A whopping 75 percent of shops keep batteries in stock, performing 5 jobs per month with this critical maintenance item, according to the 2011 Professional Automotive Repair Technician Survey (P.A.R.T.S.) conducted annually by Counterman magazine.
Shops participating in the survey said they rely on an average of 2.1 sources for batteries, and jobbers gained a considerable lead over the past two years as the shop’s primary source, with WD’s slipping slightly. As the chart illustrates, best sales reps and availability are nearly tied as the leading reasons shops rely on their "first call."
In addition, shops overwhelmingly agree (80 percent) that brand is of utmost importance when choosing which line of batteries to carry.
These and other statistics can be found in P.A.R.T.S., produced annually by Counterman magazine. Eleven years ago, Counterman began surveying repair shops annually to determine when, how and why they source specific automotive parts and products. The resulting data, published every fall, offers perspective on how sourcing and brand-loyalty trends have changed.