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- Noun. Decision Support System
- computer-based systems that bring together information from a variety of sources, assist in the organization and analysis of information, and facilitate the evaluation of assumptions underlying the use of specific models.
- Dr. Vicki Sauter -
Analysis of a Decision Support System
Buying An Automobile and Edmunds.com
- Edmunds.com Supports the Automotive Consumer's Decision
- The Decision Role Supported by Edmunds.com
- The Characterization of Edmunds.com
- Input Information, Knowledge Presentation and Knowledge Selection
- The Benefits of Edmunds.com
Edmunds.com Supports the Automotive Consumer's Decision
The site publishes new and used automotive pricing guides to assist automobile buyers in their auto buying decision.
This is done through the use of various tools like available to buyers; the most impressive of which is edmunds.com’s suite
of True Market Value® (TMV®) pricing tools. These tools provide the estimated average price consumers are paying for vehicles.
There is also a tool to let the buyer know how much it will truly cost to own a new vehicle over the full term of ownership.
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The Decision Role Supported by Edmunds.com
The system supports the user in the acquisition of knowledge about a vehicle and provides guidance in the purchase or sale of
automobiles. It does this by providing information about the type of vehicle itself (customer reviews, ratings, specs, as well as
a maintenance guide), the current selling price of the vehicle with the options specified by the user, tips for financing, and a
calculation of the expected payments.
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The Characterization of Edmunds.com
Edmunds.com is a key link between the consumer and seller in the automotive decision making process. Through the decision support system, edmunds.com, the consumer can gain valuable knowledge about new and used cars, product
information in the form of reviews, tips and advice for both pre/post purchase, and other various consumer tools at their fingertips. On the flip side, edmunds.com enables the seller, an automotive dealer, the ability to communicate
and quote bids to potential buyers. If this isn't enough, the edmunds.com user can communicate online with area specialists, sellers, and other consumers for additional information.
Edmunds.com can eliminate some of the major problems encountered between the consumer and seller. For instance, the intimidation factor most consumers may experience during the buying process, which is virtually eliminated by using
edmunds.com. Other factors that may be eliminated are unique to each individual; the unsavvy automotive consumer, the ability to absorb large quantities in a pressure situation, deciding on various available options and knowing about those items,
and the list can go on. Using edmunds.com, the consumer works at their own pace, and may store their information in a personal account, MyEdmunds, to review later.
Edmunds.com offers support such as tips and advice to guide the consumer through their buying experience. Additionally, edmunds.com offers finance support, insurance support, warranty support and professional product support. The most
unique feature is the Town Hall section of edmunds.com. Here the user is able to join forums specific to their vehicle, such as the Mercury Cougar Support Group.
As a user of the web site, edmunds.com supports visitors with various search features, site directories, and general online user help to make your decisions more meaningful.
Using edmunds.com its apparent the user is in need of automotive consumer information, which edmunds provides for both new and used cars. However, the user is not required to be in the market for a new vehicle to have a need for the
edmunds.com decision support system. Many tools are available for both pre and post vehicle purchase. Information is available for everything from audio systems, insurance, maintenance, automotive forums, parts, and driving tips. Virtually
anything you wish to know about vehicles is found on edmunds.com.
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Input Information, Knowledge Presentation and Knowledge Selection
Edmunds.com gives users a huge database from which to learn about almost every facet of a car. From used to new cars, from reviews to prices,
Edmunds has it all. Edmunds even has discussion boards were up to the minute car information can be shared between users. With all of this information
available, it could be hard to find the information but Edmunds has designed its' interface to breakdown the information into concise areas that address
the users specific needs by having specific labels for each information grouping. From the outset the interface the user sees gives them the choice to match their needs and knowledge with the information that
Edmunds offers. If new cars is what the user wants to find out about then it is clear the new car label, clearly labeled, is what should be clicked on. From there the more knowledge that the user has the more specific
information can be deduced through more labels and links. Even if the user is a novice when it comes to cars, the site gives them a variety of options to take their limited knowledge and lead them to the information to make a
better decision about their car or potential car. The organization of the information is crucial to any successful web site and in this decision support system (edmunds.com) the information is organized so that any user,
a novice or a expert, can find the desired information quickly. The flexibility of Edmunds.com makes it a productive source of knowledge about cars, but also ensures that the information is easy to find.
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The Benefits of Edmunds.com
The Decision Support System implemented at Edmunds.com provides many benefits to the customer visiting the site. The first is the amount of quality information provided to the
customer. Everything from raw statistics of all the vehicles to previous customer's reviews are accessible with just a few mouse clicks. None of it is forced on
the customer but is easy to get to if they want to see it. Another benefit is that the DSS supports the entire car buying process. While just choosing a vehicle
and options is handled on edmunds.com, car insurance, price quotes, and car loans are available through links on screen. These links take the customer to affiliated
sites that offer the selected service. Finally locating a nearby dealership is also supported by Edmunds' DSS. After a car has been selected, fitted with options, and
body color a list of local dealers is shown along with the option to get a confirming price quote.
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