General Motors and eBay Motors today will end their trial program that enabled consumers to bid for new GM cars from some 225 California dealerships.
Now, auto industry analysts wonder if the California-exclusive program will someday return as a national effort.
GM spokesman John McDonald on Tuesday characterized the eBay experiment that began on Aug. 11 "a success," but said GM wanted to wrap it up on the scheduled date and concentrate on other national incentive programs.
McDonald said the automaker would take what it learned and apply it to future marketing efforts.
GM said the eBay program generated 1.5 million Web visits and more than 15,000 customer leads, although the company did not say how many cars were sold as a direct result of the eBay link.
Rob Chesney, vice president of eBay Motors — an arm of the San Jose-based eBay — said ending the GM program was not indicative of any problems and hinted that future programs might spring up with other automakers.
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