Aftermarket Business World Tire Dealer Study Sees Companies Going Digital To Reach Customers

Aug. 25, 2010 - PRLog -- The Advanstar Automotive Group, a leading provider of integrated media solutions to the automotive aftermarket and collision repair industry,  has published the first-ever Aftermarket Business World Tire Dealers Product Study which shows companies are pulling away from print advertising and relying more on digital methods to reach customers.  More than one-third of respondents in the study reported they use either websites or direct e-mail as their top advertising methods.

“Automotive tire dealers have moved beyond traditional advertising methods of television, radio and print ads into the future of publicity using digital media, ” said Krista McNamara, managing editor,  Aftermarket Business World.

In other notable items from the study, McNamara says tire dealers report that most often, advertising the bundling of products with related purchases and other pricing specials are the most effective ways to increase product sales. According to the study results, the methods are proving effective. Almost half of those surveyed reported sales increases over the past year, and another 53 percent anticipate continued sales increases throughout 2010.

Quality and OEM form, fit and function lead the way as the main considerations when looking to buy products, respondents report. And during purchase, warehouse distributors were deemed the preferred supplier by 37 percent of respondents, followed by 25 percent of respondents naming jobbers, according to study results. Quality product offerings and long-standing relationships are the main reasons resellers maintain relationships with their primary suppliers, dealers report.

The Aftermarket Business World Tire Dealers Product Study was fielded to tire dealer businesses in the readership of Motor Age, a sister publication. McNamara points out that because of the limited respondent pool, results should be utilized as general market trend indicators, rather than statistical certainties.

The complete study is posted at www.SearchAutoParts.com.

If you’d like to schedule an interview with Krista McNamara, contact Boris Chernin, marketing manager, at (818) 227-4435 or e-mail Boris at bchernin@advanstar.com

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Fueled by Advanstar

The Advanstar Automotive Group (www.SearchAutoParts.com) is a leading provider of integrated media solutions to the automotive aftermarket and collision repair industry, offering a portfolio of three industry leading magazines - Aftermarket Business, Automotive Body Repair News and Motor Age; four websites including Search-Autoparts.com, the automotive aftermarket’s largest B2B website; nine e-newsletters; numerous news alerts; and 42 training manuals for vehicle industry professionals, trade buyers, and automotive enthusiasts.

Through a multi-media approach, Advanstar reaches nearly 9 million original equipment and aftermarket manufacturers, distributors, service & repair professionals, retailers, and consumers. Advanstar drives insightful news analysis, research and trends, entertainment, new product information and buying opportunities to customers at their office, home, and race track — keeping them passionate, competitive, and connected.