Paid Study Says Irvine Company Generates More Online Sales Than Any Other Automotive Site

    IRVINE, Calif.--Oct. 16, 2002--For the fourth year in a row, J.D. Power and Associates New Autoshopper.com Study(SM) has found Autobytel to be the most popular online buying service with car buyers. According to the 2002 study, Autobytel generates over twice as many car sales as any other independent online site included in the study. In addition, car shoppers who visit Autobytel.com are more than twice as likely to submit a Purchase Request(a) for a vehicle, as compared to the industry average.
    "This study demonstrates once again that consumers prefer Autobytel, an independent car-buying service, over other automotive sites," said Jeffrey Schwartz, Autobytel Inc. President and CEO. "It's also particularly rewarding to note that online automotive shoppers find value across the entire spectrum of sites, including manufacturer and dealer sites. We've long asserted that a positive online presence is a key element to effective automotive marketing."
    Founded in 1995, Autobytel Inc. has relationships with thousands of dealers coast to coast and with nearly all of the major manufacturers. Manufacturers market their brands through the Autobytel Network, which includes Autobytel.com, Autoweb.com and Carsmart.com, and also use Autobytel's research and data platforms on their own sites.
    The study showed that nearly 90% of automotive Internet users go online before visiting a dealership and many of these car buyers begin the shopping process two months before making a purchase. "An effective online presence goes a long way to build brands and drive sales with these shoppers -- especially at the crucial moment when consumers are making their final make/model decisions," continued Schwartz.
    According to the study, visitors to all three Autobytel car-buying sites (Autobytel.com, Autoweb.com and Carsmart.com) are more likely to buy a vehicle once they submit their Purchase Request, as compared to the industry average.

    (a) Consumers who wish to buy a car through Autobytel's websites submit an online order for a vehicle, which is called a Purchase Request. This purchase request is immediately routed to a participating dealer in their area.

    About Autobytel Inc.

    Autobytel Inc. , a leading Internet automotive marketing services company, helps retailers sell cars and manufacturers build brands through marketing and CRM (customer relationship management) programs. Autobytel Inc. owns and operates the popular websites Autobytel.com, Autoweb.com, Carsmart.com and Autosite.com, as well as AIC (Automotive Information Center), a leading provider of automotive marketing data and technology. Autobytel Inc. generated an estimated four percent of all domestic new vehicle sales -- $17 billion in car sales in 2001 -- for dealers through its websites. Autobytel Inc. is the largest syndicated car-buying content network, reaching millions of unique visitors as they are making their vehicle buying decisions. Autobytel Inc. content and technology has potential exposure to over 90 percent of total web traffic.(1)

    (1) Jupiter Media Metrix October 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. Autobytel Inc. provides content to Yahoo! Inc., AOL websites, MSN.com and Lycos.com. The unduplicated audience of these four sites accounts for over 90 percent of total traffic.)