NEW YORK — Inc. magazine today ranked DealerRater, the nation’s largest and most trusted source for consumer reviews of automotive dealers, #137 on its 31st annual Inc. 500|5000 list, an exclusive ranking of the nation’s fastest-growing private companies. The list represents the most comprehensive look at the most important segment of the economy—America’s independent entrepreneurs. Companies such as Microsoft, Zappos, Intuit, Jamba Juice, Zipcar, Clif Bar, Vizio, Oracle, and many other well-known names gained early exposure as members of the Inc. 500|5000.
“I’m very proud of this recognition, which is a wonderful testament to the hard work and passion for the business that each of our employees exhibit every day,” said Chip Grueter, president of DealerRater. “It also represents yet another strong validation of the importance of online consumer reviews in the automotive industry and effectiveness of the web-based tools that we’ve developed exclusively for our Certified Dealers. We’re still at the forefront of the consumer revolution and DealerRater is proud to be leading the way for car dealerships. ”
With 2012 representing the company’s 10-year anniversary, DealerRater enjoys distinction as the first and largest third-party review web site dedicated solely to automotive dealerships. In addition to the increasing volume of consumer reviews, the DealerRater® site has demonstrated persistent growth over the past three years in both total web site visitors as well as the number of U.S. and Canadian dealers that have embraced DealerRater’s popular Certified Dealer Program. Certified Dealers are able to connect with DealerRater’s 9.5 million web site visitors while demonstrating an utmost commitment to quality customer service.
The 2012 Inc. 500, unveiled in the September issue of Inc. (available on newsstands August 21 to November 15 and on Inc.com), is the most competitive crop in the list’s history. To make the cut, companies had to have achieved a staggering minimum of 770% in sales growth. The Inc. 500’s aggregate revenue is $15.7 billion, with a median three-year growth of 1,431 percent. The companies on this year’s Inc. 500 employ more than 48,000 people and generated over 40,000 jobs in the past three years. Complete results of the Inc. 500|5000, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, region, and other criteria, can be found at www.inc.com/500.
“Now, more than ever, we depend on Inc. 500/5000 companies to spur innovation, provide jobs, and drive the economy forward. Growth companies, not large corporations, are where the action is,” says Inc. magazine Editor Eric Schurenberg.
DealerRater was founded in 2002 as the first car dealer review website worldwide. DealerRater is the world’s #1 online resource for anyone seeking trusted third-party information on automobile dealerships and is ranked #137 on the 2012 Inc. 500 List, an exclusive ranking of the nation’s fastest-growing private companies. DealerRater features more than 41,000 U.S. and Canadian car dealers, nearly 800,000 user reviews and over 1,000,000 cars for sale. DealerRater attracts more than 9.5 million consumers every year who visit the site to search for car dealerships, read current reviews, write their own descriptive reviews, and find car deals – all for free. Car dealers are rated on the criteria of customer service, quality of work, friendliness, price and overall experience. In addition, DealerRater offers qualified car dealers a Certified Dealer Program as a reputation management tool to help them grow their online presence and achieve higher SEO rankings across the Web. Today, more than 4,400 dealers are members of DealerRater’s Certified Dealer Program. For more information, visit www.DealerRater.com or call 800-266-9455.
Methodology
The 2012 Inc. 500|5000 is ranked according to percentage revenue growth when comparing 2008 to 2011. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2008. They had to be U.S.-based, privately held, for profit, and independent—not subsidiaries or divisions of other companies—as of December 31, 2011. (Since then, a number of companies on the list have gone public or been acquired.) The minimum revenue required for 2008 is $100,000; the minimum for 2011 is $2 million. As always, Inc. reserves the right to decline applicants for subjective reasons. Companies on the Inc. 500 are featured in Inc.’s September issue. They represent the top tier of the Inc. 5000, which can be found at www.inc.com/500.
About Inc.
Founded in 1979 and acquired in 2005 by Mansueto Ventures, Inc. is the only major brand dedicated exclusively to owners and managers of growing private companies, with the aim to deliver real solutions for today’s innovative company builders. Total monthly audience reach for the brand has grown significantly from 2,000,000 in 2010 to over 6,000,000 today. For more information, visit www.inc.com.
About the Inc. 500|5000 Conference
Each year, Inc. and Inc.com celebrate the remarkable achievements of today’s entrepreneurial superstars—the privately held small businesses that drive our economy. The Inc. 500|5000 Conference & Awards Ceremony brings together members of the Inc. community, both a new class of Inc. 500|5000 honorees and the list’s alumni, for three days of powerful networking, inspired learning, and momentous celebration. Please join us October 3–5, 2011, at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort & Spa in Phoenix, Arizona. For more information about the 2012 Inc. 500|5000 Conference & Awards Ceremony and to register, visit www.inc500conference.com or call 866-901-3205.