Autobytel Generates More Vehicle Sales Online than Any Other Web site for Third Year in a Row, According to J.D. Power and Associates Study

    IRVINE, Calif.--Nov. 29, 2001--Autobytel.com generates more vehicle sales online than any other Web site according to the recently published J.D. Power and Associates 2001 New Autoshopper.com Study(SM).
    This marks the 3rd year that Autobytel.com has been cited by J.D. Power and Associates as the market share leader among independent online research and buying services. Autobytel.com is one of the four Web site properties of Autobytel Inc.
    "We're extremely pleased that, once again, it's been demonstrated that consumers prefer to price and buy vehicles through Autobytel," noted Autobytel Inc. president and CEO Mark Lorimer. "In fact, we believe Autobytel's market share is nearly three times that of any other independent or manufacturer site."
    The study also shows that automotive Internet users indicate a clear preference for independent, third-party Web sites. Manufacturer sites were the preferred choice only for looking up vehicle facts, such as options and features information. Independent sites were preferred for anything related to pricing or buying.
    Currently, 62 percent of all new-vehicle buyers are turning to the Internet for automotive information while shopping for their vehicle, representing an eight percentage-point growth in automotive Internet usage this year up from 54 percent in 2000. Industry-wide, 6 percent of all new vehicles were sold through an online buying service up from 4.7 percent in 2000.
    According to the study, the Internet provides automotive shoppers with information of real value that not only continues to attract new users, but also keeps them coming back for more.
    For 2001, the New Autoshopper.com Study was expanded to capture a larger sample size providing a more in-depth analysis of industry-wide sites. The study is based on responses from more than 26,400 consumers who purchased new 2001 and 2002 model year vehicles.

    About J.D. Power and Associates

    With headquarters in Agoura Hills, J.D. Power and Associates is a global marketing information services firm operating in key business sectors including market research, forecasting, consulting, training and customer satisfaction. The firm's quality and satisfaction measurements are based on actual responses from millions of consumers annually.

    About Autobytel Inc.

    Autobytel Inc. , the diversified online automotive marketing and information company, owns and operates Autobytel.com, Autoweb.com, Carsmart.com, Autosite.com, and AIC (Automotive Information Center). Autobytel Inc.'s mission is to provide marketing, data, technology and management services to benefit every manufacturer and dealership. The company powers manufacturer and portal auto channels with data and tools to help customers buy cars; provides advertising programs for manufacturers and dealers to target customers; built and implemented technology to drive one of the most advanced inventory-based manufacturer's online car selling programs to date and generates billions of dollars in car sales for dealers through the company's popular Web sites.
    Serving approximately 6,700 subscribing dealers and 25 international automotive manufacturer customers, Autobytel Inc. sites are receiving more than three million unique visitors a month -- more than any other car-buying site -- and Autobytel Inc. content and technology has potential exposure to over 90 percent of total Web traffic(a). It is estimated that the vast majority of the 60 percent of all Americans who go online to research and shop for a car will encounter Autobytel Inc. content or technology, or an Autobytel Inc. brand, during the process.

    (a) Jupiter Media Metrix August 2001 Digital Media Audience Report (Autobytel Inc. sites is the unduplicated audience of the Autobytel and Autoweb properties and Carsmart.com. The car-buying and ownership category as defined by Autobytel Inc. Autobytel Inc. provides content to Yahoo.com, AOL Web sites, MSN.com and Lycos.com. The unduplicated audience of these four sites accounts for over 90 percent of total traffic.)