PRESS RELEASE
What Are People Buying On The Internet? Cars.
31 March 1997
What Are People Buying On The Internet? Cars.
Online Car-Buyers Turn To AutoVantage 2 Million Times In 6 Months;
Haggle-Free Hassle-Free Service Key To Success
STAMFORD, Conn., March 31 -- Online consumers looking to
purchase a new car have turned to http://www.autovantage.com, one of the leading
online car-buying services, more than two million times in the past six
months, the company announced today. AutoVantage, the free online car-buying
service rated number one by Motor Trend (Oct., 1996), assists consumers in
researching and purchasing new cars at a low price without the hassles
typically associated with the car-buying experience.
AutoVantage Vice President Ken Esterow, said, "New car buyers have spoken
clearly in recent years: They want control. They want information, and they
want to purchase a new car at a competitive price. We provide a free service
that eliminates the often uncomfortable, high-pressure sales and negotiation
process. At http://www.autovantage.com, consumers can research new cars at their
leisure, then secure a low price for that car without having to negotiate.
AutoVantage fulfills the basic promise of the Internet in that it allows
consumers to gain control over information, and to obtain lower prices."
Located on the Internet at http://www.autovantage.com, AutoVantage provides
expert auto-buying assistance at no charge to the consumer. Users browse
through its comprehensive new-car reviews and submit a price request.
AutoVantage then provides the car buyer with a preferred low price available
at a participating AutoVantage car dealer nearby. The preferred AutoVantage
price eliminates the need to haggle.
Esterow continued, "When consumers decide on a car and submit a price
request to AutoVantage, we know that they are ready to buy and we respect
that. That's why we respond to requests quickly, typically within 24 hours.
Then, with the preferred AutoVantage price in hand, consumers can visit the
dealer and complete the transaction in less than one half hour."
Each month, more than 350,000 consumers turn to http://www.autovantage.com,
resulting in more than 30,000 requests for new-car price quotes. A 1996 J.D.
Power & Associates study found that 70 percent of new-vehicle buyers use or
own a computer, and that 45 percent of those people would consider using the
Word Wide Web to shop for their next vehicle.
AutoVantage recently added used car listings to its web site, which
consumers can use to find or post used cars free of charge. AutoVantage will
also be adding an auto insurance shopping service and expanding its auto loan
and lease services.
AutoVantage is part of Stamford, Conn.-based CUC International, Inc.
, a leading technology-driven, membership-based consumer services
company that currently provides approximately 66.3 million consumers worldwide
with access to home shopping, travel, insurance, automobile, dining, home
improvement, lifestyle clubs, checking account enhancement, and discount
coupon programs. In addition, CUC provides educational and entertainment
interactive media products through its CUC Software division.
SOURCE AutoVantage
CONTACT: Bruce Schneider, 718-858-7288 or Schneider@web-pr.com,
or Scott Shapiro, 606-276-0230 or Shapiro@web-pr.com, both of Web
PR for AutoVantage