FTC Challenges CDK Global, Inc.’s Proposed Acquisition of Competitor Auto/Mate, Inc.

Acquisition would harm competition in dealer management system software for new car…

Albany, NY – March 20, 2018​ – The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has blocked Auto/Mate Dealership System’s pending acquisition by CDK Global.

In April 2017, the two companies signed an agreement outlining terms…

It wasn’t all that long ago that dealers were limited to just a few forms of advertising: print, radio and television.

Then along came the Internet, which provided more opportunities to reach consumers including websites, third party listing sites, banner ads, PPC and e-mail. Soon, social networks…

The government has shifted its gaze and is currently squarely centered on the automotive retail space. Government agencies, including the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), are now paying close attention to the practices and marketing efforts of dealers -- and they’re doing so with the aid of consumers. In fact, the CFPB is…

Follow the Lead: An FTC Workshop on Lead Generation

Oct 30, 2015…

In this highly regulated industry, there has been some recent debate as to if dealership salespeople should be allowed to establish and control their own personal branding.

In the past, personal branding by salespeople was geographically restricted, simply because the technology didn’t exist to go much further.…

Just like in the blockbuster series “The Lord of the Rings”, the Eye of Mordor is always open. Until now, its focus has been on larger battles and more interesting things. Then a Hobbit found a golden ring and slipped it on his finger. And the Eye started paying attention to this little being that had avoided the Eye’s gaze… until now.



The intersection of…

It’s no secret that the FTC has been monitoring brand usage of social media.

The hammer finally fell when the FTC ruled last week that companies and agencies utilizing social media must include disclaimers. This is regardless of the social media platform and whether or not the account is a…

As security breaches and data theft become more commonplace, businesses will encounter increasing regulatory and consumer pressure to protect that data. I’ve written numerous articles on the importance of data security in dealerships, especially when dealers share that sensitive customer information with their vendor partners.

According to a recent…

FTC acknowledges auto dealer probe after discovery bust-up...

Edited Excerpt from Article Written by Harry Phillips…

Data security is becoming an increasingly public concern as databases from large retailers continue to be breached and consumer information exposed. Congress is holding hearings this week with top data security professionals to discuss how best to prevent future breaches. The concern is so high that Congress is considering implementing…

Recent Federal Trade Commission (FTC) crackdowns against dealerships have drawn attention to the changing dynamics of automotive advertising. While FTC interventions have caused turmoil for some, most auto dealers don’t buy into running too good-to-be true ads. Some dealers even pride themselves on being straight with their customers.

The challenge for these dealers now lies with…

TrueCar Update

After the trouble…

You’ll always hear me say, “the minute you’ve lost your perspective as the consumer, you’ll never have any perspective as a marketer.”  Whether you’re actually a marketer or a businessperson of any kind in any industry whatsoever, the same rule applies.  Online reviews don’t just “appear,” and much like a doctor’s advice after a heart attack, “the signs were there, we just didn’t see them or they were ignored.”  There is a process by which online reviews come to be published…

Yeah, in the most absurd move ever, the FTC has determined that Twitter is not excluded from regulatory laws requiring full disclosure on products or services. TheWall Street Journal reports that any disclosures that would apply to any other advertising also apply to…

In the course of day-to-day business, dealerships collect personal information from consumers, including names, addresses, and phone numbers; bank and credit card account numbers; income and credit histories; and Social Security numbers.

The…

The United States FTC is looking into the possibility of pursuing an anti-trust case against search engine giant Google.  

Sources close to the FTC say that four FTC commissioners: "have become convinced after more than a year of investigation that…