When selling specialty automotive parts, retailers more often reach for national brand products than their white box counterparts.

The Aftermarket Business World Specialty Product Study results show 45 percent of survey respondents report their specialty product inventory is primarily national brand parts, while only about one-fifth of respondents reported their private label products make up the majority of their inventory.

However, one third of these respondents reported that national and private label parts are equally divided among their inventory, showing very little preference for national brands over private label brands..

But one thing specialty resellers agree takes precedence is parts quality, with more than one third of respondents reporting it as the No. 1 need of their specialty customers, followed by OEM form, fit and function, price and availability, according to the study.

METHODOLOGY: The Aftermarket Business World Specialty Product Study was fielded online to specialty reseller readers of Aftermarket Business World and Motor Age magazines.

Get full Specialty Product Study results here.