Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. is putting increased emphasis on its XPLOR extranet system to sell its Fortera light truck tire to independent dealers.
XPLOR is the company's business-to-business Web site which links its retailers to corporate headquarters in Akron.
XPLOR users can click on a banner ad for Fortera and get marketing information, technical presentations, press releases and a "live" tire order form.
"This is a first for Goodyear," said Marketing Manager Steve Myers. "We've never touched our customers with so much information so quickly."
The company wants its dealers to use its XPLOR Web site for information on its tire brands, marketing strategy, financial status and more. Goodyear says it also uses it to review past tire orders to tailor tire specials or information for each dealer.
