By Rachael McBride, Consumer Public Relations Manager, carsales.com.au
Online auto pricing powerhouse, RedBook, has printed its last used-car values guide. The June 2020 RedBook print edition brings to an end the 70 year history of hardcopy auto pricing guides, almost 20 years after the service introduced digital delivery.
RedBook was founded in the 1940s by motor vehicle wrecker, Keith Watson Halfhide. Originally, RedBook catalogued and identified used parts, offering pocket-sized identification manuals and pricing guides with the first formal circulation in 1949.
Since then Redbook pricing guides have become an industry staple, not just in the auto space but in motorcycles, boats and other key vehicle marketplaces.
The final print edition signs off the traditional hardcopy format.
“After watching RedBook transition through so many different technologies, from a small company to a global force in automotive information, it’s a historic moment to see this last edition go to print,” said RedBook General Manager, Ross Booth.
“We continued to support our loyal long term customers who loved the printed copies and kept their own libraries as long as we could. With the majority of our customers already transitioned to RedBook online, now is the time to reinforce digital,” continued Booth.
RedBook pioneered digital delivery with services purpose built for the early days of portable devices and again more recently for smartphone and tablet devices as technology has evolved.
RedBook continues to set the benchmark as a technological leader and innovator – providing highquality automotive specification data, historical and future price guides for dealers, sales people, valuers, financiers and insurers via its desktop and mobile applications.
The Redbook.com.au consumer site also attracts an average monthly unique audience of 445,530, and is Australia’s favourite vehicle specification and data website.
“RedBook’s data is trusted and relied upon by the industry and the general public. While we are closing one chapter in RedBook’s history, our digital offering is continuing to evolve,” stated Booth. “Our online presence provides information quickly and efficiently, and needs to keep up with the evergrowing demands of the automotive industry,” Booth commented.
“As a 100% digital business we have even more flexibility, which is a plus for all of our customers,” Booth stated.
The final print edition of RedBook, The Australian reference to cars, four-wheel drives and light commercial vehicles – June 2020, will be distributed this week.
RedBook currently operates in nine countries with a number of online products for motor vehicles, bikes, boats, caravans and construction equipment. RedBook data is supplied to a variety of industries including Automotive, Finance, Insurance and Government Departments.