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Posted

Was wondering if it is worth to stock tires? Seems like with all the sizes would be a tremendous outlay of money but sometimes the big box stores like Pep Boys, Mavis, STS etc.. are hard to compete with because they stock the tires and sometimes it could take me hours to get the tires from the supplier.

 

Thoughts?

Posted

Most clients of ours drop off there vehicles for services like tires. In that case, no big deal. We have only debated on carrying the top 3 selling for quickies on fleet but haven't yet done that because we don't think it's necessary yet.

 

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Posted

It depends on how much of your customer base emphasizes speed of service and also how far your suppliers are. If you have a shop with a high car count and people are tapping their watches waiting for their cars then stocking tires may be something you want to look into. You have to make sure you can turn over the tires in a relatively quick amount of time.

 

Like totalautocare, my shop has a low car count and most of my clients drop their cars off (or we force them too in a nice way). We also have tire suppliers in close proximity.

Posted

Stocking tires is no longer very practical. Depending on your area, a good relationship with a well stocked tire warehouse that delivers is probably a better idea.

  • 2 weeks later...
Posted

I Stock two particular sizes new, because I am also a very large used tire distributor, these tires are no where to be found used, so people often opt into buying them new if I have them readily available. Other than that my cash reserve is invested in 500(quality) used tires.

Posted

We stock no tires what so ever. To me that is just capital lying around. I can get any Tire the customer chooses in a day. I do not mark up the tire at all. So on a 4 tire sell we make $80 on mounting and balance. I can do a set of 4 by myself in 30 minutes. That being said that is way more money per hour than our shop rate. I will gladly install tires all day long than wrenching. We don't offer any road hazard, special fees and I have a guy that takes all my discarded tires for free. Win, win.

Posted

It looks like I am the odd ball here. In my shop stocking tires is an absolute necessity. I stock roughly 2,000 units and it works very well for me. Tires can be quite lucrative if you can do them in volume and having the ability to stock them allows you to take advantage of good buying opportunities when they come along. The goal in warehousing tires is to make as much money as possible when you buy them to keep investment costs to a minimum. For example, I am currently averaging $23.57 cash back on every Michelin and BFGoodrich I purchase. $13.83 on every Toyo, $11.03 on each Yokohama, and $14.05 on every Continental and General. That is cash back from the manufacturer and the supplier combined, some of which is paid to me monthly and some of which is paid quarterly. The dollar figures are smaller for other brands such as Cooper, Mastercraft, Pirelli, Hankook, Kumho, Nitto, and Sumitomo, but I earn cash back every time I purchase one of them as well.

 

Whether or not stocking tires can and will work for you will take some time to figure out and there are many variables that come into play. If you feel that you are only able to sell a few sets a week then it is almost certainly not beneficial to stock any, but if you believe you have the potential demand to move three or four sets a day then it is definitely worth taking a good long look into growing that area of your business. Some questions you will have to ask yourself.

 

How much demand are you experiencing from your customers?

Do you have the required space to warehouse them?

Do you have enough cash to invest in them?

Do you participate in any manufacturer incentive programs?

Do you have a good working relationship with a large supplier?

Do you have the right equipment to begin doing more?

 

If you have the demand, space, and cash then you should almost certainly investigate further. If you can develop a good working relationship with a supplier like Carroll, TCI, or ATD and move enough units to participate in a manufacturer program such as Michelin MAST, Continental Gold, Yokohama Advantage, or Toyo Driven you can get a better buying price and earn money when you buy them. One potential drawback that comes with doing more volume in the tire business is the associated equipment and supplies....more capable tire changers and wheel balancers, TPMS diagnostic/reprogramming devices and sensors, wheel weights, etc.

 

On the positive side, the more I stock the more I sell. I have found that the more options I give customers the more likely I am to have something on the shelf that appeals to them on some level. This is simple consumer psychology. Many consumers make impulse buys and most consumers love to have options and the "perceived" value of a rebate or sale available to them. If a customer walks into a shop and asks for price and availability on a set of P215/55R17 you are much more likely to make a sale if you can provide estimates on three or more products, which provides the consumer with choices. One of those choices is eligible for a manufacturer rebate or is on sale, which provides perceived value. And you can have any one of them installed in about 45-90 minutes, which provides the opportunity to buy on impulse.

Posted (edited)

We stock upwards of 2000 tires as well even though we get twice a day delivery from ATD. I think that's why we sell quite a few more tires than other shops I' m familiar with. There are just a lot of people that come in without an appointment and want tires NOW. Plus, we sell quite a few tires to the local car dealers and they need them NOW.

