IRVINE, Calif., Nov 19, 2009 -- Autobytel Inc. (ABTL) , a leader in providing online consumer leads and marketing services to the auto industry, and Kelley Blue Book Co., Inc., www.kbb.com, today announced an extension of their current agreements to expand the reach of Kelley Blue Book's industry-leading vehicle values, pricing and specifications data, and editorial content to the millions of car-buyers who visit Autobytel's network of Web sites, including autobytel.com, car.com, myride.com, autoweb.com and carsmart.com. A new agreement was also reached under which Autobytel will license its lead distribution technology to Kelley Blue Book for use in its online vehicle classifieds, The Trusted Marketplace(SM), a new online car shopping experience on Kelley Blue Book's top rated Web site www.kbb.com.
"As auto sales recover and car-buyers continue to rely on third party sites like Autobytel.com and Kelley Blue Book's The Trusted Marketplace(SM) in their research and purchasing process, it is critical for our industry to provide the best tools, content and technology to help them as they look for the greatest value for their dollar," said Autobytel President and CEO Jeffrey Coats. "With this agreement, we believe that both Kelley Blue Book and Autobytel are further enhancing their value to automotive consumers as they come back into the automotive market. We are very pleased to be able to broaden our alliance with Kelley Blue Book."
Under the new extended terms, Kelley Blue Book will provide Autobytel with additional Blue Book(R) values, vehicle specification data and award-winning proprietary editorial content, in addition to the used-car Blue Book(R) values already displayed across Autobytel's various Internet properties. Autobytel will, in turn, license its lead distribution technology to support Kelley Blue Book's online vehicle classified shopping experience, The Trusted Marketplace(SM).
"Earlier this year, Kelley Blue Book added Autobytel's inventory of dealer vehicle listings to The Trusted Marketplace, where millions of in-market shoppers can quickly and easily find new and used vehicles," said KBB President and CEO Paul Johnson. "Kelley Blue Book is pleased to extend its relationship with Autobytel in support of The Trusted Marketplace and expand the scope of data and content available to Autobytel from Kelley Blue Book."
About Autobytel
Autobytel Inc. is an automotive marketing services company that assists automotive dealers and manufacturers sell cars and light trucks. By connecting consumers to automotive dealers and manufacturers through internet lead referral programs and on-line advertising, the Company provides automotive dealers and manufacturers with opportunities to efficiently market their vehicles to potential customers. The Company purchases from third party sites and generates from its owned websites consumer internet requests, or "leads," for pricing and availability for new and used vehicles as well as for vehicle financing. The Company sells leads primarily to its automotive dealer and manufacturer customers. Leads are purchased from a network of supplier websites. The Company owns consumer-facing automotive websites, including Autobytel.com(R), Autoweb.com(R), AutoSite.com(R), Car.comsm, CarSmart.com(R), CarTV.com(R), and MyRide.com(R), that provide consumers with information and tools to aid them with their automotive purchase decisions. In addition to advertising opportunities on its owned websites, the Company provides advertising opportunities for automotive manufacturers and other automotive advertisers through the Company's marketing network.
About Kelley Blue Book (www.kbb.com)
Since 1926, Kelley Blue Book, The Trusted Resource(R), has provided vehicle buyers and sellers with the new and used vehicle information they need to accomplish their goals with confidence. The company's top-rated Web site, www.kbb.com, provides the most up-to-date pricing and values, including the New Car Blue Book(R) Value, which reveals what people actually are paying for new cars. The company also reports vehicle pricing and values via products and services, including software products and the famous Blue Book(R) Official Guide. According to the C.A. Walker Research Solutions, Inc. -- 2009 Spring Automotive Web Site Usefulness Study, kbb.com is the most useful automotive information Web site among new and used vehicle shoppers, and half of online vehicle shoppers visit kbb.com. Kbb.com is a leading provider of new car prices, car reviews and news, used car blue book values, auto classifieds and car dealer locations. No other medium reaches more in-market vehicle shoppers than kbb.com.