October 13, 2009 (West Chester, PA) - HomeNet, Inc., the leading online inventory solutions provider for auto dealerships, and GetAutoAppraise.com today announced a partnership that allows consumers who are shopping online for a new car to get an instant appraisal on the trade-in value of their old vehicle. Valuations are based on dealer-determined ranges attached to vehicle data from NADAguides, the oldest trade valuation tool in the industry. HomeNet is integrating the GetAutoAppraise features with its Web IOL software, which facilitates the listing of inventory online for over 15,000 automobile dealerships nationwide.
Consumers may also upload unlimited photos and videos of their trade-in, which guarantees a stronger conversation between the dealership and the buyer, according to Barry Brodsky of GetAutoAppraise.com. "The quality of these leads is excellent because shoppers who go through the trade-in valuation exercise are ready to buy. In fact, if a shopper on your site is sending you pictures of their trade-in, what they’re really saying is, ‘You have a car on your lot that I want. Here’s my old car. How do we make this happen?’"
With the GetAutoAppraise functionality, available for a monthly fee to dealers using HomeNet’s Inventory Online (IOL) Internet Marketing Suite of solutions, dealers may also add their own, custom rebates, coupons, and other incentives, so as shoppers complete the valuation process, they are presented with compelling reasons to visit that dealer now.In addition, when buyers indicate what type of vehicle they’re interested in, they are presented with actual inventory options from the dealer to peruse, and they may then make an appointment with a salesperson to visit the showroom.
"We believe dealers who add this feature to their Web IOL subscription will close more deals more quickly because customers trust dealers who provide this level of transparency," says Neal Gann, Director of Development at HomeNet, Inc. "And we’re excited that GetAutoAppraise uses the highly regarded NADAguides as their valuation tool."
HomeNet’s Inventory Online (IOL) Internet Marketing Suite is a vehicle inventory management and marketing system, designed to help automotive dealers sell more cars online. IOL’s suite of web-based software applications streamlines the process of converting raw vehicle data from the DMS (dealer management system) into consumer-friendly emotional online advertisements. Complete with DMS polling, Premium VIN Enhancement, an intuitive online interface, automated distribution to 3rd-party services, and much more, IOL is the most comprehensive solution serving the automotive industry.
HomeNet, Inc., the leading online inventory solutions provider for auto dealerships, and GetAutoAppraise.com today announced a partnership that allows consumers who are shopping online for a new car to get an instant appraisal on the trade-in value of their old vehicle. Valuations are based on dealer-determined attached to vehicle data from NADAguides, the oldest trade valuation tool in the industry. HomeNet is integrating the GetAutoAppraise features with its Web IOL software, which facilitates the listing of inventory online for over 15,000 automobile dealerships nationwide.
About HomeNet, Inc.: HomeNet is a privately owned automotive technology provider. Founded in 1996, HomeNet's core focus is innovative technology solutions that help automotive dealers increase online sales. HomeNet offers its products to a variety of customers including dealers, OEMs, website providers, CRM providers, digital lot management companies, finance/leasing agents, auction agents, and more. The company is based on Christian principles and is headquartered in West Chester, PA, with satellite offices in FL, GA, TX, TN, CA, IL, IA, MI, NC, OR and UT. For more information, please visit http://www.homenetinc.com/
About GetAutoAppraise.com:Based in Phoenix, AZ, the company has secured an exclusive license from NADAguides, the leading industry provider of automobile information. The product provides automobile website users with a trade-in value range for their car. The product is unique for car-buying prospects because it provides a narrow value range that is current to the day of the inquiry. It is unique for dealers because it captures complete prospect contact information. NADAguides has developed a technique that enables them to install their product in any URL in less than 15 minutes.
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Press Contact:
Gretchen Kennedy
Marketing Director
610-738-3313, x882
HomeNet, Inc. and GetAutoAppraise.com Announce Strategic Partnership
October 14th, 2009
West Chester, PA, October 1, 2009 – HomeNet’s Video Online (VOL) Marketing Suite is a video-based Internet marketing system that allows automotive dealerships to create dynamic video commercials for every vehicle in their inventory. By utilizing HomeNet’s Inventory Online (IOL) Internet Marketing Suite, Video Online offers features like API- driven automated video creation and live video upload which allow dealers to take actual videos of their inventory and quickly upload them to their webIOL data files, allowing virtually real-time display on HomeNet IOL Hosting platform which many dealers use as their “online display” of their inventory.
