The consensus is clear: The transition to electric vehicles is currently underway and will eventually make a hard push into the restomod segment of the industry. Also worth noting, other than some supply-chain issues with getting parts, the COVID-19 pandemic that has plagued the world over the past year and a half has not quenched consumer thirst for wanting to restore classic cars using modern technology.
If you ask any driver his or her goal in a race, the answer is usually the same—finish first. Encompassing that feeling, the advent of the electric vehicle (EV) is now bringing opportunities that were seemingly decades away.
Building on the success of its SEMA Garage in Diamond Bar, California, the association is “doubling down” on its efforts to help the specialty-equipment industry innovate new products and comply with clean-air standards through the addition of a second Garage in Michigan.
The products featured below are from SEMA Data member companies that have attained Gold- or Platinum-level data, which means that their product data is robust and complete—likely to drive customer purchase decisions. SEMA Data members meeting data scorecard requirements are invited to submit product releases for consideration to enews@semadatacoop.org.
For builders, car-care and restyling products are essential tools in the arsenal of customization and maintenance. They can provide upgrades to OE paint, glass and chrome. They can dress up an interior or refine an exterior, often at a reasonable cost. And they’re available in a wide range of parts, applications and price points, offering useful products and services to nearly any enthusiast.Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the market remained strong throughout 2020. While automotive retailers had a tough time overall for the year, the category of car-care and restyling products was a bright spot. According to the fall 2020 edition of the “SEMA State of the Industry” report, car-care and restyling products registered double-digit point-of-sales gains over 2019, with pickup accessories leading the way.
The need to adapt in order to survive in the COVID-19 era became a common theme during SEMA360 last November, when we heard from several industry experts who offered their advice on how to take businesses virtual and still deliver the ultimate customer experience. One such session was “The Customer Journey: From Digital Onlooker to Repeat Buyer,” featuring Corey Perlman, owner of Impact Social Inc., and Katie Mares, a brand-experience expert.
Most people work as hard as they possibly can to try to increase their sales, and that can lead to burnout and extremely disappointing results, according to Rich Barsamian, vice president of sales and marketing for Advanced Clutch Technology. In any economy, trying to double your customer base can be a daunting task. To achieve that goal, focus on different ways to attract new customers.
The recent announcement that the PRI Trade Show is set to return to the Indianapolis Convention Center this December 9–11 marks yet another milestone in a busy year for the company. First, Dr. Jamie Meyer was named PRI president in late spring 2020. Shortly after his arrival, the company launched a series of targeted programs to assist racing businesses and operations suddenly impacted by the pandemic. Among them was the PRI Ambassador Program—an aggressive campaign specially created to help racetrack operators navigate local, state and federal rules required to reopen safely.
The automotive aftermarket has evolved through the years—sometimes gradually, other times suddenly—in response to changes in consumer preferences and advances in technology. Through all the permutations, Hot Rod Alley at the SEMA Show has remained a steady industry focal point—a showcase for the aftermarket’s legacy innovators and their latest parts and projects. First popularized during the postwar years by a handful of shade-tree fabricators, the hot-rod marketplace has grown in the decades since into a global industry comprising thousands of companies that constitute a $1.26-billion market sector, according to the most recent survey from the Hot Rod Industry Alliance.
There is something in the air and it smells like a shakedown. Ever since the Volkswagen diesel scandal broke six years ago, it seems like the government has set its sights on the automotive specialty aftermarket. You can’t open the newspaper without reading about another enforcement action or settlement.