Dear Autobytel, Dealix, Edmunds & KBB,
Dear Autobytel, Dealix, Edmunds & KBB,
I would like some answers from you on a serious matter. Please continue reading.
Saturday I was experimenting with TrueCar to check out pricing on vehicles in Rochester, NY market. I used my real name, I used an e-mail address that I typically direct junk mail to and I used a phone number that was one digit different than my own. I was also using a computer with an IP address that would reflect my previous shopping habits.
I received TrueCar pricing information from dealers on the e-mail address I provided, but noticed there were no Rochester dealers using TrueCar. The closest dealers using TrueCar were in Syracuse and surrounding communities.
Early Monday morning I start receiving e-mails from third party lead providers thanking me for submitting my information. The e-mails were on the same vehicles I shopped on TrueCar. Coincidence, I think not! Now here is where it gets interesting, my data had been corrected to reflect my current e-mail, and my current phone number. I also started receiving phone calls from dealers. I am guessing my information could have been taken was from the DMS of the dealership where I last purchased my Infiniti.
My questions to you, where did my lead originate from and how did you get my information?
I have been communicating with KBB and they are telling me that a lead was filled out on their website. I know that is not possible since I was not on their website.
I plan to get to the bottom of this even if it requires me to spend thousands in attorney fees. I would prefer one of you come clean and provide me with the answers.
If I was a betting man, I would bet that TrueCar sold my information to a company that in turn sold it to you. Could there reasoning for doing this be due to the lack of the Rochester, NY dealers using TrueCar? What is the going price for selling lead information these days?
Below are images of the e-mails I received from your companies. I look forward to hearing from all of you regarding this matter. If you need more information, please reach out to me.
Thank you,
Jerry Thibeau
President
Phone Ninjas
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Jerry Thibeau on
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Oh and notice how all the e-mails came to me within 10 minutes of each other. They all got the data from the same place. They were obviously sold this information.
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My apologies to the four lead providers I mentioned since this appears to be the sinister work of TrueCar.
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New Update Check This Out!
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They are truly up to no good! There has to be a reason why TrueCar is doing this. Let's figure this out people!
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Nothing like a hot shower to get the thinking cap going. So here is my theory or should we say conspiracy theory.
TrueCar is high and mighty on their program, not to mention arrogant and deceitful. Here is what’s happening: The lead arrives to TrueCar, they quickly submit the information to their clients who start marketing to the customers. Then a day or two later, TrueCar has an automated program that populates other 3rd party lead sites directly. TrueCar only submits the to these sites when they know they have no dealers on their program in that particular zip code. Why do this you ask? That’s the question I’ve been pondering for days now. It took me a while, but here it is. The AutobyTel, Dealex, Edmunds & KBB dealers arrive to the party a day or two late. The TrueCar dealers have made contact and are on their way to a sale. The other third party dealers start making the calls and they get the following from the customer, “sorry we’re all set, we’re going with ABC motors and we have a TrueCar price.” Not to mention customers get frustrated by all the e-mail and phone activity making TruCar look like the knight in shining armor. Internet managers start complaining that they are losing sales to other dealers and TrueCar. They convince the boss that they too need to be on TrueCar and TrueCar has added another customer to its ranks. Not to mention they drive the value of other lead providers down since dealers are paying for junk leads that have already been worked by TrueCar dealers.
Brilliant marketing plan on the part of TrueCar if this in fact true. My guess it’s True after what I have seen.
AutobyTel, Dealex, Edmunds & KBB, my apologies to all four of you. It appears we are all part of a scam organized by TrueCar. You all need to examine your leads and see if you can determine a pattern of origination.
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Permalink Reply by Stan Sher on
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My good friend who works for Edmunds told me at Digital Dealer that Edmunds wants nothing to do with TrueCar and in fact is plotting to go after TrueCar and take them down. Was I misinformed or was he just defending his company?
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Autobytel has been contacted as I reached out to an executive out there who I have relationship with.
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Scott Painter had his people call me. Scott Painter wants to have a call with me. What do you all think? Should I do it? You think he wants to offer me a job? Perhaps fly me in to show me his operations to try to prove to me that he is legit? Please let me know your thoughts and opinions. If anything comes out of this to anyone is that even little ole me can get the personal attention of someone as huge as Scott Painter. This comes to show you that if you use the internet the right way you can get attention from the way up.
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