In a move aimed at further expanding its automotive e-commerce presence, Microsoft Corp. today announced it signed deals with two firms to distribute its CarPoint online automotive service.
Under terms of an agreement with AutoSite, a vehicle research site, Carpoint’s New Car Buying Service will be made available to AutoSite users, while online community Infospace will feature CarPoint as its exclusive provider of automotive listings.
Financial terms were not disclosed.
AutoSite visitors can click on a direct link to the CarPoint Web site where they can submit a purchase request, and get price quotes and other information from a local dealer, the company said.
“The agreement with Microsoft CarPoint extends our service into the purchasing cycle,” said Wayne Lilley, AutoSite CEO. “Consumers can now purchase a new vehicle from their own home without the pressure of negotiating with salespeople on the showroom floor. The AutoSite/CarPoint relationship makes it much easier for consumers to buy the right car at the right price.”
Visitors to InfoSpace are able to view CarPoint’s car listings and submit
requests for dealer price quotes and other information pertaining to
new-car purchases.
“InfoSpace is known for bringing consumers and vendors together through its
classifieds and electronic commerce directories,” said Naveen Jain,
president and CEO of InfoSpace. “Working with Microsoft CarPoint will give
visitors to our Web site a fast, easy way to find the information about
new- and used-car purchases directly from a PC desktop.”
Microsoft CarPoint is an end-to-end automobile research and buying Web service.