AT&T Media Services Announces New Online Auto Buying Service: Vehix.com - Company Business and Marketing

Cambridge Telcom Report, Jan 31, 2000

AT&T Media Services, the advertising sales arm of AT&T Broadband & Internet Services, announced Monday the formation of Vehix.com, a new automotive online buying service. The website (www.vehix.com) is part of a convergent cable television and online buying service package that AT&T Media Services offers to automotive dealer clients. Vehix.com is the evolution and creation of AutoMallUSA LLC, which developed the former AutoMallUSA.com website.

Vehix.com was developed based on extensive research with active online Internet shoppers. Using knowledge gained from those sessions, the site has been designed to deliver objective third-party information through the implementation of in-depth research tools and one-stop shopping methods for all automotive-related needs. Additionally, the new website is built on a platform that offers consumers advanced speed and graphics, a two-tiered navigation system, and leading edge technology, resulting in a greater user experience.

Vehix.com offers consumers the opportunity to research, buy, find, shop, finance, sell and maintain their current and future vehicles. The site maintains an active inventory of over 500,000 vehicles that is updated nightly. Other features include online news and reviews, safety and recall information, vehicle history reports and new and used car pricing and values.

Utilizing an extensive marketing program that employs over $35 million in cable television advertising and extensive relationships with major online portal sites, Vehix.com expects that it will be the most widely recognized and utilized automotive website in the industry.

"We listened to what the consumer and dealer communities are saying they want in an online buying service and delivered on both fronts," said John Garff, President and CEO of Vehix.com. "Our customer-focused interface delivers what consumers are telling us that they are passionate about and our dealer-friendly business model allows our Member Dealers to keep the profits they have earned. The tide is changing in the online buying world and Vehix.com is leading the charge."

"Through AT&T Media Services, Vehix.com maintains a sales force network of nine in-market Regional Sales Managers and over 1,200 Account Executives," said Judi Boyett Heady, Senior Vice President of AT&T Broadband Services, Media Services. "Our experience with AutoMallUSA.com demonstrated how valuable this type of comprehensive media package is for our automotive clients, and we expect the enhanced features of Vehix.com will prove even more valuable to them."

Vehix.com is the next generation in Automotive eCommerce. The Internet website (www.vehix.com) assists consumers through all phases of researching, financing, purchasing, owning, servicing and selling their car or truck. As an equity partner in Vehix.com, AT&T Media Services offers this Internet product as a value-added advertising package through a marketing and economic partnership with auto dealers. Vehix.com's Dealer Network includes over 1,000 dealerships throughout the United States.

AT&T Media Services is the advertising sales division of AT&T Broadband & Internet Services, one of the nation's leading providers of video and broadband data services, and provides excellent marketing and advertising solutions for its business customers at both local and national levels. Cable television's competitive strength as a local advertising medium lies in its ability to target audiences geographically, demographically and by lifestyle segmentation on more than 20 programming networks.