More of us car shoppers are researching 2010 and 2011 models from our mobile phones. The website Cars.com, which launched a mobile site in 2007, reports a surge in mobile shopping activity since the launch of its iPhone car shopping app in February.
As much as 10 percent of Cars.com’s traffic now comes via a mobile phone or smart phone such as a BlackBerry, Android or iPhone. Hand-held comparison shopping now accounts for a quarter of the site’s total page views.
“The iPhone app already accounts for 60 percent of our overall mobile traffic,” said Mitch Golub, Cars.com president, with more than 200,000 downloads in the first month. He calls mobile car shopping a game-changer.
I call it a money-saver. With the mobile apps, you can compare prices directly from a dealer lot, and get the information to negotiate a better price than what the dealer or salesperson may be offering. Cars.com also lets you to research certified used cars by mobile phone.
But nothing is free. The Cars.com comparison pricing mobile app now has a sponsor. You’ll see ads from Lexus, the first manufacturer to sign up.
I hope one of those ads is safety-related, and reminds you not to type while you are driving, text while you are driving, or dial while you are driving. Because OMG, such driver distraction can be deadly — as I reported on Examiner.com
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