Online Inventory Marketing Tool

For dealers, online inventory marketing is a key component of their digital marketing strategy, and there are several providers that help facilitate the push and pull of inventory information across the Internet. This year, dealers rated four providers high enough to be recognized.

For a third straight year, Auction123 is an award winner. The company scored 109.3 points this year, claiming the Diamond Award. It won the Gold Award and Platinum Award in 2010 and 2009, respectively. “Receiving the top honor only confirms that our efforts have been appreciated. Our commitment has always been to consult, educate, and train our dealers on the best practices and strategies that will effectively improve their online sales,” said Ray Basha, CEO of Auction123.

On the heels of the Diamond Award winner was eBizAutos, this year’s Platinum Award winner and four-time consecutive winner in the Online Inventory Marketing Tool category. “Keeping abreast with the auto industry is of great priority to us; however, we find that regardless of the ever-changing marketplace, dealer’s needs are quite stable at the core,” said Dan Karyczak, business development manager at eBizAutos. “The main way we have been able to meet these needs is by listening to the requests of our clients and implementing solutions based on them.”

Dealer Specialties, a division of Dominion Dealer Solutions, returned to dealers’ favor in 2011 with a Gold Award for its online inventory marketing tool. The company won Dealers’ Choice Awards in this category in 2008, 2007 and 2005. “Over the last 12 months, we have been focused on three areas of improvement in respect to our inventory system: functionality, integration and partnerships … It feels great to win the Gold Award,” said Glen Garvin, group general manager of Dominion Dealer Solutions.

Homenet, still a favorite with many dealers and recently acquired by AutoTrader.com, was the only other company to score above the category group average, earning the company a fourth-place ranking.