Organization and Operations of Autobytel	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2016
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Organization and Operations of Autobytel	Autobytel Inc. (“Autobytel” or the “Company”) is an automotive marketing services company that assists automotive retail dealers (“Dealers”) and automotive manufacturers (“Manufacturers”) market and sell new and used vehicles through its programs for online lead referrals (“Leads”), Dealer marketing products and services, online advertising and consumer traffic referral programs and mobile products. The Company’s consumer-facing automotive websites (“Company Websites”), including its flagship website Autobytel.com®, provide consumers with information and tools to aid them with their automotive purchase decisions and the ability to submit inquiries requesting Dealers to contact the consumers regarding purchasing or leasing vehicles (“Leads”). The Company’s mission for consumers is to be “Your Lifetime Automotive Advisor®” by engaging consumers throughout the entire lifecycle of their automotive needs. The Company was incorporated in Delaware on May 17, 1996. Its principal corporate offices are located in Irvine, California. The Company’s common stock is listed on The Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol ABTL. On December 19, 2016, Autobytel and Car.com, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Autobytel (“Car.com”), entered into an Asset Purchase and Sale Agreement, by and among Autobytel, Car.com, and Internet Brands, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Internet Brands”), in which Internet Brands acquired substantially all of the assets of the automotive specialty finance leads group of Car.com. The transaction was completed effective as of December 31, 2016. The transaction consideration consisted of $3.2 million in cash and $1.6 million to be paid over a five year period pursuant to a Transitional License and Linking Agreement. The Company recorded a gain on sale of approximately $2.2 million in connection with the transaction in the fourth quarter of 2016. See Note 10. On October 1, 2015 (“AutoWeb Merger Date”), Autobytel entered into and consummated an Agreement and Plan of Merger by and among Autobytel, New Horizon Acquisition Corp., a Delaware corporation and a wholly owned subsidiary of Autobytel (“Merger Sub”), AutoWeb, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“AutoWeb”), and Jose Vargas, in his capacity as Stockholder Representative. On the AutoWeb Merger Date, Merger Sub merged with and into AutoWeb, with AutoWeb continuing as the surviving corporation and as a wholly owned subsidiary of Autobytel. AutoWeb was a privately-owned company providing an automotive search engine that enables Manufacturers and Dealers to optimize advertising campaigns and reach highly-targeted car buyers through an auction-based click marketplace. Prior to the acquisition, the Company previously owned approximately 15% of the outstanding shares of AutoWeb, on a fully converted and diluted basis, and accounted for the investment on the cost basis. See Note 3. On May 21, 2015 (“Dealix/Autotegrity Acquisition Date”), Autobytel and CDK Global, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“CDK”), entered into and consummated a Stock Purchase Agreement in which Autobytel acquired all of the issued and outstanding shares of common stock in Dealix Corporation, a California corporation and subsidiary of CDK, and Autotegrity, Inc., a Delaware corporation and subsidiary of CDK (collectively, “Dealix/Autotegrity”). Dealix Corporation provides new and used car Leads to automotive dealerships, Dealer groups and Manufacturers, and Autotegrity, Inc. is a consumer Leads acquisition and analytics business. See Note 3. On April 27, 2015, Auto Holdings Ltd. (“Auto Holdings”) acquired from Cyber Ventures, Inc. and Autotropolis, Inc. the $5.0 million convertible subordinated promissory note and the warrant to purchase 400,000 shares of Autobytel common stock issued by the Company to Cyber Ventures and Autotropolis in September 2010 in connection with Autobytel’s acquisition of substantially all of the assets of Cyber Ventures and Autotropolis (collectively referred to as “Cyber”). Concurrent with the acquisition of the Cyber convertible note (“Cyber Note”) and warrant (“Cyber Warrant”), Auto Holdings converted the Cyber Note and fully exercised the Cyber Warrant at its conversion price of $4.65 per share. As required under the terms of the conversion for the Cyber Note, Autobytel issued 1,075,268 shares of its common stock and under the terms of exercise for the Cyber Warrant, it issued an additional 400,000 shares of its common stock. On January 13, 2014 (“AutoUSA Acquisition Date”), Autobytel, AutoNation, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Seller Parent”), and AutoNationDirect.com, Inc., a Delaware corporation and subsidiary of Seller Parent (“Seller”), entered into and consummated a Membership Interest Purchase Agreement in which Autobytel acquired all of the issued and outstanding membership interests in AutoUSA, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company and a subsidiary of Seller (“AutoUSA”). AutoUSA was a competitor to the Company and at the time of the acquisition was a (i) lead aggregator purchasing internet-generated automotive consumer leads from third parties and reselling those consumer leads to automotive dealers; and (ii) reseller of third party products and services to automotive Dealers. See Note 3.

