IRVINE, Calif. — Autobytel said Wednesday that it has appointed a new executive vice president of product, marketing and analytics. Moving into the post is Jim Helberg, who comes aboard from PHD, where he was executive vice president. In that role, he headed the development and execution of Chrysler's media operations. For his new role […] [Read More]

BURLINGTON, Vt. — One of the founders of Dealer.com was named the company president on Wednesday. Dealer.com chief executive officer Mark Bonfigli relinquished the title of president and appointed Rick Gibbs to the position. The company recounted that Gibbs co-founded the operation in 1998 and has since held the role of chief technology officer. Management praised […] [Read More]

ORANGE, Calif. — TK Carsites revealed earlier this week that it has appointed a new vice president of operations. Named to this post was Brad Highland, whose main duty will be to head up the company's customer-facing operations. Highland has more than eight years of operations experience within the auto industry. He was recently the director of business development at […] [Read More]

PITTSBURGH — Used Cars On-Line, a search-engine for used vehicles for sale by owner, rolled out a new feature on Tuesday that is designed to allow for more tailored and "nontraditional" criteria in searching for used vehicles. By using the "Exploration Search" function, shoppers can filter searches to very specific criteria like "4-door car newer than 2004" or […] [Read More]

CHICAGO — The most recent Cars.com Consumer Lead Index indicates that negative residue from Toyota recalls isn't leaving the minds of potential buyers too quickly, and it might be spilling over to other automakers. Site officials believe recalls continue to have a negative impact on sales activity since leads for Toyota vehicles overall have declined close […] [Read More]

SAN DIEGO — A newcomer to the vehicle history provider segment, instaVIN, is looking to remove the cost to dealers who provide or purchase these kinds of reports — at least for a limited time. Company executives are ready to give individuals a free accident report through quick access via mobile phones. Dealers and consumers can obtain […] [Read More]

NEW YORK — When it comes to improving fuel economy, consumers are more likely to be interested in technologies that help the gas-powered engines become more fuel-efficient — which typically costs less initially — than they are in alternative-fuel engines, which are typically more expensive, according to Harris Interactive. In its 2010 AutoTECHCAST study, Harris also found that, […] [Read More]

FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich. — Months after rolling out a payment channel that allows consumers to make lease and loan payments through their mobile phones, Mercedes-Benz Financial has expanded its mobile strategy even further. The company is now providing Apple iPads to Mercedes-Benz dealers, who can use the product to access the MB Advantage point-of-sale dealer system. […] [Read More]

HOUSTON — CAR-Research XRM recently unveiled a new tool that it contends will allow dealers to consolidate vendors to become more efficient and save money when it comes to customer relationship management, marketing and software delivery. The company released this new Bundled-Apps solution of CRM and marketing solutions at the Eighth Annual Digital Dealer Conference in […] [Read More]

HOPE MILLS, N.C.  — RevenueGuru.com contends that dealers squander more than $1 billion in profit annually on "bad marketing purchases and poor execution," but the site said it has a myriad of solutions to help. RevenueGuru.com is offering 10 free training programs that dealers can use to bolster their marketing performance, while also gaining free white […] [Read More]