J.D. Power Consumer Center Debuts as Premier Site for Auto, Telecom and Financial Information
12 December 2000
J.D. Power Consumer Center Debuts as Premier Site for Auto, Telecom and Financial Information
SAN FRANCISCO--Dec. 12, 2000--A new trusted and authoritative online resource that includes ratings, decision and comparison tools is now available free through the J.D. Power Consumer Center, a unit of J.D. Power Clubs, Inc. This is the first time information highlights from J.D. Power and Associates spanning 10 years are being made available to consumers via the Internet.
The site, www.jdpower.com, provides a ratings system that has been designed to help consumers with purchase and ownership decisions for autos, telecommunications providers and financial services. J.D. Power and Associates' surveys include actual responses from millions of consumers. This distinguishes jdpower.com from other sites that rely on only a few opinions or dubious research practices.
"The Web has exploded much more quickly than previously estimated, making it difficult for consumers to compare products and services online. The J.D. Power Consumer Center distinguishes itself from other consumer information sites by being objective and sound," said Michael London, chairman and chief executive officer of J.D. Power Clubs, Inc. "It's our commitment to empower consumers by giving them trusted information and actionable tools to make better decisions in one place."
The information that will be provided to consumers at www.jdpower.com is based on J.D. Power and Associates syndicated studies, which are independently conducted and funded by the firm.
"With the tremendous growth and popularity of the Internet, we felt this was an excellent opportunity to give back to consumers what they have provided to us over many years: accurate, unbiased consumer feedback," said Stephen Goodall, president and chief operating officer of J.D. Power and Associates.
One of the primary objectives of the J.D. Power Consumer Center is to make highlights of the vast J.D. Power and Associates consumer opinion research helpful to consumers. Each section has a comparison tool that uses a simple new rating system based on a score of up to five "power circles." This enables visitors to see how satisfied consumers were with products and services. A score of five is reserved only for those products and services ranking highest, usually in the top 10 percent. A score of four power circles typically represents those in the next 20 percent. Three circles is usually the middle 40 percent. A score of two will designates those in the remaining 30 percent.
Automotive
"The J.D. Power Consumer Center is emerging as the premier auto content site with unparalleled features," London explained. "Consumers get exclusive sought-after information along with the best the Internet has to offer so they may make smarter decisions."
The comprehensive information includes: ratings, vehicle profiler, build a vehicle and aggregated content from leading information sources.
Ratings based on highlights from years of J.D. Power and Associates' consumer surveys on hundreds of vehicles are now available to the public. Visitors can compare ratings of up to four vehicles at once.
A decision tool enables visitors to get a list of five vehicles that fit their preferences. Visitors may choose their personalized vehicle profile based on their preferences for price, style and make. Visitors can also specify preferences for mechanical quality, style, performance, body and interior quality, features and accessories quality, and creature comforts.
The build-a-vehicle tool allows visitors to see invoice and suggested retail pricing for base models, each option and the total price for a vehicle with selected options. This also enables visitors to see available trim, options, interior and exterior colors. With the click of a mouse, consumers may have a sneak preview of their preferred colors on hundreds of new vehicles.
The site also incorporates information from valuable sources such as IntelliChoice, NewCarTestDrive.com, AutoTrader.com, Carfax, Kelley Blue Book, the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. These resources provide information, automaker incentives to dealers and buyers, specifications, ownership costs, expert auto reviews, used car classifieds, vehicle histories and title searches, used vehicle values, and government safety ratings and fuel economy.
Telecommunications
The telecommunications section features ratings and a decision tool that enables consumers to conduct side-by-side comparisons of wireless, local and long distance phone, Internet, and satellite and cable TV service providers. Visitors can compare up to four services side-by-side to select providers that meet their criteria.
Financial Services
This section features information to help consumers with financial planning, investments and purchases for autos and homes. Consumers can see ratings of and compare online brokers for criteria such as fees, customer service and site technology. Calculators help consumers compute returns on stock portfolios, manage credit card payments and devise savings plans.
About J.D. Power Clubs, Inc.
J.D. Power Clubs, Inc. educates consumers to help them make better decisions and facilitates transactions through a network of participating retailers committed to delivering quality service and savings. carclub.com, the first J.D. Power Club, helps vehicle owners shop for new and used vehicles, select financing and insurance, access sources and savings for vehicle maintenance by telephone at 1-800-CARCLUB or online at www.carclub.com. J.D. Power Consumer Center (www.jdpower.com) provides the most trusted information based on J.D. Power and Associates surveys of millions of consumer opinions on autos, telecom and financial services.
About J.D. Power and Associates
Headquartered in Agoura Hills, Calif., 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. J.D. Power and Associates can be accessed through the Internet at www.jdpa.com.