Organization and Operations of Autobytel

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2016

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

Organization and Operations of Autobytel

Autobytel Inc. (“Autobytel” or the “Company”) is an automotive marketing services company that assists automotive retail dealers (“Dealers”) and automotive manufacturers (“Manufacturers”) market and sell new and used vehicles through its programs for online lead referrals (“Leads”), Dealer marketing products and services, online advertising and consumer traffic referral programs and mobile products.

The Company’s consumer-facing automotive websites (“Company Websites”), including its flagship website Autobytel.com®, provide consumers with information and tools to aid them with their automotive purchase decisions and the ability to submit inquiries requesting Dealers to contact the consumers regarding purchasing or leasing vehicles (“Leads”). The Company’s mission for consumers is to be “Your Lifetime Automotive Advisor®” by engaging consumers throughout the entire lifecycle of their automotive needs.

The Company was incorporated in Delaware on May 17, 1996. Its principal corporate offices are located in Irvine, California. The Company’s common stock is listed on The Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol ABTL.

On December 19, 2016, Autobytel and Car.com, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Autobytel (“Car.com”), entered into an Asset Purchase and Sale Agreement, by and among Autobytel, Car.com, and Internet Brands, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Internet Brands”), in which Internet Brands acquired substantially all of the assets of the automotive specialty finance leads group of Car.com. The transaction was completed effective as of December 31, 2016. The transaction consideration consisted of $3.2 million in cash and $1.6 million to be paid over a five year period pursuant to a Transitional License and Linking Agreement. The Company recorded a gain on sale of approximately $2.2 million in connection with the transaction in the fourth quarter of 2016. See Note 10.

On October 1, 2015 (“AutoWeb Merger Date”), Autobytel entered into and consummated an Agreement and Plan of Merger by and among Autobytel, New Horizon Acquisition Corp., a Delaware corporation and a wholly owned subsidiary of Autobytel (“Merger Sub”), AutoWeb, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“AutoWeb”), and Jose Vargas, in his capacity as Stockholder Representative. On the AutoWeb Merger Date, Merger Sub merged with and into AutoWeb, with AutoWeb continuing as the surviving corporation and as a wholly owned subsidiary of Autobytel. AutoWeb was a privately-owned company providing an automotive search engine that enables Manufacturers and Dealers to optimize advertising campaigns and reach highly-targeted car buyers through an auction-based click marketplace. Prior to the acquisition, the Company previously owned approximately 15% of the outstanding shares of AutoWeb, on a fully converted and diluted basis, and accounted for the investment on the cost basis. See Note 3.

On May 21, 2015 (“Dealix/Autotegrity Acquisition Date”), Autobytel and CDK Global, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“CDK”), entered into and consummated a Stock Purchase Agreement in which Autobytel acquired all of the issued and outstanding shares of common stock in Dealix Corporation, a California corporation and subsidiary of CDK, and Autotegrity, Inc., a Delaware corporation and subsidiary of CDK (collectively, “Dealix/Autotegrity”). Dealix Corporation provides new and used car Leads to automotive dealerships, Dealer groups and Manufacturers, and Autotegrity, Inc. is a consumer Leads acquisition and analytics business. See Note 3.

On April 27, 2015, Auto Holdings Ltd. (“Auto Holdings”) acquired from Cyber Ventures, Inc. and Autotropolis, Inc. the $5.0 million convertible subordinated promissory note and the warrant to purchase 400,000 shares of Autobytel common stock issued by the Company to Cyber Ventures and Autotropolis in September 2010 in connection with Autobytel’s acquisition of substantially all of the assets of Cyber Ventures and Autotropolis (collectively referred to as “Cyber”). Concurrent with the acquisition of the Cyber convertible note (“Cyber Note”) and warrant (“Cyber Warrant”), Auto Holdings converted the Cyber Note and fully exercised the Cyber Warrant at its conversion price of $4.65 per share. As required under the terms of the conversion for the Cyber Note, Autobytel issued 1,075,268 shares of its common stock and under the terms of exercise for the Cyber Warrant, it issued an additional 400,000 shares of its common stock.

On January 13, 2014 (“AutoUSA Acquisition Date”), Autobytel, AutoNation, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Seller Parent”), and AutoNationDirect.com, Inc., a Delaware corporation and subsidiary of Seller Parent (“Seller”), entered into and consummated a Membership Interest Purchase Agreement in which Autobytel acquired all of the issued and outstanding membership interests in AutoUSA, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company and a subsidiary of Seller (“AutoUSA”). AutoUSA was a competitor to the Company and at the time of the acquisition was a (i) lead aggregator purchasing internet-generated automotive consumer leads from third parties and reselling those consumer leads to automotive dealers; and (ii) reseller of third party products and services to automotive Dealers. See Note 3.