[advancedauto616]

We break tires out as parts and labor also.  Our reasons are for profit calculations and ALSO because Massachusetts only has sales tax on parts and not labor.

[advancedauto616]

I agree 100% with Tom Piippo!  I’ve been telling our local parts stores for 10 years that it’s ass backwards to try to force the market to buy something that the majority don’t want or need…we aren’t selling products that are discretionary purchases…just because there is a special on shocks/struts or any other part, the customer is only going to buy them if they need them…you’re instantly excluding 90+% of customers who don’t need the part that is on special!!

I have a background in marketing in several industries and I’ve developed marketing systems for our shop that have been working extremely well for the 10 years we’ve been in business.  I’ve got a million ideas for how the parts vendors could work together with the shops they serve to develop a win/win marketing program that actually works and I’d be more than happy to discuss ideas with anyone at a parts vendor who has interest and has the ability to make decisions.

We are all small businesses…our success is directly linked to the
depth of the relationships that we are able to develop within our local
communities.  Marketing that focuses on that goal offer the best
long-term benefits and ROI.

In our area, and from what I can tell, most other areas of the country, the towns are having major budget crisis.  All of the local schools are cutting sports programs, music programs, etc.  I’m currently working on a program with the local towns that our shop serves that will allow our loyal customers to donate their loyalty rewards to the local charity/schools/PTOs/sports groups of their choice…it also includes a component that encourages the local organizations to market to their members on our behalf and encourage them to do business with us because the organization will directly benefit from any sales we generate from their members.