LAS VEGAS – Know Your Parts, the industry awareness and education campaign launched by the Automotive Aftermarket Suppliers Association (AASA) at AAPEX 2009, has released its latest report analyzing the impact of low-quality parts on the automotive aftermarket industry. The study was introduced last week at AAPEX 2010 in Las Vegas.

“Determining a part’s quality can be difficult," said Steve Handschuh, AASA president and COO. "Generic, low-quality parts may appear identical to quality parts – but it’s impossible to see the poor quality inside. These low-quality parts pose a potential threat to the safety of the motoring public and repair professionals, which we’ve addressed in our new Special Report, ‘Aftermarket Industry Image: Why Premium Aftermarket Products Deliver the Best Value.’"

The report also details the new “Supplier Evaluation Standards,” developed by a task force of the AASA Marketing Executives Council and launched at AAPEX. The standards focus on these specific question categories:

• Product specifications and quality
• Line content and completeness
• Application research and catalogs
• Product availability and distribution
• Sales representation and manpower
• Marketing programs and support
• Technical support and training
• Product liability and warranty
• Intellectual property protection
• Terms and conditions

Other AASA Special Reports available at the Know Your Parts series include:
• Independent Aftermarket Image: Quality Does Matter
• Direct Importing: Do the Risks Outweigh the Reward?
• Reseller Liability on Will-Fit, Private Label and Counterfeit Products
• Social Networking 101: Legal Obstacles Defined

Details about the campaign are available at the AASA Know Your Parts website.