Cars.com
{{Short description|Automotive classified website focused on the United States}}
{{Infobox website
| name = Cars.com
| logo = Image:Carsdotcomlogo.png
| url = [http://www.cars.com www.cars.com]
| commercial = Yes
| type = Online motoring
| language = English
| registration =
| owner = Cars.com Inc.
| author =
| launch_date = {{start date and age|1998|6}}
| current_status = Active
| revenue =
| caption = "For Every Turn"
| content_license = Yes
}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Cars.com Inc.
| logo = Image:Carsdotcomlogo.png
| type = Public company
| traded_as = {{ubl|{{NYSE|CARS}}|S&P 600 component}}
| founders = Mitch Golub
William Swislow
Alex Vetter{{cite web |url=https://www.cars.com/about/ |title=About Cars.com |access-date=2017-11-06}}
| area_served = United States
| key_people = Alex Vetter, CEO and President{{cite web |url=https://www.cars.com/about/ |title=About Cars.com |access-date=2017-11-06}}
| industry = Automotive marketing services
| genre =
| products = {{flat list|
- Cars.com
- Auto.com
- PickupTrucks.com
- NewCars.com
}}
| services = Automotive classifieds
| revenue =
| operating_income =
| net_income =
| assets =
| equity =
| owner =
| num_employees =
| parent =
| divisions = {{flat list|
- Auto.com
- PickupTrucks.com
- NewCars.com
- DealerRater
}}
| subsid = DR Media Holdings, LLC
| footnotes =
| intl =
| founded = {{Start date and age|2017|5}}
| location_city = Chicago, Illinois
| location_country = U.S.
| location =
| locations =
| website = {{URL|http://www.cars.com|Cars.com}}
}}
Cars.com is an automotive classified website focused on the United States that launched in June 1998 and now is the second largest automotive classified site.{{cite news |url=http://www.businessweek.com/ap/2014-10-01/gannett-buys-the-rest-of-cars-dot-com-for-1-dot-8-billion |publisher=Bloomberg Businessweek |title=Gannett buys the rest of Cars.com for $1.8 billion |date=October 1, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141004083046/http://www.businessweek.com/ap/2014-10-01/gannett-buys-the-rest-of-cars-dot-com-for-1-dot-8-billion |archive-date=2014-10-04 }} Its headquarters are located in Chicago, Illinois.{{cite web|title=Company Facts |url=https://www.cars.com/about/}} Cars.com also offers [https://www.cars.com/news/ expert car reviews, news and research] from its dedicated Editorial team.
History
A 2003 Library Journal survey of automobile-related websites described cars.com as ranked the site positively, noting staff-written reviews that are signed, dated, detailed, and illustrated.Caroline Gilman, [http://lj.libraryjournal.com/2003/01/ljarchives/web-watch-cars/ "Web Watch: Cars"], Library Journal, January 15, 2003. In 2004 the website announced a partnership with Kelley Blue Book and commenced national advertising.{{cite book|title=The Third Screen: Marketing to Your Customers in a World Gone Mobile|url=https://archive.org/details/thirdscreenmarke0000mart|url-access=registration|publisher=Nicholas Brealey Publishing|year=2011|isbn=9781857885644|pages=[https://archive.org/details/thirdscreenmarke0000mart/page/8 8–13]|last1=Martin|first1=Chuck}} [https://books.google.com/books?id=GxE10uOTMbAC&dq=%22cars.com%22&pg=PA13 Excerpts available] at Google Books.{{cite news | title = McClatchy-backed car venture launches national TV campaign | date = May 3, 2004 | url = http://www.bizjournals.com/sacramento/stories/2004/05/03/daily6.html?jst=b_ln_hl | work = Sacramento Business Journal | access-date = 2013-07-24}} In October 2007, it announced plans for its largest marketing campaign ever in early 2008.{{cite news|url=http://tvdecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/10/08/super-bowl-xlii-is-more-than-cx-days-away-but/|work=New York Times|date=18 October 2007|title=Super Bowl XLII Is More Than CX Days Away, But... | first=Stuart | last=Elliott | access-date=28 April 2010}} In the same month, Yahoo! announced plans to receive listings from Cars.com for their Yahoo! Autos service.{{cite news|url=http://www.adweek.com/aw/esearch/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003659033|title=Yahoo! Bets on Open-Network Approach|date=16 October 2007|publisher=Adweek|author=Morrissey, Brian}}
