CHICAGO, April 8 /PRNewswire/ -- More and more car
shoppers are researching their purchase from a mobile device,
according to Cars.com. The website, which launched a mobile site in
2007, has seen a surge in mobile shopping activity since the launch
of its car shopping app for the Apple iPhone in February. As much
as 10 percent of Cars.com's traffic now comes via a mobile device,
and mobile activity now accounts for a quarter of the site's total
page views.
"Mobile traffic has been a steady source of growth for Cars.com,
and devices like the iPhone are contributing to that growth in a
big way. Launched just two months ago, the iPhone app already
accounts for 60 percent of our overall mobile traffic," said
Mitch Golub, Cars.com president.
"Mobile is really a game changer for traditional websites like
Cars.com. We're bringing a whole new level of value to consumers,
who can now access our site directly from a dealer lot, and to
advertisers, who are able to reach an incremental audience over and
above what we are delivering from the Cars.com website. As the
first automotive website to offer a comprehensive mobile car
shopping experience, it is really paying off for our business."
Automotive advertisers are taking note of the opportunity to
reach in-market car shoppers. After the Cars.com iPhone app
received more than 200,000 downloads in its first month, Lexus
signed on to sponsor the new offering.
In addition to its new iPhone app, Cars.com recently launched
several enhancements to its mobile product, including a new search
option that allows shoppers to search specifically for certified
used vehicles. Also, to better serve consumers who access the site
directly from touch screen devices without using the Cars.com app,
Cars.com mobile now leverages device detection capabilities to
provide dropdown menus and optimized styling for seamless operation
on more than 200 devices.
Cars.com also featured its mobile site in its 60-second ad
during the 2010 Super Bowl, which reached the largest audience in
television history. As a result, in the 30 days since the
Super Bowl, the mobile site experienced a 42 percent gain in
average daily unique visitors compared to the same time period last
year.(1)
"Whether it's from their desktop at home or via a mobile device
from the dealer lot, we want to offer consumers convenient access
to the information they need on Cars.com to confidently make their
next car purchasing decision," added Golub. "As more and more
consumers choose to access information from their mobile device,
our mobile strategy is crucial to our success and that of our
advertisers moving forward."
About Cars.com
Cars.com is the leading destination for online car shoppers,
offering credible, easy-to-understand information from consumers
and experts to help buyers formulate opinions on what to buy, where
to buy and how much to pay for a car. With comprehensive
pricing information, side-by-side comparison tools, photo
galleries, videos, unbiased editorial content and a large selection
of new- and used-car inventory, Cars.com puts millions of car
buyers in control of their shopping process with the information
they need to make confident buying decisions.
Launched in June 1998, Cars.com is
a division of Classified Ventures, LLC, which is owned by leading
media companies, including Belo (NYSE: BLC), Gannett Co., Inc.
(NYSE: GCI), The McClatchy Company (NYSE: MNI), Tribune Company and
The Washington Post Company (NYSE: WPO).
(1) Increase does not include traffic to the iPhone
app.
SOURCE Cars.com