1. Improving Decision Making: Using Web Tools to Configure and Price an Automobile Software skills: Internet-based software and MS Excel Business skills: Researching product information and pricing In this exercise, you will use software at car- selling Web sites to find product information about a car of your choice and use that information to make an important purchase decision. You will also evaluate two of these sites as selling tools. You are interested in purchasing a new Ford Escape (or some other car of your choice). Go to the Web site of CarsDirect ( www. carsdirect. com) and begin your investigation. Locate the Ford Escape. Research the various Escape models, choose one you prefer in terms of price, features, and safety ratings. Locate and read at least two reviews. Surf the Web site of the manufacturer, in this case Ford ( www. ford. com). Compare the information available on Ford’s Web site with that of CarsDirect for the Ford Escape. Try to locate the lowest price for the car you want in a local dealer’s inventory. Suggest improvements for CarsDirect. com and Ford. com.

2. Requirements: Answers will vary a great deal, and with the option of choosing a car other than the Ford Escape, each student will more than likely turn in a different report. Students are required to use an Excel spreadsheet to compare the auto information from each of the Web sites. This will allow them to see from line-to-line the differences and similarities between the prices, safety ratings, features, and so on. Also, students should write a brief summary of the reviews they read concerning the auto and in their final report tell which decision they made referring back to the reviews. The final report should also include a review of the Web sites with suggestions for improvement.