AutoTrader.com and BellSouth Form Content Alliance to Deliver Comprehensive Used Auto Listings On Bellsouth's ISP Portal to Its Internet Service Customers
ATLANTA--May 17, 2001--AutoTrader.com, the leading Internet destination and marketplace for buyers and sellers of used vehicles, and BellSouth today announced a content alliance under which AutoTrader.com will become the exclusive provider of used car content on the BellSouth(R) portal (http://home.bellsouth.net).
The BellSouth portal is the default home page for BellSouth(R) Internet Service and BellSouth(R) FastAccess(R) Internet Service customers. This alliance brings the country's largest online auto classifieds marketplace to one of the fastest growing Internet service providers in the Southeast region, with more than 1,000,000 customers in nine Southern states.
Under this new agreement, AutoTrader.com will provide BellSouth with a unique used vehicle search tool that will be incorporated into BellSouth's portal for users of its Internet services. Customers of BellSouth Internet services will now have easier access to AutoTrader.com's wide selection of inventory, services and tools. Those looking for a used car will be routed to a customized version of the AutoTrader.com site, on which AutoTrader.com will offer BellSouth Internet users the Internet's largest inventory of more than 1.5 million used vehicles, AutoTrader.com's proprietary Find a Car and Sell a Car search features, as well as Decision Guides and Reviews & Information. Similarly, private sellers and dealers in the Southeast can easily list a single car or an entire inventory free of charge to reach interested, qualified buyers across the country.
"We are always looking to establish new key alliances and broaden our commitment to buyers and sellers alike," said Chip Perry, president and CEO, AutoTrader.com. "This new agreement signifies the confidence we have in our business model and the power of BellSouth as a marketing partner. With so many online automotive companies failing these days, our strong market leadership position and solid financial backing are enabling us to make this aggressive, far-reaching deal with BellSouth."
"We are excited to have AutoTrader.com as an additional enhancement on the Bellsouth ISP Portal for both our dial and DSL customers," said Tim Hill, director of portal services, BellSouth. "Our customers will certainly benefit from the useful decision tools and comprehensive information which AutoTrader.com adds to our site."
The online classified business is increasing as consumers become more aware and confident when using the Internet to supplement the used car shopping process. A recent study by marketing research firm IDC predicts that U.S. Internet-related sales of used cars may increase 15-fold to more than $164 billion annually by 2004. J.D. Power & Associates' 2000 Used Autoshopper.com Study reported that AutoTrader.com is the leading Internet destination for used vehicles buyers and that twenty-one percent of buyers who located their vehicle online used AutoTrader.com to do so.
About AutoTrader.com
AutoTrader.com is the leading Internet destination and marketplace in the United States for buyers and sellers of used cars, light trucks, vans and sport utility vehicles and for consumers seeking information regarding automotive products and services, such as insurance, financing and warranties. AutoTrader.com, through its strategic alliances, aggregates in a single location an extensive network of industry participants and a comprehensive database of 1.5 million vehicle listings and automotive information to create an open marketplace that is local, regional and national in nature.
AutoTrader.com was formed in 1997 and is a majority-owned subsidiary of Manheim Auctions, Inc. which has been in business since 1945 and is the world's largest operator of wholesale auto auctions. Manheim Auctions, a wholly owned subsidiary of Cox Enterprises, Inc., a leading media conglomerate, is AutoTrader.com's principal stockholder and one of AutoTrader.com's strategic partners. Other investors and strategic partners include Trader Publishing Company, ADP, Inc., eBay, Inc. and the venture capital firm, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers.
About BellSouth
BellSouth Corporation is a Fortune 100 communications services company headquartered in Atlanta, serving more than 45 million customers in the United States and 16 other countries.
Consistently recognized for customer satisfaction, BellSouth provides a full array of broadband data and e-commerce solutions to business customers, including Web hosting and other Internet services. In the residential market, BellSouth offers DSL high-speed Internet access, advanced voice features and other services. BellSouth also provides online and directory advertising services, including BellSouth(R) Real Pages.com.