Waxes/polishes
Consumers who responded to this segment like to keep their vehicle looking new. And they don’t stop with the paint job. These guys love to spit and polish everything, top to bottom. In our research, 55 percent of those we surveyed claim they polish wheels and hubcaps, and of those respondents, nearly 40 percent use a special product manufactured to shine chrome components.
What’s nice to see is that these customers are waxing and polishing their vehicles regularly and you can bet they are buying car wash soaps and products, tire shine products, interior cleaners and surface protectants. Basically, you can expect these customers in your store a couple times a week when the weather permits.
And they do shop at your store. Forty-nine percent of the people we surveyed claim they buy their products through auto parts stores. That is a huge drop over last year, when ninety-two percent of those surveyed shopped in your stores. It’s not clear why the numbers are so different, but it might be worth noting that as auto parts stores declined, discount stores registered a 21-percent gain. Are they doing a better job reaching consumers in this segment? Perhaps. It’s worth tracking mass merchants to be certain they don’t gain more ground on your wax and polish sales.
What were the top three reasons you chose
the particular wax & polish you bought?
Brand name 67%
Performance claim 48%
Attractive price 38%
In-store display 24%
Recommendation 22%
Technologically advanced product 19%
Impulse purchase 9%
Attractive package 7%
Advertised sale 5%
Coupon 2%
Warranty 2%
Money back guarantee 2%
Those who shopped around comparing prices
Yes 41%
No 59%
To locate the best price, consumers:
Visit store(s) 78%
Friend’s recommendation 22%
Review ads 11%
Call store(s) 11%
Are you aware of the store’s return policy?
Yes 79% No 21%
How would you rate the service you received?
Excellent 58% Fair 40% Poor 2%
How likely are you to shop at that store again based on service alone?
Highly likely 67% Somewhat likely 28% Not likely 5%
How likely are you to purchase this type of wax & polish again based
on performance?
Highly likely 70% Somewhat likely 30%
Why did you buy the wax & polish for your
vehicle?
Regular maintenance 85%
Finish was looking dull 18%
Keep shine 2%
Polish crome 2%
Note: Table made from bar graph.
How often do you wax or polish your
vehicle?
Every 2-3 months 30%
Once a month or more 26%
Every 6 months 16%
Once a year 15%
Did you personally use the wax & polish?
Yes 82%
No 18%
Note: Table made from bar graph.
Where did you buy the wax & polish?
Auto parts & accessory store 49%
Discount store chain 26%
Department store 13%
Other 8%
Dealer 3%
Grocery store 3%
Note: Table made from bar graph.
Did advertising influence you to buy the
wax & polish?
Yes 24%
No 76%
Note: Table made from pie chart.
Where did you see or hear the advertisement
for the wax & polish?
In-store display 14%
Direct Mail 5%
Internet 5%
Magazine 14%
Newspaper 24%
Television 38%
Note: Table made from pie chart.
COPYRIGHT 2004 Advanstar Communications, Inc.
COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group
