Aftermarket Retail Research help pls..

[coyotte]

Hi All,
As a member of Opelaus for many years now I want to ask a favour of other members
regarding the Automotive Aftermarket retail sector...

Where and when do you shop ? (location based, weekdays or weekends)
What are your favourite outlets in order? (ie Autobarn, Supercheap, Repco, and others)
Why do you like, or dislike any of these (ie price, range of products, service etc)

As a customer, what do you mostly buy at these outlets ?
As a club member, what would you like ? (ie club member discount prices etc).
Are you price driven ?

I have recently had a change in career (largely due to the current economic climate).
Now I am working in the above industry, which is also struggling somewhat even with healthy advertising budgets..

Any feedback that greatly appreciated.
It may even save my job : )

[hazrd]

Where and when do you shop ? (location based, weekdays or weekends)
I try to shop as close to home as possible, unless i can justify the travel, or postage if its out of the melbourne area. this mainly occurs either on the weekend or at the start of the working week.

What are your favourite outlets in order? (ie Autobarn, Supercheap, Repco, and others)
in order from most to least favourable:
Autovaux, LMF, Autobarn, Supercheap, Bursons, Repco.
Once again, this entirely depends on the product to be purchased. If its a cheap and easy to get product, I wouldnt be so fussed about it as if it were an expensive product

Why do you like, or dislike any of these (ie price, range of products, service etc)
in order to prevent any form of slander, i can only say that the abovementioned outlets are reasonably par, one bay have a better quality product than the other, where they may all have the exact same product, all at different competitive prices

As a customer, what do you mostly buy at these outlets ?
these are all mainly in relation to engine and interior accessories. i would be going into a completely different category if you were to start asking questions about electrical ;)

As a club member, what would you like ? (ie club member discount prices etc).
club member discounts are good. another thing that would be good (but would really require numbers) are member special nights where the shop is open for an hour or so for club members only where they have access to member specials etc (we have this through our work for the DSE division and it works really well)

Are you price driven ?
not always... it entirely depends on the product, if its a product that you KNOW is not going to be competitive, ill just go to the nearest shop available and get it, also if the product isnt too expensive, i dont worry so much about it

where the product is of high dollar (security system, stereo headunit etc) thats when i will shop around and get the best price i can.
i do have a few shops i refuse to visit purely on customer experience, but i will not be able to mention them here ;)


hope this helps u a bit mate

[nuggz]

Where and when do you shop ? (location based, weekdays or weekends)
Close to Home or Work, also seem to visit Supercheap when im down at Knox since its there

What are your favourite outlets in order? (ie Autobarn, Supercheap, Repco, and others)
Supercheap, autobarn, repco

Why do you like, or dislike any of these (ie price, range of products, service etc)
Supercheap - like wide range of brands and stock, good for one off use tools
autobarn, good range of stock - pricey
repco - very limited brands

As a customer, what do you mostly buy at these outlets ?
Fluids and cleaning accessories, car specific tools
would never consider audio gear

As a club member, what would you like ? (ie club member discount prices etc).
As Adam said

Are you price driven ?
yes and no
when i need something i need something and will just go get it
BUT seeing cataloges with good specials on something i might need in the near future will normal get me through the door

[gslrallysport]

Now I am working in the above industry, which is also struggling somewhat even with healthy advertising budgets..
Because the automotive industry is the MOST prostituted (for use of a better word) industry in the world...

Most retail automotive outlets struggle to get 30%, because there's so many twats on ebay and the internet willing to sell stuff at near on cost just to turn a buck over. Most normal retail outlets (ie. anything you'd find in a Westfield) will get between 50-150%.

Our bread and butter is QFM, not because there's huge markups on it, but because we're really the only ones that can supply it, so we've got good turnover. We also make a few bucks when we sell a set of DMS as we're only one of a handful of distributors in Australia on their highest purchase discount.

Everything else we do (Whiteline, RDA, DBA, EBC, Project Mu, KYB, Koni, Eibach, Kings, Bilstein, Remsa etc. etc.) is a bugger all markup, is purely to turn money through the business, and as a service to our customers to try and save them a few bucks. Yes to some degree that's not helping the issue, but unfortunately that just the nature of the beast with regards to competition in this industry.

[DirtyHarry]

i find repco to have a much better range of oils then any of the other major car outlets.
supercheap seems to be now aligning to just the 4 or so major brands and thats it

[gman]

I shop where I can get the products I want. I'm not 100% price driven. I am prepared to pay more for honest service with someone I can trust.

If I am purchasing something small and cheap then price wins. If I was purchasing something that was important or had higher dollar value I would look for someone I could trust first and price second. Whats another $50 when your paying $1000 or $2000 for something and might need customer service afterwards.

Thats why when I find someone I trust to deal with, I usually stick with them and put as much business through them as I can.

[hazrd]

I shop where I can get the products I want. I'm not 100% price driven. I am prepared to pay more for honest service with someone I can trust.