As far as Frostytire's comments about completing a 4 tire installation in 30 minutes by himself, well maybe. If the tires are not low profile, are mounted on steel wheels and the TPMS is auto reset. But install 4 30/35/40/45 series tires on aluminum wheels, cleaning the corrosion from the bead area, cleaning all the old tape weight adhesive off the back of the wheel [because all the other tire stores never did], cleaning the corrosion from the wheel and hub mating surfaces, and possibly having to reset the TPMS and I challenge him to do it by himself in 1 hour.

By the way, yes we do mark our tires up using a matrix just like parts. A different matrix but a matrix non the less. And we average about $150 a set. That's using the invoice cost and doesn't take into account program dollars.That includes everything we do at that time plus all future tire services including rotations, re-balancing, flat repairs and pro rated RH. A free alignment check is included as well. About 30% of the checks do not need an alignment.

Edited by tyrguy
Posted (edited)

Remember, the retail prices derived from this matrix include everything. We do run monthly sales off these prices ranging from $40 to $60 off per set. We seem to be fairly competitive with this matrix. In fact, even pricing against Tire Rack and such once you add their shipping and our mounting and balancing often times we are withing the sales tax difference. And if congress would ever get the internet sales tax thing figured out that Tire Rack advantage would disappear.

 

cost 0-50 39% [divide by 61]

cost 50-75 36%

cost 75-100 33%

cost 100-125 29%

cost 125-150 28%

cost 150-175 26%

cost 175-200 25%

cost 200-225 23%

cost 225-250 22%

cost 250-275 21%

cost 275-300 20%

Edited by tyrguy
Posted (edited)

We stock about 400 tires and get deliveries twice a day. That's 100 sizes in stock ready to go. If you stock less than say 30 sizes it's probably a waste of space and money because chances are you wont have what the customer needs. Turn rate goal is 6x/yr or I swap in something different.

 

That said, I don't stock things like brake pads and spark plugs. The parts stores deliver in 20 minutes so I save my money.

 

We used to make $150-$200 on a set of hoops, now I'm happy to make $80-$100. Too much competition. I'll put on a set for $60 if I have to to keep that person from going down the road to a competitor (on something easy like steel wheels)

 

Carry out to local shops I don't make anything except the program dollars.

Edited by alfredauto
  • 2 weeks later...
Posted

 

Let me guess the sizes you stock: 235/75/15 and 205/70/15???????

 

 

Acctually I have a nice little surplus of those! I use LKQ often, and my rep knows im a tire shop so he always lets me get those before someone else does. They are very popular! Along with 225/50/16 for the grand ams!

Posted

We stock about 400 tires and get deliveries twice a day. That's 100 sizes in stock ready to go. If you stock less than say 30 sizes it's probably a waste of space and money because chances are you wont have what the customer needs. Turn rate goal is 6x/yr or I swap in something different.

 

That said, I don't stock things like brake pads and spark plugs. The parts stores deliver in 20 minutes so I save my money.

 

We used to make $150-$200 on a set of hoops, now I'm happy to make $80-$100. Too much competition. I'll put on a set for $60 if I have to to keep that person from going down the road to a competitor (on something easy like steel wheels)

 

Carry out to local shops I don't make anything except the program dollars.

What program are you set up with?

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  • Have you checked out Joe's Latest Blog?

