Vendor Newsmaker Q&A: Mike Martinez

Jan. 1, 2020
Mike Martinez is chief marketing officer at izmocars.

Confident that consumer confidence in the economy is on the rise, sales of automotive accessory products are expected to be on the move this year, according to Mike Martinez, chief marketing officer at izmocars, which has recently introduced its AddOnAuto (AOA) sales system to the aftermarket.

In February, the company published its Accessories Trend Report, and Martinez discusses some of the conclusions:

Do you foresee the motoring public opting to purchase more accessories going forward?

Yes, the data we are seeing certainly points in that direction, and the macro environment makes the timing ripe for increased consumer demand for accessories. As the economy recovers, pent-up demand for new vehicles is spiking up new car sales significantly, meaning more consumers with a new shiny object that they want to make ever shinier and more personalized. What better way than with the customization opportunities presented by accessories? So, yes, we are convinced that accessories sales will continue to trend up – and as our customers implement the AOA process, which makes it so much easier for retailers to sell accessories, we are seeing major increases in their volume of accessory sales. Add to that the fact that more and more consumer electronics are available for the car and are, according to our data, in high demand – and we believe that accessories sales have a very bright future.

What types of accessories do you anticipate becoming more popular?

Based on our recent AOA Accessories Trend Report, we expect significant and increased activity in the year ahead in the following accessory categories: ?Consumer Electronics, Safety and Security.

PAGE 2

What are some of the regional demographic differences that might come into play?

Accessory sales vary significantly by U.S. region, with climate apparently having the biggest impact on which accessories are most in demand. For example, electronics is the volume leader in both the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast, and ranks No. 2 in the Midwest. Climate is clearly a factor because the top-sellers in this category are almost exclusively iterations of remote starters, which are most attractive to consumers living in cold climates. Unsurprisingly, window tint ranks No. 1 in the South, but doesn’t break the top five for any other region. Step bars rank in the top five everywhere except the South – while towing accessories only hit the top five in the Mid-Atlantic states. Overall, factory exterior is a consistent big seller (ranking either No. 1 or No. 2) across all regions, while body side moldings spread the wealth everywhere except the Mid-Atlantic.

What are some of the steps that an aftermarket business can implement to encourage more accessory sales?

1. Find an online tool that can literally configure the exact vehicle (including the year, make, model, interior and exterior color) with the accessories on the fly so the customer can immediately visualize the enhancements.

2. Interior accessories (like DVD players, navigation, dash kits, etc.) are critical to your accessories profitability, so make sure the tool you choose has interior as well as exterior visualization capabilities.

3. Take advantage of any “wait time” the customer experiences while in the store to let the customer digitally configure their vehicle with accessories.

PAGE 3

Do these sales techniques differ in regard to the age of the customer’s vehicle?

Owners of older used cars certainly accessorize, but we find that the majority of consumers willing to invest in accessories typically own later model cars.

How does your system operate?

Trying to sell customers something they can’t actually see or imagine is a deeply un-engaging, ineffective proposition – and this is doubly true when it comes to accessory sales, which is why we developed AddOnAuto (AOA) to help customers easily visualize what accessories will look like on their vehicles. AOA presents accessories to customers through a web-based application that configures vehicles down to year, make, model, trim, interior and exterior color. AOA’s point and click interface makes it easy – and fun – for consumers to customize their exact vehicle from a menu of literally tens of thousands of accessories, so they can see their vehicle transformed, with the click of a mouse, into the car of their dreams. Because the interactive experience of AOA provides salespeople with an effective way to help their customers richly visualize what those accessories will look like on their vehicle, the sales process is more engaging, efficient and more successful. Bottom line, AOA consistently generates more accessories sales for retailers, while also ensuring that the entire sales team presents accessories consistently and accurately across the store.

How much does it cost, and what is involved in setting it up in a store or shop?

AOA subscriptions range from $100 to $500 per month, and are based on the number of accessory manufacturers required as well as on the number and type of accessories the store chooses. Set-up is turnkey because AOA is a web-based program and can easily be customized according to a shop’s needs; i.e. if the shop only wants wheels for certain brands, AOA can be programmed to only present those options.

How can an aftermarket business – a parts store or shop – benefit from your system?

AOA makes it easier for parts stores and shops to sell more accessories with less effort – meaning more cost-efficient sales and higher ROI. Because the visualization is so engaging, it provides greater opportunities to upsell and/or cross sell. The system’s interface unifies the selling process so the store owner can be sure that the presentation to the customer is the same across the store or stores. Enterprise reporting makes it easy for multi-store operators to see in real time what’s selling and who’s selling – or not, as the case may be. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, because the interactive interface is fun to use and puts the customer in control of customizing his/her vehicle, customer satisfaction is higher across the board.

