FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., March 17 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- AutoNation, Inc. (NYSE: AN), America's largest automotive retailer is providing a silver lining in a dreary auto market. WomenCertified and AutoNationDirect today announced the launch of Car Buying Her Way, a collaborative online car buying experience created especially for women.

Backed by customer research specific to women in the auto market, Car Buying Her Way (CBHW) unites the turnkey online sales platform of AutoNationDirect with WomenCertified's women-friendly customer service approach.

'Eight in ten women feel undue pressure when browsing a dealership showroom, and an equal number won't visit a dealership without a male companion,' said WomenCertified's founder Delia Passi, CEO of Medelia Inc. and author of Winning the Toughest Customer: The Essential Guide to Selling to Women. 'We're not only trying to change that one dealership at a time through the WomenCertified program, but we've also developed Car Buying Her Way as a stress-free alternative to a process that is necessary but frustrating for so many women.'

The difference in the CBHW experience is manifold. First, all vehicles listed on CBHW site are offered at pre-negotiated pricing, providing a haggle-free and consequently less stressful car buying process. According to Edmunds.com, when asked to pick metaphors for the auto negotiation process, men picked 'winning a ballgame' and a 'wrestling match,' while women picked 'going to the dentist.' The same study also showed that women are two and a half times more apprehensive about haggling over pricing than men are. Eliminating the need for negotiation, CBHW allows customers to connect with salespeople as partners rather than adversaries.

Next, CBHW customers are guided through the car buying process via phone and the web by a dedicated Personal Auto Shopper, each of whom have completed WomenCertified's communication and customer service training. 'AutoNationDirect's Personal Shoppers provide a complete concierge experience from start to finish, and they are fully trained to give the kind of service women expect and deserve,' explained Passi.

'The bottom line is, a woman needs a car -- but she doesn't need the stress, the shoddy service and the confrontation that, until now, came as a package deal with that car,' she added.

Currently, the Car Buying Her Way service is offered in California, Colorado and Florida markets with plans for national expansion later this year.