Study Highlights Changing Landscape in Auto Buyer Research and Shopping

ATLANTA (Business Wire EON/PRWEB ) October 31, 2007 -- AutoTrader.com (www.autotrader.com), the ultimate automotive marketplace, was once again rated as the most useful automotive site among used-car buyers who visited the site in the J.D. Power and Associates 2007 Used Autoshopper.com study, released October 25. This marks the fourth consecutive year AutoTrader.com has attained this rating.

Noted in study after study and reflected in AutoTrader.com's growth, car shoppers are increasingly turning to the Internet to research and select cars they want to test-drive and buy

Among automotive sales and information sites, AutoTrader.com was the second most-visited independent site, with 35% of survey respondents saying they visited the AutoTrader.com web site while searching for a car.

In addition to highlighting AutoTrader.com’s performance in the online automobile sales space, the study finds that Internet vehicle locators like AutoTrader.com and others are fast becoming the tool of choice for researching car purchases and leading consumers to the actual vehicles they buy. According to the study, in 2007, nearly one in four buyers of late-model used vehicles (23%) used an Internet vehicle locator or online classified advertising site to find the vehicle they purchased, a 44% increase since 2006.

“Noted in study after study and reflected in AutoTrader.com’s growth, car shoppers are increasingly turning to the Internet to research and select cars they want to test-drive and buy,” said AutoTrader.com president and CEO Chip Perry. “Whether it's used or new cars, consumers visit the dealership to close the deal—almost no one actually buys a car without seeing and test driving it first—and, mass market branding is crucial to getting the word out about an overall brand. But when it comes to researching features, comparing models, getting price information and other shopping functions, the Internet is unquestionably becoming the most important tool for used and new car shoppers.”

The 2007 J.D. Power and Associates Used Autoshopper.com Study is based on responses from 5,476 used-vehicle buyers who purchased pre-owned 2002-2007 model year vehicles in January and February 2007.

About AutoTrader.com

AutoTrader.com, created in 1997 and headquartered in Atlanta, Ga., is the Internet's leading auto classifieds marketplace and consumer information website. AutoTrader.com aggregates in a single location more than 3 million vehicle listings from 40,000 dealers and 250,000 private owners, which provide the largest selection of vehicles attracting more than 13 million qualified buyers each month. Through innovative merchandising products such as multiple photos and comprehensive search functionality, AutoTrader.com unites buyer and seller online - dramatically improving the way people research, locate and advertise vehicles.

AutoTrader.com is a majority-owned subsidiary of Cox Enterprises. The venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers is also an investor. For more information, please visit www.autotrader.com.

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