Digital Auto Care Factbook 2019 - 102

Glossary and Terms
Abrasives: Substances used to wear away a surface by friction.
Accessories: Comfort, convenience and safety products not
essential to the performance of a vehicle such as audio, security
products, floor mats and seat covers.
Additives: Chemicals that are added to the engine, cooling
system, air conditioning system or transmission to maintain or
enhance performance.
Appearance Products: Chemicals and accessories that
enhance the appearance of a vehicle, such as waxes, polishes,
protectants and upholstery cleaners.
Auto Care Industry: The maintenance, repair, parts,
accessories, chemicals and fluids for vehicles after their original
sale. This term often refers only to the auto care for cars and
light trucks.
Auto Care Industry Distribution Segment: Companies that
provide repair and maintenance products for passenger cars and
light trucks.
Auto Electric Segment: Businesses specializing in electrical
and lighting products for commercial vehicles.
Auto Parts Stores: Establishments where automotive products
comprise more than 50 percent of total inventory and where
retail sales comprise more than 50 percent of total sales.
Body Shops: Firms whose primary activity is motor vehicle
collision repair.
Buying Group: A group of businesses that buy together in
large quantities to get discounted prices.
CAFE: Corporate Average Fuel Economy. These standards
set requirements on automakers for improving the average fuel
economy for new light-duty vehicles.
Captive Jobbers: Jobbers that are owned, in part or in full, by
their primary supply warehouse.
Car Dealers: Establishments that primarily sell new or used
automobiles. They usually have a service and parts department
either on premises or at another location.
Carrier: A person, partnership or corporation engaged in the
business of transporting goods.

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Category Management: A business discipline where vendors
and retailers work together in the management of product
categories in order to streamline operations and increase sales.
Chain Stores: Retail establishments, which are part of an
organization operating four or more similar types of stores.
Convenience Stores: Compact, self-service retail stores that
are open long hours and carry a limited line of brands and sizes,
possibly including gasoline. Examples include 7-Eleven and
Circle K.
Core: The rebuildable portion of automotive components, such
as starters, alternators and carburetors.
Counterman: Sales person at a retail or jobber outlet
responsible for looking up parts and handling customer needs.
Department Stores: Large mass merchandise retail stores,
which carry a wide variety of products. Many department stores
include automotive service departments. Examples include
Sears, JC Penney, Macy's and Bloomingdale's.
DIFM: Do-It-For-Me. Refers to when consumers use
professionals to perform the maintenance and repair work
needed on their vehicles.
DIY: Do-It-Yourself. Refers to when consumers perform the
maintenance and repair work needed on their vehicles.
Discount Stores: Retail establishments that meet the
requirements of a department store, but have lower cost
structures and typically sell at lower prices than conventional
department stores.
Distribution Centers (DC): Firms with products distributed
primarily to other distributors, most of which are either of
common ownership with the DC or substantially related to the
DC in the distribution channel.
Drug Stores: Establishments that primarily sell pharmaceutical
and other health care products. Many sell a limited or
intermediate line of automotive products. Examples include CVS,
Walgreens and Eckerd.
Fleet Shops: Vehicle service shops owned by a company not
principally engaged in the business of vehicle service but which
operate shops for the primary purpose of maintaining their own
vehicle fleet.

The 2019 Digital Factbook is Copyright © 2018 Auto Care Association and/or its licensor.
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