Kelley Blue Book Wants to Change How Online Leads Are Bought and Sold

After Kelley Blue Book's relationship with AutoTrader.com ended prematurely this June, it immediately devised a strategy to take on the industry behemoths, AutoTrader and Cars.com.

Read the entire story here.

KBB is launching a pay-per-performance model (also called pay-per-lead) directly contrasting with the subscription models of Cars.com and AutoTrader. It's a gutsy move, perhaps born out of some measure of desperation.

Kelley has the brand and the consumer visits, but it lacks the inventory and, some say, technological prowess to be successful. It is partnering with Vast, however, to provide it with the necessary technology. Vast's goal is to create a network of lead providers that collectively will be powerful enough to force Cars.com and AutoTrader.com into the pay-per-lead model.

My guess is, dealers will continue doing business with Cars.com and AutoTrader in the subscription model, but certainly will play with Kelley and others pushing the pay-per-lead model.

What do think? Will Kelley succeed?