Edmunds to cut 129 jobs in Calif., Detroit

Vehicle listings company Edmunds will eliminate 129 jobs by March following what the company termed "a review of our business operations."

Edmunds notified the state of California about the job reductions, including a list of affected positions, in a letter this month as required under the federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification, or WARN, Act.

The company will cut 122 jobs at its Santa Monica, Calif., headquarters, and another seven at a satellite office in Detroit, by March 7.

"This workforce reduction, when finalized, is expected to be permanent," Jamie Epstein, Edmunds' vice president of employment experience, wrote in the WARN letter dated Jan. 6. "However, our offices are not being closed."

"Edmunds has made a number of strategic decisions over the past couple of years in order to transform the way we serve clients and consumers in a performance oriented way," Epstein said in an emailed statement. "While we’ve seen momentum created by this shift, more time and preparation is needed to complete the transition."

"Edmunds' restructuring will refocus the company on its core revenue drivers so that we are in the most financially healthy spot for future growth. Edmunds has a long history of being first-to-market with the latest innovations that help automakers and dealers connect with car shoppers. We look forward to continue making car shopping easy for shoppers and providing value to our business partners."  

The company offers shoppers the ability to research vehicles online, including reviews and pricing information.

Edmunds employed more than 550 people before the cuts were announced. The company said it doesn't disclose the number of employees who work out of each location.