Autobytel Eyes Europe

This quarter, Autobytel.com plans to open its first Web site aimed at car buyers in other countries. But instead of focusing on neighboring countries or particularly large car markets, Autobytel.com’s new Web site is directed at Sweden, Finland, Norway and Denmark.

“They have the highest Internet penetration rates,” Lorimer said. “They were a natural for us because all the citizenry is on the Internet.”

Besides using a different language and offering different cars, the Web site also will place a higher emphasis on used cars than the U.S.-focused Web site does, Lorimer said. Tax structures in Europe tend to encourage companies to buy new cars for their employees’ use, while individuals tend to buy used cars, Lorimer said.

As Autobytel.com expands into other countries, it is learning that “car buying is a consummately local experience,” Lorimer said.

For example, in Germany and Japan, “car salespeople are seen as high-end customer service folks and viewed with a great deal of respect,” Lorimer said. “So in those countries, our program would be modified from a marketing perspective because we’re not meeting customers’ need for a consumer-friendly experience. They have that already.”

Instead, in those countries Autobytel.com might emphasize its ease of use and the added information that it offers, Lorimer said.

Autobytel.com plans to open a United Kingdom site in the second quarter this year.

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Jonathan Gaw covers technology and electronic commerce for The Times. He can be reached at (714) 966-7818 and at jonathan.gaw@latimes.com.