What’s new in the Automotive Aftermarket?

By Neury Freitas

Following several years of Covid-induced disruption, the automotive aftermarket appears to have stabilized. Our 2023 Aftermarket Pulse survey revealed relatively little change in many of the key areas of consumer behavior compared to the previous year.

The annual survey captures detailed insights from both B2C and B2B customers around the world, enabling stakeholders throughout the aftermarket value chain to make more data-driven decisions.

Independents still ahead; online vs. offline shows regional variance

Independent workshops are still the destination of choice for at least 50% of consumers in each of our surveyed markets (China, France, Germany, UK, USA). However, increased adoption of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) is starting to see OEMs become more popular, particularly in Germany. This is due to worries around vehicle warranty and potential lack of expertise in complex repairs at independent workshops.

In China, on the other hand, vehicle owners are increasingly favoring independents, with 70% of respondents naming them as their destination of choice for maintenance, service or repair. This is partly due to the growth of online-to-offline platforms, which direct consumers to independent workshops.

Almost all respondents in China have now bought parts online – much more than elsewhere. Indeed, after a strong increase during and immediately after the pandemic, growth in online parts shopping has now slowed in Europe and the US. Western drivers are more likely to install parts themselves than their counterparts in China.

We also see strong discrepancy in data sharing: Almost all Chinese drivers (95%) are willing to share at least some data, much higher than in any other market.

Non-branded and sustainable parts increasingly relevant

In terms of spending, service and maintenance expenses remain largely unchanged, with only the US market showing a notable increase versus 2022.

The majority of consumers still favor OE-branded or IAM-branded parts, with a relatively even split in most markets. However, US and European workshops are starting to install more non-branded parts as vehicle owners look to save money amid continued economic uncertainty. UK respondents are the most price sensitive.

With sustainability increasingly important, at least 50% of respondents in each market would consider purchasing recycled or remanufactured parts. Chinese drivers are the most open to this option, as well as being the most willing to pay a premium for more sustainable spare parts.

Garages less confident at dealing with BEVs

In the B2B segment, workshops in most markets are returning to offline channels after Covid disruption forced them to seek components online more frequently. Germany is the exception to this trend, with a slight increase in online sourcing compared to 2022.

Increased electrification has led to an interesting development in BEV repair and maintenance, with garages reporting a significant decrease in confidence at dealing with BEVs. This is down to greater diversity in the models available as well as previously unseen issues becoming more prominent as BEVs age. China is the outlier here: the majority of its workshops are confident handling BEVs as well as advanced driver assistance systems.

For more information on the most important aftermarket developments, including a full geographic breakdown of the results, download the Aftermarket Pulse 2023.

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