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      The Technician Shortage Is Our Fault, And It's Time We Own It
      Nearly every day, I hear shop owners complain: "There's a technician shortage. We can't find qualified people. There's no one out there." If that's true, then who's to blame?
      The industry? The schools? The government? I don't know how you feel, but who promised us an endless supply of qualified technicians?
      Another common complaint is that young people do not want to work in the trades. Well, if that were true, then why are other trades such as HVAC, electrical, and plumbing growing? What are they doing that the automotive industry is not? 
      Here's the reality we need to face: We do have a problem, but we shouldn't look for someone or any entity to rescue us. Not the government. Not the trade schools. Not the recruiting companies. No one owes us a workforce. If we want great people in our industry, it's up to us. At some point, we need to own up to the truth: Building a pipeline of qualified technicians is our responsibility.
      In this blog article, I will break down the key reasons we are in this situation today and what we, as an industry, can do to solve the technician shortage. Are you ready to look in the mirror?
      Have We Pushed Technicians Away?
      Let's take a look at flat-rate pay. True flat rate, which pays a technician only for the hours they produce, is a controversial pay plan that emphasizes high production levels and creates a competitive work environment that, if not properly controlled, can lead to increased mistakes and a decline in morale and team spirit. Additionally, the stress and physical demands placed on technicians as they age are not favorable to long-term employee retention. What do we do with technicians as they grow older into their fifties and begin to slow down? 
      I have heard all the arguments and pros and cons of flat-rate pay, and I am not going to judge any pay plan. Let the facts speak for themselves. True flat rate has changed in most areas around the country and has evolved into a pay plan that gives technicians some pay guarantee.
      Many shop owners have learned that team morale, along with the opportunity to earn income, is important to technicians and to the company's long-term success. But let me ask you: how many technicians have left or been pushed out over the years because of the old flat-rate pay system?
      Another issue is the workplace environment. I remember being grateful to be hired as a young technician at a local repair shop. While very thankful, the work environment was not ideal. The shop owner kept the bay doors open year-round (I am from New York) unless it rained or snowed. He felt that if the bay doors were closed, customers might think we were closed for business. We had no heat and no hot water. Many of the jobs were done outside, year-round,  in all types of weather. The starting pay was minimum wage, with no benefits, sick days, or vacation pay. 
      Now, again, I need to point out that I was truly grateful for the opportunity this shop owner gave me. I learned a lot working there, and the experience was pivotal in my career. But looking back, I wonder how many people were discouraged by these working conditions?
      While the physical demands of the repair workplace are daunting, perhaps even more critical is the culture. Too many of my generation shop owners preached the mindset of "my way or the highway." We were the business owners, after all. We started our companies, took all the risks, and provided jobs. Why shouldn't we be the ones to set the ground rules our way?   
      Many of us found over the years that the "my way or the highway" mentality was a sure way to isolate employees and make them more likely to look over the fence for greener grass. In other words, it led many technicians to seek employment elsewhere, where they felt they could be appreciated and recognized for their hard work. The issue, however, was that there wasn't much green grass around. Disappointment after disappointment, bouncing from repair to repair shop, eventually led to despair. So, I ask you: were workplace conditions a contributing factor in today's technician shortage?
      Another factor that we are all well aware of is the complexity of the modern automobile. When I started, the work was mostly physical, and you were required to master essentially three vehicle models: General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler. Let's fast-forward to today. The evolution of automotive technology, along with the extensive training and tools required, has outpaced the typical technician's pay compensation, with no clear career path. Again, leading to frustration and insecurity about the future.
      Here is the bottom line: people don't leave their job; they leave their experience. We must do a better job. 
      The News Isn't all Bad; Your Next Steps to Fix the Technician Shortage
      To fix the technician shortage, it will take a combined effort from everyone in the automotive industry, particularly automotive shop owners. Shop owners are in the perfect position to make the greatest impact, not only on their businesses but also on the future automotive workforce.
      First, shop owners must become better leaders and understand that their ultimate success is directly dependent on the people they assemble around them. Any shop owner who mistakenly believes they can build an empire solely on their abilities is destined for serious disappointment. Business owners who think like this will eventually plateau. Without the collective contributions from a team of qualified people, your business will stall; it will not continue to grow.
      Create a workplace that attracts top talent: a clean, professional, well-equipped facility designed to support productivity, teamwork, and a career, not just a job. Build a great reputation in your community by getting involved locally. Become the auto repair shop that people take notice of as "the" place to work.
      Next, shop owners must become more financially knowledgeable. Knowing your numbers and what you need to achieve for a strong bottom-line profit is essential to paying technicians the money they need and deserve. Profit will also allow you to compete with other trade industries by providing a benefits package that has real take-home value and security.
      When it comes to culture, this is where the rubber hits the road. People crave recognition, praise, and a sense of purpose. Despite what you hear, people are not just money-motivated. Once people feel secure in their financial situation, retaining and motivating technicians can only be achieved by connecting with them on an emotional level. You cannot show enough appreciation. Give out praise for a job well done as if your business depended on it, because it does.
      As technicians age, we need to have a place for them. Expecting a 58-year-old to perform like a 35-year-old is unrealistic. We need to be more focused on career pathing. Provide training, skill development, and coaching to develop leaders and mentors within our older workforce. While their bodies may have slowed, the knowledge they have gained is priceless. 
      Our future is dependent on young people entering our industry. We need to give more young people opportunities. Every shop owner across the country should consider hiring an apprentice, then build an apprentice training plan and career path for them. If every shop did this, we could solve the technician shortage within five years. Get involved with the trade schools and high schools in your area. Look into the NAPA Apprenticeship Program. Don't sit on your hands with this one. Do it today.
      Lastly, don't get left behind. Commit to ongoing training for all your employees. Keep up to date with tools and equipment tailored to your business model. Don't try to be all things to all people and all vehicles. Identify your core profile customer and the vehicles they drive, and become an expert on those vehicles and the services you offer.
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