While radiator fluid demand is experiencing a small increase, wholesale orders are not routinely tied to seasonal temperature shifts at Lowe Automotive, a member of the Automotive Distribution Network.
Headquartered in St. Louis, the company’s marketing sphere encompasses varied weather as it extends from southern Missouri to Wisconsin.
“Our installer customer base is not affected as greatly as the retail trade by climate conditions. Price is usually the motivating factor. Retail volume is much more subject to sales spikes by extreme cold or heat,” explains Deno Valenti, general manager of the aftermarket division.
“Gallon jugs continue to be our most popular request. We do very little in bulk other than the occasional 55-gallon drum,” he says.
“Traditional green antifreeze sales continue to decline but not at the rates expected,” Valenti observes. “Newer formulation sales continue to increase. I see no reason for this current trend to change other than the acceleration of the decline and increase of each category. Rural markets seem to still have a greater demand for green than their counterparts,” he says.
Volume discounts based on order size are used to encourage sales. “We also will promote new products with informational-type flyers,” says Valenti.
Another Automotive Distribution Network member, requesting anonymity, whose territory covers all five of New York City’s boroughs, says his customer base is more concerned about the product’s cost as opposed to favoring a specific brand. “It’s mostly about the price,” the executive notes. “However, we do run things like a free gallon of antifreeze with the purchase of a radiator.”
A plethora of available antifreeze offerings has captured the attention of the National Pronto Association.
“It’s like peeling away the layers of an onion, with layers and layers of things we need to address,” says Mike Mohler, vice president and director of product management.
“As a group we have an initiative afoot of trying to get our arms around the category,” he reports, citing a trend of members making their coolant purchases from outside the organization.
“The category is vast,” says Mohler. “We’re trying to provide one vendor to meet the needs of the group. That would be nirvana; that’s what we’re looking for.”
Sales of the traditional green product account for 75 percent of the orders placed through Pronto, with the newer formulations amounting to 25 percent.
“We’re seeing more demand for the new varieties,” Mohler says, stressing also that “you need to make the green available to all who request it.”
While radiator fluid demand is experiencing a small increase, wholesale orders are not routinely tied to seasonal temperature shifts at Lowe Automotive, a member of the Automotive Distribution Network.
Headquartered in St. Louis, the company’s marketing sphere encompasses varied weather as it extends from southern Missouri to Wisconsin.
“Our installer customer base is not affected as greatly as the retail trade by climate conditions. Price is usually the motivating factor. Retail volume is much more subject to sales spikes by extreme cold or heat,” explains Deno Valenti, general manager of the aftermarket division.
“Gallon jugs continue to be our most popular request. We do very little in bulk other than the occasional 55-gallon drum,” he says.
“Traditional green antifreeze sales continue to decline but not at the rates expected,” Valenti observes. “Newer formulation sales continue to increase. I see no reason for this current trend to change other than the acceleration of the decline and increase of each category. Rural markets seem to still have a greater demand for green than their counterparts,” he says.
Volume discounts based on order size are used to encourage sales. “We also will promote new products with informational-type flyers,” says Valenti.
Another Automotive Distribution Network member, requesting anonymity, whose territory covers all five of New York City’s boroughs, says his customer base is more concerned about the product’s cost as opposed to favoring a specific brand. “It’s mostly about the price,” the executive notes. “However, we do run things like a free gallon of antifreeze with the purchase of a radiator.”
A plethora of available antifreeze offerings has captured the attention of the National Pronto Association.
“It’s like peeling away the layers of an onion, with layers and layers of things we need to address,” says Mike Mohler, vice president and director of product management.
“As a group we have an initiative afoot of trying to get our arms around the category,” he reports, citing a trend of members making their coolant purchases from outside the organization.
“The category is vast,” says Mohler. “We’re trying to provide one vendor to meet the needs of the group. That would be nirvana; that’s what we’re looking for.”
Sales of the traditional green product account for 75 percent of the orders placed through Pronto, with the newer formulations amounting to 25 percent.
“We’re seeing more demand for the new varieties,” Mohler says, stressing also that “you need to make the green available to all who request it.”
