Auto Care Insider Volume 93 - 10

MARKET
INTELLIGENCE
2015 DIGITAL TOOL AND EQUIPMENT
PURCHASING TRENDS
ACCORDING to the 2015 Digital Tool and Equipment
Purchasing Trends report, the majority of tool and equipment
purchasing decision-makers used the Internet more for
researching information and less for purchasing tool and
equipment. The report further states that the decisionmakers routinely sought product technical specifications,
warranty and price information on automotive-related
websites, but ultimately purchased their tools from mobile
vendors and full-line parts jobbers. This was because of
uncertainties and concerns about Internet suppliers' return
policies, warranty, fast delivery, etc. Regardless of where
the tools were purchased, according to the report, warranty,
fast delivery and a strong brand name formed the top three
influential factors driving the buying decision process.
The 2015 Digital Tool and Equipment Purchasing Trends
report is a nationwide survey that gains insight into current
and future purchasing decisions of professionals who
utilize shop tools and equipment for automotive repair.
Understanding the purchasing decision-making process
can help marketing managers devise strategies to attract
potential customers. The
analysis and presentation
of the data was compiled
in conjunction with the
2013 and 2014 Tool and
Equipment Purchasing
Trends surveys to provide
historical trends. The report
covers a plethora of topics
including factors influencing
tool purchasing decisions,
reasons for purchasing tools
online and concerns over
tool purchasing decisions.

Traditional Suppliers for Past
Tool Purchases, 2013 - 2015
(Average Ratings)
Mobile vendor
Full line parts jobber
Retail parts store
Manufacturer
Internet seller
Tool jobber/warehouse
distributor
Catalog

2013
2014
2015

Hardware retailer
2

3

4

5

Concerns Over Purchasing Tools
Use of Suppliers for Past Tool Purchases
Over The Internet, 2013 - 2015
Mobile vendors have consistently remained the most
(All Respondents)
frequently used suppliers of tools to repair shops.
Repair shops purchased tools in the past frequently
Return Policy
from mobile vendors (3.95 mean), but infrequently
Warranty
through catalog (2.06 mean) and from hardware
retailers (2.05). The full line parts jobber (2.97 mean)
Fast Delivery
and retail parts stores (2.39 mean) were the next most
frequently used tool suppliers. While mobile vendors
Brand Selection
have consistently remained the tool suppliers of choice,
tool purchasers are increasingly gravitating to full line
Lowest price
parts jobbers as the second suppliers of choice. The
2013
2014
report demo reveals an increasing interest in Internet
Unable to also product
2015
sellers as tool suppliers. (Respondents rated how
2
3
4
5
frequently they used traditional suppliers for past tool
purchases. The mean ratings were based on a 5-point
Factors Influencing Tools Purchasing
Decisions, 2013 - 2015
scale, where 1= infrequently and 5 = very frequently.)
(All Respondents)
Warranty
Fast delivery/availability
Strong brand name

10

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