Optimism abounds in 2013 among resellers as 57 percent said they expect their gross margins to improve this year, according to the Aftermarket Business World Reseller Product Study. Another 39 percent expect their gross margins to stay the same as last year.
That optimism is reflected in 2013 sales expectations as 59 percent or resellers expect to increase sales in 2013 while 36 percent anticipate that sales will stay the same as last year.
Price was the top priority of resellers’ DIY customers (64 percent), with quality a distant third at 11 percent. The top priority of resellers’ professional customers was quality (72 percent), followed by availability (51 percent), OEM form fit and function (39 percent) and price at 28 percent.
The study reveals that 64 percent of resellers did not make any Internet sales in 2012, and 20 percent sold only 1 to 5 percent of their products online. Seven percent of resellers reported selling more than 20 percent of their products online.
National brands are favored by 55 percent of resellers who say that’s the majority of their inventory. Only 21 percent say the majority of their inventory is private label. Click on Reseller Product Study to see the entire report.
METHODOLOGY: The Reseller Product Study was fielded to readers of Aftermarket Business World via email. Survey results are intended to show general market trends, not statistical certainties, as results were garnered from a small sample audience.
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