eTailing in the Automotive Aftermarket

Overall, eTailing* amongst General Automotive Repair Shops was reported as 5.5% in May 2017. General Automotive Repair Shops that focus on Domestic vehicles versus Foreign vehicles have different eTailing habits. Seven percent of shops that service primarily Domestic vehicles report they purchase from eTailing channels while only 4.5% of shops that service primarily Foreign vehicles report the same.

Of the shops that purchase through the eTailing channel, where they shop for parts differs if the shop services primarily Foreign vehicles versus those shops that service primarily Domestic vehicles.

While shops that eTail* purchase on average 7.1% of their parts from auto part retailer websites, shops that service primarily Domestic vehicles purchase slightly more of their parts from auto parts retailer websites, at 8.1% and those shops that service primarily Foreign vehicles purchase less from that channel at 6.2%.

Conversely, shops that eTail* purchase on average 6.1% of their parts from specialty automotive parts websites but shops that service primarily Foreign vehicles purchase slightly more of their parts from specialty automotive parts websites, at 7.1%. Those shops that service primarily Domestic vehicles only purchase 5.1%, on average, from that same channel.

* eTailing is defined publicly accessible online retailers (e-tailers); NOT parts that are purchased from captive or commercial sites such as Federated or NAPA or other parts suppliers or those that are integrated with shop management or vehicle repair information software.