Today’s technicians are most likely to buy parts from auto parts retailers, jobbers and warehouse distributors, according to the Aftermarket Business World Technician Attitude Study. Auto dealerships came in a distant fourth.
Some 26 percent of technicians purchase from auto parts retailers, 21 percent purchase from jobbers, 19 percent purchase from warehouse distributors and 16 percent from dealerships. The least most likely purchase sources were two-step distributors, discount stores and tool truck/tool dealers.
Nearly 30 percent of technicians said they prefer to purchase parts from auto parts retailers, 25 percent prefer to purchase from jobbers, and 20 percent want to buy from warehouse distributors. Nearly 10 percent prefer to buy direct from manufacturers and 8 percent want to buy from dealerships. Technicians buying from dealers say they most often do so because it is the only place the part was available or for the OEM form, fit and function. But those who choose not to buy from dealers most often said their parts were too expensive or that the aftermarket part was just as good or better than OE.
Methodology: The Aftermarket Business World 2013 Technician Attitude Study was fielded to readers of sister publication Motor Age via email. Study results are intended to show general industry trends, not statistical certainties.
Click on tech study to see the entire study.
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