Goodyear adds new phone app to connect buyers to tire dealers

By going to the tire maker’s website on any browser-enabled handheld, potential patrons will automatically be forwarded to a new page where they will see a purpose-built section for selecting a Goodyear tire dealer.

Once there, users will see a tire/retailer selection process by vehicle, tire size or tire name. This functionality includes the identification of retail locations, tire categorization, tire recommendations and MSRP (Manufacturers Suggested Retail Pricing).

“This is an investment by Goodyear in making the effort to connect shoppers with retailers, especially at the times when the need for tire purchasing becomes more urgent,” says Mike Dauberman, director of interactive marketing.

“It is a role in which mobile tools really shine, giving consumers on-the- go research capability and flexibility as they strive to make the most informed purchase decision, often in a shortened amount of time,” he explains.

There are also sections for retailer locator, promotions, warranty, click- to-call and “Contact Us.”

The site takes advantage of GPS capabilities of many smart phones to automatically display retailer locations nearest to the user, says Dauberman.

. The new mobile device site was developed to work on all mobile phones and smart phones that have a web browser. The experience is optimized for each device, which means the functionality works, but the visual experience varies based on the individual unit’s capabilities. This includes supported mobile devices such as Android, WebOS, iPhone and Blackberry.

Electronic tablet users will see the traditional desktop site rather than the mobile device site, as that is a more appropriate experience for tablet-size screens, according to Dauberman.

“The introduction of the mobile site is an evolutionary step as Goodyear continues to offer consumers the tools they need to make smart purchase decisions,” he says.