For more information, visit www.izmocars.com.

 

Confident that consumer confidence in the economy is on the rise, sales of automotive accessory products are expected to be on the move this year, according to Mike Martinez, chief marketing officer at izmocars, which has recently introduced its AddOnAuto (AOA) sales system to the aftermarket.

In February, the company published its Accessories Trend Report, and Martinez discusses some of the conclusions:

Do you foresee the motoring public opting to purchase more accessories going forward?

Yes, the data we are seeing certainly points in that direction, and the macro environment makes the timing ripe for increased consumer demand for accessories. As the economy recovers, pent-up demand for new vehicles is spiking up new car sales significantly, meaning more consumers with a new shiny object that they want to make ever shinier and more personalized. What better way than with the customization opportunities presented by accessories? So, yes, we are convinced that accessories sales will continue to trend up – and as our customers implement the AOA process, which makes it so much easier for retailers to sell accessories, we are seeing major increases in their volume of accessory sales. Add to that the fact that more and more consumer electronics are available for the car and are, according to our data, in high demand – and we believe that accessories sales have a very bright future.

What types of accessories do you anticipate becoming more popular?

Based on our recent AOA Accessories Trend Report, we expect significant and increased activity in the year ahead in the following accessory categories: ?Consumer Electronics, Safety and Security.

PAGE 2

What are some of the regional demographic differences that might come into play?

Accessory sales vary significantly by U.S. region, with climate apparently having the biggest impact on which accessories are most in demand. For example, electronics is the volume leader in both the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast, and ranks No. 2 in the Midwest. Climate is clearly a factor because the top-sellers in this category are almost exclusively iterations of remote starters, which are most attractive to consumers living in cold climates. Unsurprisingly, window tint ranks No. 1 in the South, but doesn’t break the top five for any other region. Step bars rank in the top five everywhere except the South – while towing accessories only hit the top five in the Mid-Atlantic states. Overall, factory exterior is a consistent big seller (ranking either No. 1 or No. 2) across all regions, while body side moldings spread the wealth everywhere except the Mid-Atlantic.

What are some of the steps that an aftermarket business can implement to encourage more accessory sales?

1. Find an online tool that can literally configure the exact vehicle (including the year, make, model, interior and exterior color) with the accessories on the fly so the customer can immediately visualize the enhancements.

2. Interior accessories (like DVD players, navigation, dash kits, etc.) are critical to your accessories profitability, so make sure the tool you choose has interior as well as exterior visualization capabilities.

3. Take advantage of any “wait time” the customer experiences while in the store to let the customer digitally configure their vehicle with accessories.

PAGE 3

Do these sales techniques differ in regard to the age of the customer’s vehicle?

Owners of older used cars certainly accessorize, but we find that the majority of consumers willing to invest in accessories typically own later model cars.

How does your system operate?

Trying to sell customers something they can’t actually see or imagine is a deeply un-engaging, ineffective proposition – and this is doubly true when it comes to accessory sales, which is why we developed AddOnAuto (AOA) to help customers easily visualize what accessories will look like on their vehicles. AOA presents accessories to customers through a web-based application that configures vehicles down to year, make, model, trim, interior and exterior color. AOA’s point and click interface makes it easy – and fun – for consumers to customize their exact vehicle from a menu of literally tens of thousands of accessories, so they can see their vehicle transformed, with the click of a mouse, into the car of their dreams. Because the interactive experience of AOA provides salespeople with an effective way to help their customers richly visualize what those accessories will look like on their vehicle, the sales process is more engaging, efficient and more successful. Bottom line, AOA consistently generates more accessories sales for retailers, while also ensuring that the entire sales team presents accessories consistently and accurately across the store.

How much does it cost, and what is involved in setting it up in a store or shop?

AOA subscriptions range from $100 to $500 per month, and are based on the number of accessory manufacturers required as well as on the number and type of accessories the store chooses. Set-up is turnkey because AOA is a web-based program and can easily be customized according to a shop’s needs; i.e. if the shop only wants wheels for certain brands, AOA can be programmed to only present those options.

How can an aftermarket business – a parts store or shop – benefit from your system?

AOA makes it easier for parts stores and shops to sell more accessories with less effort – meaning more cost-efficient sales and higher ROI. Because the visualization is so engaging, it provides greater opportunities to upsell and/or cross sell. The system’s interface unifies the selling process so the store owner can be sure that the presentation to the customer is the same across the store or stores. Enterprise reporting makes it easy for multi-store operators to see in real time what’s selling and who’s selling – or not, as the case may be. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, because the interactive interface is fun to use and puts the customer in control of customizing his/her vehicle, customer satisfaction is higher across the board.

For more information, visit www.izmocars.com.

 

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