Who is Cars.com?

Cars.com is an automotive-industry leading e-commerce website providing customers the opportunity to buy or sell a car. If customers want to buy a car, they are able to search the Cars.com database to find the specific make, model and price they desire, then send a lead to the seller of that car. Cars.com also has a program for people looking to sell their car. Customers can purchase an ad and customize it to their satisfaction, including up to 12 photos.
Cars.com provides consumers with in-depth, easy-to-use information and tools, including the ability to:

• Search vehicle listings by ZIP code, vehicle make, model and year.
• Submit a lead to a car dealer.
• Select which dealer(s) to contact.
• View daily updated dealer inventories and classified ad listings for new and used cars.
• Sign up for their own personalized automotive website that provides service reminders, maintenance updates and recall information, as well as tracks vehicle mileage.
• Sell their vehicle by creating a custom ad that includes a photo and is accessible to potential buyers through the used-car search pathway.
• And more.

Cars.com is a destination for consumers; it provides users with the tools, resources and most pertinent information available to make all automotive decisions, including the ability to:

• Select a car.
• Choose a local dealer.
• Sell their car individually.

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What is the Cars.com Marketing Program?

The Cars.com Marketing Program is for administrators of any website. The uniqueness of Cars.com can provide benefits to every internet car shopper, and as you already know, we want to pay you when you refer a visitor to our site. We'll provide you with banners, buttons and text links you can post on your site.

• We'll pay your organization a $1.50 commission for each visitor you bring to Cars.com who submits an emailed lead for a new or used car.
• Additionally, we'll pay $4.50 for each visitor you refer who lists a vehicle for sale on Cars.com. It's that simple.

When you link your site to Cars.com, you're in complete control. Use your website to promote Cars.com as much as you'd like. You will receive a commission check each month, and you can track your earnings daily.

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Is the Cars.com Marketing Program free to join?

Yes, it is free. There is no cost to join the program.

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What is Commission Junction?

Cars.com has teamed with Commission Junction, a leader in third-party affiliate marketing programs, to provide site publishers with trusted third-party tracking, real-time reporting and monthly commission checks. Once you sign up for our program, you'll be taken to Commission Junction's site, where you'll create your own personal and secure account. You can log in there at any time to get our banners and links, find out about commissions earned and even learn how many impressions each of your links has received.

Join now!

How do I add links?

Once you sign up for our Marketing Program, you'll have access to a variety of banners, buttons and text links you can add to your site. You can log in to your account through Commission Junction at any time to see a list of our available banners and text links. Once logged in, select "Cars.com" in the Current Merchant Partner area. You'll now see our information page. Select "Show Links" toward the bottom. Choose your desired link, and select "Get HTML." Copy and paste the HTML code to your webpage. It's that easy!

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How many Cars.com links can I add to my site?

You can add as many links — banners, buttons and text links — as you'd like.

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May I use the Cars.com logo or Cars.com's content on my site?

You will have access to a wide variety of banners, buttons and text links after signing up for our program. You are welcome to use any of the graphics and text links provided through this program. You may not alter or modify any banners or buttons without obtaining prior written permission from Cars.com. You also must secure permission before using any Cars.com content that was not created solely for this program, as well as any third party's copyrighted materials, on your site. If you are unsure about your rights to use or modify the materials for your website, please contact us.

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What if I have more than one website?

We certainly recommend adding our links to all your websites. In fact, we encourage it! Tracking will still take place through Commission Junction. All your sites will be listed under one account.

How do I check the status of my account?

Once your application is approved, you will receive an email notification that welcomes you to our program. This will include your Commission Junction password, so be sure to make note of it. To see your account status, log in to Commission Junction at http://www.cj.com. Once you're logged in, you can see your account balance at the top center of your screen and get instant site statistics under the "Generate Reports" area on the right.

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When do I get paid?

Once you join our program, you'll be able to log into your account at http://www.cj.com and go to the area titled "Generate Report." Here you can see how much you've earned and even download a file. Commission Junction automatically sends out earnings every month via checks to all participants who have accumulated at least $25 in their account. There are no invoices to send and no data to track.

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If a visitor doesn't submit a new- or used-car lead or list a vehicle for sale, will I still get a commission when he or she goes back to Cars.com?

When a visitor clicks through your site and visits Cars.com, as long as he or she submits a new- or used-car lead or lists a vehicle for sale within 45 days, you will earn a commission.

Are there any restrictions regarding who can join?

We'd like everyone to promote Cars.com, but there are cases where we cannot allow certain sites to participate in our Marketing Program. We will evaluate your application in good faith and notify you of your acceptance or rejection. We may reject your application if we determine, at our sole discretion, that your site is unsuitable or ineligible for the program.
Unsuitable sites include, but are not limited to, those that:

• Promote sexually explicit materials.
• Promote violence.
• Promote illegal activities.
• Promote discrimination based on race, sex, religion, nationality, disability, sexual orientation or age.
• Include "cars.com" or variations or misspellings thereof in their domain names.
• Otherwise violate intellectual property rights.

Ineligible sites include those that:

• Are currently a Cars.com newspaper affiliate site through Classified Ventures, LLC.
• Have a paid advertising or distribution agreement with Cars.com.

If we reject your application, you are welcome to reapply to the program at any time. You also should note that if we accept your application and your site is thereafter determined, at our sole discretion, to be unsuitable for the program, we may terminate the agreement.

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Do I need to sign any kind of agreement?

There is nothing for you to sign, but you must agree to the terms of the Commission Junction agreement before you join the program. You can review the agreement during the enrollment process. Click here to get started.

What if I live outside the United States?

We welcome you to join our program and help promote Cars.com to your visitors, but we currently have access only to car dealers and classified ads in the United States. If your site attracts only visitors from outside the United States, you likely will not generate any revenue from adding our link. On the other hand, if you believe you get a variety of visitors from all countries, including the United States, your site may ultimately benefit.

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What if I have more questions?

For additional questions about the Cars.com's Marketing Program, please contact us.