The Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association (AAIA) recently conducted a survey to gain insight into the purchasing decisions of automotive repair professionals. The association’s 2013 Digital Tool & Equipment Purchasing Trends report explores use of the Internet when purchasing new tools and equipment. Some TechShop readers were asked to complete this survey, and if you did, we appreciate your input.
Most respondents said they used the Internet more for researching information and less for the actual purchasing of tools or equipment, with the most online research going into tools with prices over $100.
In AAIA’s report, product warranty was rated by both tool and equipment purchasers as the most influential factor in their purchasing decisions. To appease buyers’ warranty worries, some tool companies now offer apps and online catalogs where even if you buy the tool online, you’ll receive it from your local distributor, with the warranty and customer service that is important to you.
According to the report, your mobile vendors continue to be the most frequently used suppliers for tool and equipment purchases. You should be able to depend on your local tool truck driver for information on the tools and equipment you’re interested in buying.
The TechShop team recently returned from a batch of tool shows, (click here for more on the Matco Tools Expo and the Mac Tools Tool Fair), and these companies do an excellent job at training their distributors on the new tools they have on their trucks. Every year that we attend these shows, the tool companies seem to do more and more to educate the distributors and to bring you the best tools to help you do your job more efficiently.
And we want to bring you more of that information you’re looking for. Both of our feature articles this issue pertain to the benefits of having the right equipment and tools to diagnose and service your customers’ vehicles. In Pulling Codes, Carlton Banks discusses how two different scan tools can have two different results on the same vehicle. Mike DuBois delves into the benefits of new refrigerant recovery machines. And the rest of TechShop — the magazine, the website, and our Facebook and Twitter pages — is here to keep you informed and up-to-date on what you need to know before you buy. If there’s a subject you’re interested in hearing about, let us know.
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