car shopping on the Internet. With
inventory in 26 of the top 30 U.S. markets, cars.com is the only automotive Web
site to provide daily updates of dealer inventories. Cars.com allows consumers to
search vehicle listings by zip code, vehicle make, model and year and easily
submit a quote request to a car dealer by e-mail, fax or telephone. In addition
to vehicle pricing, cars.com provides consumers with trusted automotive
information, including rich editorial content pertaining to real-life issues such
as how to purchase a vehicle and tips for parents of young drivers. The site also
provides consumers with tools such as an auto loan calculator, news and reports
on new and used vehicles, more than 3,500 independent vehicle reviews (from 1983
to the present), vehicle performance data and vehicle recall information.
Cars.com is a division of Classified Ventures, which is based in Chicago.
About Classified Ventures
Classified Ventures provides nationally branded online services for the
developing e-commerce opportunities in the classified advertising marketplace
that build upon the local capabilities and expertise of a national affiliate
network of more than 130 newspapers. The company currently operates the national
Web sites Apartments.com(TM), www.apartments.com, auctions.com(TM),
www.auctions.com, cars.com(TM), www.cars.com, MovingCenter(TM),
www.movingcenter.com and NewHomeNetwork.com(TM), www.newhomenetwork.com.
Classified Ventures also operates HomeHunter(TM), a local resale real estate
service.
Classified Ventures, Inc., based in Chicago, was formed by eight leading media
companies - Central Newspapers, Inc., Gannett Co., Inc., Knight Ridder, The
McClatchy Company, The New York Times Company, The Times Mirror Company, Tribune
Company and The Washington Post Company.
About Chrome Data Corporation
Chrome Data Corporation pioneered the technology behind electronic vehicle
configuration and for the past 14 years has collected, analyzed, and enhanced
"raw" automotive data from all manufacturers. Chrome's flagship product, a
desktop research, pricing and ordering tool called PC Carbook(R), is widely
accepted as the standard in automotive data. Chrome's vehicle and pricing
information precisely matches manufacturers' data, enabling users to configure
and order any vehicle sold in the U.S. with the confidence that the delivered
product and price are exactly what was expected. The company is based in
Portland, Oregon, and may be reached at 1-800-936-8906.
Copyright (c) 2000 Chrome Data Corporation. All rights reserved. PC Carbook(R),
C/D3(R), Web Carbook(TM), and Chrome.com(TM) are trademarks of Chrome Data
Corporation.
CONTACT: cars.com
Mike DeVilling, 312/575-2700
mike@cars.com
or
Chrome Data
Dave Thompson, 800/936-8906
dthompson@chrome.com
or
Text 100
Jason Niosi, 415/836-5990 ext. 243
jasonn@text100.com
15:43 EST JANUARY 23, 2000 |
