Growing enthusiasm for information technology is spurring Japanese carmakers to introduce online automotive services in an effort to cultivate new customers and establish efficient procurement systems.
While many automakers are trying to reinforce their online businesses, Toyota Motor Corp., Japan's No. 1 carmaker, is taking the lead in B2C (business to consumer) services with its Gazoo.com site.
Since Toyota opened the site in April 1998, the number of monthly visitors to the site -- comprised of an automotive information and a service mall as well as shopping malls that sell other items, including CDs -- has more than doubled to 2 million from the previous year.