Each week, The Pulse provides insight into the buying, sourcing and brand-loyalty habits of counter personnel and professional technicians. This week, using Babcox Research, we look at the types of parts tire dealerships buy for repair jobs, and from where they most commonly source these parts.
According to the most recent Dealer Profile conducted by Tire Review magazine, 72 percent of the mechanical parts tire dealerships buy are new aftermarket parts. Fifteen percent of the parts tire dealerships buy are new OE parts; and 13 percent are recycled/rebuilt parts.
Of the sources available for purchasing parts, 84 percent of shops use the local jobber as a parts source. Sixty-four percent go to the new car dealer, 47 percent to a local parts retailer, and 33 percent to the warehouse distributor. Thirty-one percent source parts from tire companies. Nine percent source direct from the manufacturer; and four percent source via the Internet.
For more information about Babcox Research, go to: http://www.babcox.com/marketing_research.html.