Microsoft Bing Adds Automobile Search Features, Amidst Fierce Competition
Powered through the listings in the MSN Autos Marketplace, Microsoft Bing now has new automobile search features to enable people searching to find the ideal car.
Consumers can search for specific car makes and models, with filters that drill down to features, options and budgets.
Broader searches are also available, such as “SUV for sale.” This returns different search results, like popular SUVs, and provides the ability to browse by brand or body style. From results like these a user sees options relevant to their search, as well as other filters to help revise or expand options.
If proximity or immediate need is important, search results shown from the Bing home page also provides options available at nearby dealerships.
When beginning a search from the Autos Marketplace, consumers will find vehicle information, and browse-by-map views that shows nearby dealerships, as well as real-time inventory available.
Bing search then provides shoppers with expert reviews from trusted publications, video content, owner reviews as well as local inventory.
Microsoft also allows consumers to list their car for sale on MSN autos by filling out a form that will post when the vehicle is ready for sale.
Competition, however, continues to increase. GM announced in January that it will launch a used-vehicle selling website called CarBravo that will leverage its dealer network and the approximately half-million used vehicles in stock.
Customers will have an option to shop online or at a GM dealership, a network of 4,200. The Black Book price will provide the ability give “guaranteed online offers” to buy customers’ vehicles even if they don’t buy another one using the website.
As Automotive News reported, those dealers have 400,000 used vehicles in inventory annually, and GM Financial has another half a million. Carvana, which saw 74% growth year over year as of late 2021, said in a report that it sold 111,949 used vehicles to customers in the third quarter.
Microsoft Bing did not mention whether the site provides lead generation for dealerships or third-party websites that sell cars, or mention whether MSN Autos Marketplace has or will have the ability to process sales for dealers.
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