Motorcraft Replacement Blades Aim to Increase Repair Shops' Bottom Line
When grimy weather is in the forecast for the foreseeable future, drivers take note of their windshields and the one device standing between clear sight on the road – their wiper blades. Ford makes it easier for repair shops to sell wipers to customers with three simple price points regardless of the size of blade needed, making certain the customers they serve have ready access to this important and frequently neglected safety item.
When marketed effectively, wiper blades should be an easy sell – blades are designed to be replaced every year. Yet most people replace their front blades more like every two and a half years, and rear blades every four and a half years. Ford is out to change that by making the process easy and straightforward for both repair shops and customers. Their family pricing for replacement wiper blades simplifies the entire Ford blade line into three price points: Premium with Wear Indicator ($9.98), Premium Flat ($12.48) and Original Equipment ($17.48). With just 12 part numbers corresponding to the variable lengths of front and rear wipers, repair shops have the assurance of a quick product fit and one set price for each line of blades, regardless of the length. As a result, installers can quickly offer a great blade to every customer at a very competitive price.
“This is just another example of how Motorcraft is making it simple and profitable for repair shops to use their products,” said Robert Boss, Motorcraft Maintenance Marketing Manager. “Family pricing, limited part numbers, product fit on most makes/models and competitive prices are all differentiators for Motorcraft wiper blades in the marketplace, and especially during cold weather months, repair shops are cashing in on the advantage.”
Motorcraft’s family priced blades are making significant impact on shop revenue. For a repair shop selling one set of blades a day, increasing that number to two sales a day can double their annual wiper revenue to more than $7,500 in just one year.
Motorcraft blades are designed to meet Ford specifications, with a product fit for 96 percent of all vehicles on the road – which is especially important for fleets. The notion of simplifying inventory by choosing one quality blade for a wide array of vehicles makes buying replacement blades easy and affordable. Since fleets typically include larger vehicles that require longer wiper blades, price points for replacement blades are higher with competitor pricing driven by length. Plus, purchasing in bulk at one easy price point takes the guesswork out of variable blade longevity and keeping track of replacement schedules for different parts.
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