Cars.com was previously owned by Classified Ventures, LLC, a joint venture between Gannett, The McClatchy Company, Tribune, Graham Holdings, and A.H. Belo. On August 5, 2014, Gannett announced that it would buy out the remaining stakes in Classified Ventures it did not already own, for $2.5 billion.{{cite web|last1=Hall|first1=Kevin|title=McClatchy, media partners confirm deal to sell Cars.com|url=http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/2014/08/05/4394086/mcclatchy-media-partners-confirm.html?sp=/99/209/&ihp=1|publisher=The Sun News|access-date=5 August 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140808041518/http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/2014/08/05/4394086/mcclatchy-media-partners-confirm.html?sp=%2F99%2F209%2F&ihp=1|archive-date=8 August 2014|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|last1=Yu|first1=Roger|title=Gannett buying rest of Cars.com for $1.8B|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2014/08/04/gannett-cars-dot-com/13596429/|publisher=USA Today|access-date=5 August 2014}}{{cite web|last1=Sherman|first1=Alex|title=Gannett Agrees to $1.8 Billion Buyout of Cars.com Site|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-08-04/gannett-said-to-agree-to-buy-rest-of-cars-com-for-1-8-billion.html|publisher=USA Today|access-date=5 August 2014}}{{cite web|last1=Hill|first1=Kevin|title=McClatchy, media partners confirm deal to sell Cars.com|url=http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/2014/08/05/4394086/mcclatchy-media-partners-confirm.html?sp=/99/101/|publisher=The Sun News|access-date=6 August 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006083330/http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/2014/08/05/4394086/mcclatchy-media-partners-confirm.html?sp=%2F99%2F101%2F|archive-date=6 October 2014|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|title=McClatchy Announces Agreement to Sell Its 25.6% Stake in Cars.com to Gannett|url=http://www.mcclatchy.com/2014/08/05/3536/mcclatchy-announces-agreement.html|publisher=The McClatchy Company|access-date=6 August 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140808043957/http://www.mcclatchy.com/2014/08/05/3536/mcclatchy-announces-agreement.html|archive-date=8 August 2014}}
In July 2016, Cars.com acquired dealer and service shop rating site DealerRater.{{cite web|url=https://www.autonews.com/article/20160726/RETAIL07/160729908/cars-com-will-buy-dealerrater-to-create-review-giant |title=Cars.com will buy DealerRater to create review giant |website=autonews.com |date=26 July 2016 |access-date=11 July 2019}}
Cars.com was included in the spin-off of Gannett's broadcasting properties as Tegna, Inc. On May 4, 2017, Tegna shareholders approved a plan to spin off Cars.com as a new, publicly traded company; they received a share of the new company, which began trading on the NYSE beginning on June 1, 2017, for every 3 Tegna shares they owned.{{cite web|title=Cars.com Spins Off From Parent TEGNA, Goes Through IPO|url=https://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/300485/carscom-spins-off-from-parent-tegna-goes-through.html|website=Search Marketing Daily|publisher=MediaPost Publications|access-date=5 May 2017}}{{cite web|title=McLean-based Tegna spins off Cars.com|url=http://wtop.com/business-finance/2017/05/mclean-based-tegna-spins-off-cars-com/|publisher=WTOP|access-date=5 May 2017}}
