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AutoMall Online Wins Dealers With Its Up-Front Prices

18 November 1999

AutoMall Online Wins More Dealers Than Biggest Competitors With Its Up-Front Pricing

    SPRINGFIELD, Va., Nov. 18 -- AutoMall Online's nationwide
network of automobile dealers today surpassed 15,000 dealerships located
throughout the United States. Instant online-pricing from nearly 75% of the
nation's 22,000 car dealers is now available through AutoMall Online's website
and retail locations. According to Company President, Gene Hickman, "AutoMall
Online's national dealer network is now larger than the combined networks of
Autobytel, Autoweb, and CarsDirect."
    Dealers have given AutoMall Online an impressive vote of confidence with a
dealer attrition rate that is less than one percent.  The success of AutoMall
Online's nationwide service is attributable to its ease of use for
participating dealers and its consumer-driven business model. 'Referral'
services waste a dealer's manpower on chasing down internet leads.  But
dealers save time and money by directly posting their best Internet price on
AutoMall Online and allowing the consumer to initiate contact. 'Direct'
Internet services only draw buyers away from dealers while charging the
consumer a higher price for acting as a broker. AutoMall Online brings buyers
back by providing a service free to consumers that allows them to remain
anonymous while making instant price comparisons from competing dealerships.
    Auto dealers prefer AutoMall Online because it levels the playing-field
for dealerships large or small that are willing to quote prices up-front and
in writing. "Most people want to know the price in advance and prefer to buy
from their local dealership. Internet services that don't offer up-front-
pricing or send the customer 30 miles away from home fail to provide true
value to either the dealer or the buyer," said company Chairman Mike Field.
    AutoMall Online's unique, patent-pending business model also combines the
information-gathering power of the Internet with the convenience of a
traditional storefront and the advantage of one-stop shopping. AutoMall Online
offers both Internet access and retail locations that provide a wide array of
products and services from a dozen of the nation's leading automotive product
and marketing companies including Progressive Insurance, Enterprise Rental
Car, Automobile Protection Corporation (a subsidiary of Ford Motor Company),
Household Bank, Bank of America, CMSI, Lending Tree, and America Online.
    Additional information on why AutoMall Online is "The Smartest Way to Buy
a Car" can be accessed at http://www.automallonline.com.