“More and more every day, dealers are understanding that it is the “content” of their videos (vs. just having a video) that gets the consumer emotionally involved and increases their conversion rates,” says Tim James, Director of Sales at HomeNet. James adds, “Just as a dealer’s other online ads have to emotionally highlight the unique and different features of each car to create value, build trust, and inspire mental ownership, the same is true for video. The real power of video is that it allows the dealer to truly sell a car online. With this in mind, we’ve added features to our Video Online Marketing Suite that make it easier for a dealer to create the maximum amount of emotion with the minimum amount of effort.” Some of the recent features added to HomeNet’s Video Online Marketing Suite are:
• Live Video: dealers may shoot actual videos of a vehicle and quickly add that video to their webIOL vehicle data to be distributed across the web
• Video Ad Hosting: dealers are able to upload “non-vehicle-specific” video ads into webIOL that may then be distributed with their vehicle data or as standalone video ads across the webSatellite Videos:
◦ Code Generation: HTML code is generated for each video allowing the dealer to easily embed it on websites across the web
◦ Viral Marketing: built-in video player functionality allows each consumer viewing a video to see “similar videos” of other vehicles a dealer has in inventory as well as save, bookmark, embed, or email each video
◦ Video Slideshows: dealers easily create various sizes of dynamic “banner ads” that can easily be placed on the dealer’s website or 3rd party websites
◦ Video Player Banner Ads: dealers are able to create vehicle-specific banners to enhance the emotion and call-to-action of each video
◦ Multiple Voice Options:
▪ High Quality Text-To-Speech (TTS) driven from a dealer’s webIOL vehicle description
▪ Custom Voiceover allows a dealer to quickly and inexpensively create a professional voiceovers for each vehicle
▪ Human Voice Data-Driven Scripts utilize webIOL vehicle data to generate a voiceover
▪ TTS Data Driven Scripts utilize webIOL vehicle data to generate a high quality TTS vehicle voiceover
Brian Cox, President of HomeNet’s video partner, FlickFusion, comments, “Videos provide visual stimulation and an emotional response; however, provoking an action from a video only happens when people can find it. Having a good video on your website dramatically increases conversion ratios and time spent on your website, but the general population is not on your website day in and day out. FlickFusion and HomeNet have built our video system to be in as many places as possible, all the time. Besides YouTube, you (or the consumer) can embed your videos on sites like Facebook, Craigslist, eBay, social blogs, and pretty much anywhere. Each video then acts like a satellite in cyberspace, a magnetic Point of Presence (POP), for people to find you. When you create a good quality video that sells a car and then multiply your POP exponentially using the power of the Internet, you can see your sales start to increase exponentially, too.”
HomeNet’s Inventory Online (IOL) Internet Marketing Suite is a vehicle inventory management and marketing system, designed to help automotive dealers sell more cars online. IOL’s suite of web-based software applications streamlines the process of converting raw vehicle data from the DMS (dealer management system) into consumer-friendly emotional online advertisements. Complete with DMS polling, Premium VIN Enhancement, an intuitive online interface, automated distribution to 3rd-party services, and much more, IOL is the most comprehensive solution serving the automotive industry.
About HomeNet: HomeNet, Inc. is a privately owned automotive technology provider. Founded in 1996, HomeNet's core focus is providing innovative technology solutions to help automotive dealers increase online sales. HomeNet offers its products to a variety of customers including dealers, OEMs, website providers, CRM providers, digital lot management companies, finance/leasing agents, auction agents, and more. The company is based on Christian principles and is headquartered in West Chester, PA, with satellite offices in FL, GA, TX, TN, CA, IL, IA, MI, NC, OR and UT. For more information, please visit www.homenetinc.com.
For more information regarding “Video Online”, dealers should contact the HomeNet Sales Team: salesteam@homenetinc.com or 877-738-3313.
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October 1st, 2009
