Though you've likely got a decent idea of what your customers want, it's never a bad idea to back up what you believe is true with some facts. Every April, the Aftermarket Profile is published in Professional Distributor, giving insights from over 500 PTEN readers on tool and equipment purchases they've made recently or plan to make soon. Use the stats highlighted below to get in your customer's heads and make the sale! 

To view the full Aftermarket Profile, you can download it here. 

1. Percentage of techs/shop owners planning the following purchases in 2022

In order to have the right tools and equipment on your truck, you need to know what sort of purchases your customers are planning to make. Stocking up on a bunch of tire service products just because they sold well last year won't necessarily make you as many sales this year. This year 80 percent of techs/shop owners are planning to purchase hand tools while only 19 percent are looking at alignment equipment. Here are the top five categories techs/shop owners are looking to purchase: 

• Hand tools - 80%
• Shop equipment - 76%
• Chemicals - 73%
• Cordless power tools - 72%
• Specialty tools - 71%

2. Battery service equipment that shops own

When considering what equipment to stock for battery service knowing what equipment other shops own can give you an idea of what your customers need to do their jobs efficiently. Ninety-two percent of shops said they own a battery tester while only 31 percent said they own a reprogramming power supply. Here are the top three battery service products shops own: 

• Battery tester - 92%
• Portable battery charger - 72%
• Wheeled battery charger - 72%

Keep in mind that even if the shops you visit already own one or more of these products, they may not be happy with how the product is performing or may be in need of purchasing a second one. 

 3. Diagnostic equipment that shop owners/techs own 

Did you know that 81 percent of shops have a diagnostician on staff? The importance of shops owning diagnostic equipment is only growing, so ensuring you have the right tools in stock is a must. Here are the top five diagnostic products shops own: 

• Scan tools - 90%
• Battery service equipment/battery maintainer - 89%
• Digital multimeter - 87%
• Code reader - 82%
• Videoscope/borescope - 65%

4. Tire/wheel service equipment that shops own

While not all shops offer tire/wheel services, it's likely you visit at least one that does. Be sure to keep some products on hand for those customers. Here are the top three tire/wheel service products shops own:

• TPMS tools - 63%
• Tire changers - 62%
• Wheel balancers - 58%

5. A/C equipment in the shop

We may be mid-summer now, but the sun is keeping things nice and toasty outside, which means people are cranking their vehicle's A/C. Be sure your truck is your customers go to by keeping these top three A/C products shops own on hand: 

• A/C leak detector/UV leak detection devices - 73%
• R-134a RRR machine - 70%
• A/C hose or line repair kits - 39%