In February 2018, Cars.com announced the acquisition of Dealer Inspire, a digital marketing agency serving automotive dealerships located in Naperville, Illinois.{{cite web|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/brief-carscom-announces-the-acquisition/brief-cars-com-announces-the-acquisition-of-dealer-inspire-and-launch-digital-marketing-idUSASB0C5N8 |title=BRIEF-Cars.Com Announces The Acquisition Of Dealer Inspire And Launch Digital Marketing |website=reuters.com |date=14 February 2018 |access-date=25 January 2020}}{{cite web|url=https://www.builtinchicago.org/2018/02/14/carscom-acquires-dealer-inspire-ldm |title=Cars.com acquires Naperville tech firms in $165M deal |website=builtinchicago.org |date=14 February 2018 |access-date=25 January 2020}}
Marketing
Cars.com has regularly advertised during the Super Bowl, screening adverts in consecutive years.Tim Nudd, [http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/carscom-get-overly-dramatic-super-bowl-ad-mcgarrybowen-146713 "Cars.com to Get Overly Dramatic in Super Bowl Ad From Mcgarrybowen"], Adweek, January 22, 2013.[http://cars.com/superbowl Cars.com Super Bowl Commercial, "Bring OUt Your Confident You"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100211173230/http://www.cars.com/superbowl/ |date=2010-02-11 }}[http://blogs.cars.com/kickingtires/2012/01/help-raise-100000-for-cars-cares.html Cars.com Cares]Tim Nudd, [http://www.adweek.com/adfreak/carscoms-super-bowl-ad-stars-man-and-his-excitable-appendage-137745 "Cars.com's Super Bowl Ad Stars a Man and His Excitable Appendage"], Adweek, January 26, 2012.
Editorial Team
Cars.com’s Editorial team is a source for automotive news, car reviews, videos, comparison tests and more. The Editorial team offers expert reviews and car-shopping content. The Editorial team operates independently of Cars.com’s advertising, sales and sponsored content departments and does not accept free trips or gifts from automakers. Cars.com’s Editorial team is responsible for the American-Made Index,{{Cite web |last=Garsten |first=Ed |title=Cars.Com American Made Index Reveals No All-American Vehicles |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/edgarsten/2024/06/18/carscom-american-made-index-reveals-no-all-american-vehicles/ |access-date=2025-01-31 |website=Forbes |language=en}} which tracks the most-American new cars made. Cars.com editor, Mike Hanley, is a juror on the North American Car, Truck and Utility Vehicle of the Year{{Cite web |title=Meet the NACTOY Jurors - North American Car Utility & Truck of the Year |url=https://northamericancaroftheyear.org/jurors/ |access-date=2025-01-31 |website=North American Car, Truck and Utility of the Year |language=en-US}} panel of automotive experts, while its Editor-in-Chief Jennifer Newman is a juror on the World Car Award{{Cite web |title=Jurors :: World Car Awards |url=https://worldcarawards.com/web/juror_list.asp |access-date=2025-01-31 |website=worldcarawards.com}} panel. Cars.com editors Jennifer Geiger and Jennifer Newman are certified child passenger safety technicians and perform Cars.com’s Car Seat Checks.
Television
Since July 1998, Cars.com has been in partnership with the Magliozzis of Car Talk{{cite web |title=Company History |url=http://www.cars.com/go/about/us.jsp?section=C&content=hist&aff=national |access-date=20 April 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110419213553/http://www.cars.com/go/about/us.jsp?section=C&content=hist&aff=national |archive-date=19 April 2011 }} and the website includes a Cartalk advice section.
Cars.com also partners with MotorWeek on PBS to provide online access to MotorWeek reviews.{{cite web |title=Business Partners |url=http://www.cars.com/go/about/us.jsp?section=C&content=part&aff=national |access-date=20 April 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110419214024/http://www.cars.com/go/about/us.jsp?section=C&content=part&aff=national |archive-date=19 April 2011 }}
References
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Category:Online automotive companies of the United States
Category:Online marketplaces of the United States
Category:Internet properties established in 1998
Category:Retail companies established in 1998
Category:2014 mergers and acquisitions
Category:Former Gannett subsidiaries
Category:Companies based in Chicago