Update: Private Label/Store Brand Parts Purchasing by Independent Auto Repair Shops

In January 2021, we spoke with 500 independent automotive repair shops about their purchase frequency and use of private label brands. IMR started asking these questions in 2018 (Auto Repair Shop Private Label/Store-Brand Part Purchasing 2018 Study) and more recently in August of 2020 (Auto Repair Shop Private-Label/Store-Brand Part Purchasing 2020 Study). Certainly, a lot has changed since 2018 but in a short six month time frame, private label usage continues to evolve and for reasons directly related to the pandemic.

Updated Survey Data Now Available:
2022 Auto Repair Shop Private Label/Store Brand Parts Purchasing Study

Compared to August 2020, the percent of private label purchases at independent repair shops has increased from 45.4% to 47.6%. The percent of shops reporting that they’ve increased their purchases of private label brands has also increased to 75.4%, up from 65.8%.

Over the next year, 73.6% of independent repair shops expect to increase their private label parts purchases, up from 68% previously.

Independent auto repair shops cited the pandemic, affordability, and customer preference as the biggest reasons for the expected increase. There are some notable increases from August 2020: Shop customers trying to saving money due to the pandemic (57.9%, up from 33.9%); Affordability of private label parts (45.4%, up from 19.2%); and Customer preference (17.9% up from 3.7%).