Matching the battery to the vehicle through thorough education is a priority at Automotive Parts Headquarters, Inc. in Saint Cloud, Minn. Repairers are also taught to check spark plugs, wires and other system components prone to wearing out as the vehicle gets on in years.
It should come as no surprise that in Minnesota “we see a nice spike” in battery sales as the dead of winter comes alive, according to Mike Lichtenberg, retail merchandising director. “We fly through those, but summer is approaching that level.” A battery might “limp through the winter,” but the summer heat finishes it off.
Replacement products, which include marine and utility equipment batteries, are sold based on the appropriate amount of cold-cranking amps recommended for a particular application per factory specifications. “You don’t want to go less than that,” he advises. “Those cold-cranking amps mean easier starts,” Lichtenberg says, “and as the vehicle ages it needs more cold-cranking amps to get it to turn over.”
“In Florida you sell more in the summer because the heat kills the batteries,” says Chris Olson, buyer/product manager at Parts Depot, Inc. (Although the company is based in Roanoke, Va., it distributes throughout the Sunshine State.)
“We have quite a selection,” Olson continues, noting that price and warranty is what moves them off the shelves. The biggest seller “is an aggressively priced product – we feature it in a flyer.”
At Brooks Auto Parts, Inc. in Douglas, Ga., “we sell more batteries than anything else,” says Wayne Marsh, vice president of store operations. “The first cold snap is when you get good sales on it along with the first few weeks of hot weather – that’s when you can tell if the battery is bad.”
In addition to automotive batteries, Brooks markets good-better-best lines for heavy duty trucks, farm equipment, ATVs and other engines.
“We have a lot of garage customers who promote our batteries because they are high quality and they come from NAPA,” Marsh says. For many buyers walking in the door “it’s a price-sensitive deal,” he notes. “You always want to up-sell, but you always want to sell the customer what he (or she) really needs for the needs for their vehicle – that’s where the up-selling comes in.”
Marsh stresses the importance of training among the Brooks staff to ensure that the correct matches are made. “If you sell an inadequate battery for his needs, chances are he’ll come back and be unhappy.”
Stores and shops that push the collection of old batteries can place yourself in a positive “green” light with potential patrons who value environmentally sound business practices. Lead is the most recycled metal in the world, making lead acid batteries 100 percent recyclable, according to industry experts.
The plastic containers and covers are neutralized, reground and used to manufacture new battery cases. Electrolyte can be processed for recycled waste water applications. In some cases it is cleaned and reprocessed to become new-battery grade electrolyte. The sulfate content can be applied to fertilizer production, and the separators often serve as a fuel source for the recycling process itself.
Matching the battery to the vehicle through thorough education is a priority at Automotive Parts Headquarters, Inc. in Saint Cloud, Minn. Repairers are also taught to check spark plugs, wires and other system components prone to wearing out as the vehicle gets on in years.
It should come as no surprise that in Minnesota “we see a nice spike” in battery sales as the dead of winter comes alive, according to Mike Lichtenberg, retail merchandising director. “We fly through those, but summer is approaching that level.” A battery might “limp through the winter,” but the summer heat finishes it off.
Replacement products, which include marine and utility equipment batteries, are sold based on the appropriate amount of cold-cranking amps recommended for a particular application per factory specifications. “You don’t want to go less than that,” he advises. “Those cold-cranking amps mean easier starts,” Lichtenberg says, “and as the vehicle ages it needs more cold-cranking amps to get it to turn over.”
“In Florida you sell more in the summer because the heat kills the batteries,” says Chris Olson, buyer/product manager at Parts Depot, Inc. (Although the company is based in Roanoke, Va., it distributes throughout the Sunshine State.)
“We have quite a selection,” Olson continues, noting that price and warranty is what moves them off the shelves. The biggest seller “is an aggressively priced product – we feature it in a flyer.”
At Brooks Auto Parts, Inc. in Douglas, Ga., “we sell more batteries than anything else,” says Wayne Marsh, vice president of store operations. “The first cold snap is when you get good sales on it along with the first few weeks of hot weather – that’s when you can tell if the battery is bad.”
In addition to automotive batteries, Brooks markets good-better-best lines for heavy duty trucks, farm equipment, ATVs and other engines.
“We have a lot of garage customers who promote our batteries because they are high quality and they come from NAPA,” Marsh says. For many buyers walking in the door “it’s a price-sensitive deal,” he notes. “You always want to up-sell, but you always want to sell the customer what he (or she) really needs for the needs for their vehicle – that’s where the up-selling comes in.”
Marsh stresses the importance of training among the Brooks staff to ensure that the correct matches are made. “If you sell an inadequate battery for his needs, chances are he’ll come back and be unhappy.”
Stores and shops that push the collection of old batteries can place yourself in a positive “green” light with potential patrons who value environmentally sound business practices. Lead is the most recycled metal in the world, making lead acid batteries 100 percent recyclable, according to industry experts.
The plastic containers and covers are neutralized, reground and used to manufacture new battery cases. Electrolyte can be processed for recycled waste water applications. In some cases it is cleaned and reprocessed to become new-battery grade electrolyte. The sulfate content can be applied to fertilizer production, and the separators often serve as a fuel source for the recycling process itself.
