Investments	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2016
Investments [Abstract]
Investments	The Company’s investments at March 31, 2016 and December 31, 2015 consisted primarily of investments in privately-held SaleMove, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“SaleMove”), and GoMoto, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“GoMoto”). In September 2013, the Company entered into a Convertible Note Purchase Agreement in which Autobytel invested $150,000 in SaleMove in the form of an interest bearing, convertible promissory note. In November 2014, the Company invested an additional $400,000 in SaleMove in the form of an interest bearing, convertible promissory note. Upon closing of a preferred stock financing by SaleMove in July 2015, these two notes were converted in accordance with their terms into an aggregate of 190,997 Series A Preferred Stock, which shares are classified as a long-term investment on the consolidated balance sheet as of March 31, 2016. In October 2013, the Company entered into an agreement with SaleMove to become the exclusive provider to the automotive industry of SaleMove’s technology for enhancing communications with consumers. SaleMove’s patent-pending technology allows Dealers and Manufacturers to enhance the online shopping experience by interacting with consumers in real-time, including live video, audio and text-based chat or by phone. The Company and SaleMove will equally share in revenues from automotive-related sales of the SaleMove products and services. In connection with this reseller arrangement, the Company advanced to SaleMove $1.0 million to fund SaleMove’s fifty percent share of various product development, marketing and sales costs and expenses, with the advanced funds to be recovered by the Company from SaleMove’s share of sales revenue. SaleMove advances are repaid to the Company from SaleMove’s share of net revenues from the reseller agreement. As of March 31, 2016, the net advances due from SaleMove totaled $671,000. In December 2014, the Company entered into a Series Seed Preferred Stock Purchase Agreement with GoMoto in which we paid $100,000 for 317,460 shares of Series Seed Preferred Stock, $0.001 par value per share. The $100,000 investment in GoMoto was recorded at cost because the Company does not have significant influence over GoMoto. In October 2015 the Company invested an additional $375,000 in GoMoto in the form of a convertible promissory note (“GoMoto Note”). The convertible promissory note accrues interest at an annual rate of 4.0% and is due and payable in full on or after October 28, 2017 upon demand or at GoMoto’s option ten days’ written notice unless converted prior to the maturity date. The convertible note will be converted into preferred stock of GoMoto in the event of a preferred stock financing by GoMoto of at least $1.0 million prior to the maturity date of the convertible note. The GoMoto Note is recorded at cost and classified as an other long-term asset on the consolidated balance sheet as of March 31, 2016.

Investments

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2016

The Company’s investments at March 31, 2016 and December 31, 2015 consisted primarily of investments in privately-held SaleMove, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“SaleMove”), and GoMoto, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“GoMoto”).

In September 2013, the Company entered into a Convertible Note Purchase Agreement in which Autobytel invested $150,000 in SaleMove in the form of an interest bearing, convertible promissory note. In November 2014, the Company invested an additional $400,000 in SaleMove in the form of an interest bearing, convertible promissory note. Upon closing of a preferred stock financing by SaleMove in July 2015, these two notes were converted in accordance with their terms into an aggregate of 190,997 Series A Preferred Stock, which shares are classified as a long-term investment on the consolidated balance sheet as of March 31, 2016.

In October 2013, the Company entered into an agreement with SaleMove to become the exclusive provider to the automotive industry of SaleMove’s technology for enhancing communications with consumers. SaleMove’s patent-pending technology allows Dealers and Manufacturers to enhance the online shopping experience by interacting with consumers in real-time, including live video, audio and text-based chat or by phone. The Company and SaleMove will equally share in revenues from automotive-related sales of the SaleMove products and services. In connection with this reseller arrangement, the Company advanced to SaleMove $1.0 million to fund SaleMove’s fifty percent share of various product development, marketing and sales costs and expenses, with the advanced funds to be recovered by the Company from SaleMove’s share of sales revenue. SaleMove advances are repaid to the Company from SaleMove’s share of net revenues from the reseller agreement. As of March 31, 2016, the net advances due from SaleMove totaled $671,000.

In December 2014, the Company entered into a Series Seed Preferred Stock Purchase Agreement with GoMoto in which we paid $100,000 for 317,460 shares of Series Seed Preferred Stock, $0.001 par value per share. The $100,000 investment in GoMoto was recorded at cost because the Company does not have significant influence over GoMoto. In October 2015 the Company invested an additional $375,000 in GoMoto in the form of a convertible promissory note (“GoMoto Note”). The convertible promissory note accrues interest at an annual rate of 4.0% and is due and payable in full on or after October 28, 2017 upon demand or at GoMoto’s option ten days’ written notice unless converted prior to the maturity date. The convertible note will be converted into preferred stock of GoMoto in the event of a preferred stock financing by GoMoto of at least $1.0 million prior to the maturity date of the convertible note. The GoMoto Note is recorded at cost and classified as an other long-term asset on the consolidated balance sheet as of March 31, 2016.