If I am purchasing something small and cheap then price wins. If I was purchasing something that was important or had higher dollar value I would look for someone I could trust first and price second. Whats another $50 when your paying $1000 or $2000 for something and might need customer service afterwards.

Thats why when I find someone I trust to deal with, I usually stick with them and put as much business through them as I can.



bingo... worded so much better than mine :p

[coyotte]

Thanks guys for the feedback so far, greatly appreciated.
Will pass all on board to Franchaise owner.

[guy 27]

Where and when do you shop ? (location based, weekdays or weekends)
In store is usually autobarn or local automotive shop (forgot name); whenever something is needed day is not relivent
If online usually at night as if I need email support from o/s. Reply is usually quicker

What are your favourite outlets in order? (ie Autobarn, Supercheap, Repco, and others)
in order from most to least favourable:
ebay stores, autobarn, local auto shop, repco

Why do you like, or dislike any of these (ie price, range of products, service etc)
in store prices are usually only a few dollars more than online so not an issue. As for products stores can not stock all items which is understandable but it can make it hard to choose between limited options.

As a customer, what do you mostly buy at these outlets ?
car servicing products (filters and fluids), car cleaning products

As a club member, what would you like ? (ie club member discount prices etc).
Discount would be nice.

Are you price driven ?
you pay for what you get 99% of the time

[coyotte]

Thanks again for all of the above "customer" feedback.
I am currently doing a report that includes most of the above comments & suggestions from the market segment that is "passionate about their cars" (ie car club members)
In addition, the report covers direct mail, online, promotional, merchandising, marketing & instore promotional ideas.
One observation I have noted already is that FEMALES make up such a small segment of the market. Some thing that needs to be tapped into, just not sure about this breed tho (lol)..
Thanks Again,

[JohnBu]

Where and when do you shop ? (location based, weekdays or weekends)
Where it is convenient. Usually close to home, there's a SCA a km away from home.

What are your favourite outlets in order? (ie Autobarn, Supercheap, Repco, and others)
Supercheap (as it's close by), Autobarn, Repco. When I was living elsewhere, I would prefer to support the local independent store even though I knew sometimes it was pricier.

I also use Ebay/Internet for spark plugs and parts which are much cheaper online or that I can't obtain locally. i.e. BMW platinum plugs, Brake Pads (from GSL Rally) other specialist parts not available through the chains. Actually, the chain stores have very little to offer BMW, Audi/VW owners, except for motor oil.

Why do you like, or dislike any of these (ie price, range of products, service etc)
Supercheap & Autobarn are priced ok, Repco seems to have their prices all over the place, some cheap, some $$$.

Supercheap have some rubbish for sale. Repco seems to have tools that the others don't.

As a customer, what do you mostly buy at these outlets ?
Oil, fluids, spark plugs, cleaning products.

As a club member, what would you like ? (ie club member discount prices etc).
who wouldn't.

Are you price driven ?
To a degree. I will drive further to pick up stuff on sale, i.e. 5 bottles of Castrol Edge Sport 5W30 for $30 each. thanks very much SCA

Personally, I would prefer a shop that may not have the cheapest of everything, just a permanent discount, rather than sell everything at the high price with a new really cheap specials now and then. I would prefer to go to a store where I know I wasn't getting ripped off. The price of standard motor oil is creeping up.. $30 for basic engine oil.

I have recently had a change in career (largely due to the current economic climate).
Now I am working in the above industry, which is also struggling somewhat even with healthy advertising budgets..

I doubt economic climate has anything to do with the struggling DIY car market. Cars still need to be serviced.

Perhaps as people are driving newer car and/or cars get more complex, perhaps the market for DIY servicing is declining and people are getting cars serviced at dealerships/mechanics.

Regardless of marketing budget or discounting, perhaps the number of people servicing their own cars is reducing.

From a Car Audio respective. I use to be into car stereos, as older cars had shit stereos. Today cars come with much better stock systems, to a point where I won't bother upgrading (and with the newer cars with integrated sound system/climate control I don't have a choice).

It may even save my job : )

Hope so.

[coyotte]

Thanks John.

[poita]

Who is this for?

[coyotte]

Its for me...
Trying to come up with some ideas & perhaps unique ways of generating more revenue.
Automotive Brands (Autobarn)

[poita]

so you work for autobarn?

[coyotte]

YEP, CASUAL....
I've had a keen interest in cars since I was a kid,
although I've NEVER worked in retail before.

Its interesting.... "WELCOME TO THE WORLD OF THE GREAT UNWASHED" lol..

I have had a change in careers, after working in commercial design & corporate sector for several decades, and coming off the back of a company liquidation last year,
and more recently a redundancy early this year.
Thought I'd give retail a crack.

Its another world out there...

Salaries are shite, hours are good, staff discounts good, although some customers leave alot to be desired.

With an extensive professional background, I'm trying to come up with, and implement some new stratedies to help the franchaisee out.

More female customers needed is an obvious target.

Thanks for your interest, and feedback to date.

cheers