汽车后市场 外文文献翻译

The Competitive Dynamics in the Automotive Aftermarket: Branded Products and Private Label Products

THE BUSINESS CASE

Throughout the automotive aftermarket industry,senior executives are facing the reality of private brands. Similar dynamics exist outside of the automotive aftermarket and are intensifying in other sectors, such as traditional consumer goods. Also known as ―private label‖ and referred to across many consumer-oriented industries as ―store brands,‖ ―control brands‖ or ―own brands,‖ their risin g prominence has led top executives to ask: ? What issues and risks do U.S.-branded manufacturers face with respect to private brands?

? How are market forces different today than in years past? How will this landscape evolve?

? How can I better understand my operational blind spots in an increasingly competitive landscape?

? What can my management team focus on to protect and grow my brands? Where do we start?

?What are the similarities and differences between the private brand trends in the automotive aftermarket and the consumer products sector?

? What can be learned by automotive aftermarket executives from the private brand experiences in other sectors?

Although answers to these questions are not simple and some market dynamics are not yet fully clear, the availability of private brands and other competitive trends are growing in the automotive aftermarket community, just as they are in many consumer product segments.

One out of every three consumer products sold by one of the nation’s largest retailers is now private brand – up from one out of every five just a few years ago. With U.S. private brand sales in the grocery market surpassing well over $80 billion, for example, private brands can no longer be ignored by consumer product manufacturers. The U.S. market share of private brands in food, drug and mass merchant channels is more than 20 percent, according to industry data research firms. More than 80 percent of consumers shopping in big box, warehouse clubs and superstores frequently buy store brands and, depending on the specific product category, multiple store brands at a time. Retailers are focusing more resources on private branding to enhance margins, increase shelf velocity and expand store

loyalty and traffic.

Private branding in food, drug and mass merchant consumer products channels is not a new phenomenon, nor is it a new concept in the automotive aftermarket. However, there are differences in the degree to which private brand penetration has occurred in traditional consumer goods industries compared with the automotive aftermarket. The factors giving rise to these differences include the nature and use of the products (e.g., immediate consumption vs. durable goods), the ability of the consumer to exercise preference at point of sale, technological or other barriers to entry for alternative manufacturers to produce private brands, the degree to which products are subject to regulatory controls, and the differences in the channels in which the products are distributed. Notwithstanding these distinctions, private branding will continue to impact the competitive landscape.

Consumer behavior has gone through a dramatic evolution in the past five years, with the economic shifts and downturns, and with the exploding access to information and technology. The lines of consumer priorities are blurring and shifting, and regardless of brand or product mix, measurement and management of these shifts will be the key to strategic success and growth in a global marketplace.

The U.S. automotive aftermarket is one of the single largest markets in the U.S. and is increasingly affected by private brand influences similar to other consumer product markets. However, total private brand penetration in the aftermarket is not as closely measured and monitored as in other consumer sectors. As brand and product strategies continue to evolve among aftermarket channel participants, more sophisticated measurements of private brand penetration rates are beginning to take root.

ISSUES, OPPORTUNITIES AND RISKS

The degree of market consolidation among retailers is believed to be one of the influences at work in driving increased private brand market share penetration. Retail consolidation is also one of the contributing factors to increasing retailer pricing leverage, according to the AASA(Automotive Aftermarket Suppliers Association) Q4 2009 Aftermarket Supplier Barometer report, and ultimately can lead to supplier margin erosion.

Retail consolidation can create economy-of-scale advantages for private brands, allowing brand development and deployment costs to be spread incrementally across higher product volumes, decreasing their relative per unit volume significance. Further, private brand penetration appears to vary across product categories. Those experiencing a higher degree of

―commoditization‖ (little or no perceived differentiation across brands) have demonstrated higher private brand market share levels compared to product categories with low degrees of commoditization. Within the automotive aftermarket, product categories such as tires, accessories and maintenance parts are showing similar trends. One recent research report for brake component sales from Frost & Sullivan shows private brands had a 60 percent market share in 2009 and are expected to increase to 66 percent by 2015.

Monitoring private brand market share penetration levels in each aftermarket product category where a branded manufacturer participates can help assess the current degree of commoditization. However, detailed and accurate data regarding private brand penetration levels within many aftermarket product categories are not readily available — unlike other consumables sectors, where scanner-level data from IRI and Nielsen offers good visibility. Private brand penetration varies by type of product category, geography, channel partners and consumer segment. Having more data and measurements regarding private brand penetration, consumer behavior and supply chain visibility will be essential moving forward, in order to respond to opportunities and risks and sustain a competitive advantage.

Understanding customer and consumer segments: private brand preferences Demographic and ethnographic segment patterns matter. More than 50 percent of

18-to-34-year-olds buy more than half of their consumer staples from private brands. Attitudinal segmentation — similar attitudes and values such as degree of importance placed on the dealer or repair professional, parts availability, do-it-yourself (DIY) considerations, price sensitivity and convenience, shared across segments — can show varying degrees of influence on private brand choices. Understanding customer and consumer decisions across the entire value chain from manufacturer to ultimate consumer will enable better tailoring of brand positioning and more effective promotional programs.

Knowing your customers, where they purchase and what drives their purchase decisions is paramount. In March 2010, Ernst & Young conducted a survey of more than 1,000 consumers and discovered:

? 56 percent of consumers surveyed purchased vehi cle parts and accessories in general automotive repair shops, parts and accessories stores, or chains;

? 22 percent purchased them from new and used vehicle dealers;

? 15 percent purchased them from big box, warehouse clubs and superstores (nonautomotive);

? 7 percent purchased them online; and

? 20 percent also serviced their vehicle themselves (maintenance, repair, customization).

Private brand market dynamics are impacting aftermarket channels through which the majority of products are sold. Developing a unique value proposition for each consumer and channel segment based on channel customer influences will be paramount in maintaining market share.

Understanding consumer defection rates (velocity, magnitude and motivations) from major brands to store brands within a product category can be an excellent gauge of brand relevancy in the eyes of a brand’s user base.

The automotive aftermarket is experiencing low brand awareness in certain product categories. For select manufacturers, this implies that the risk of becoming a commodity and facing more margin and sales pressures is influenced by degree of brand loyalty across shoppers. Retailers with DIY or do-it-for-me (DIFM) shopper advocacy programs focusing on serving repair professionals can create brand loyalty among their consumers for store-branded products using their reputation as a technical services-oriented supplier of parts. Manufacturers also are trying to get closer to their primary and secondary consumers and raise brand awareness through techniques such as professional installer training programs and advertising campaigns. These special offers are designed to reinforce the message that longer-lasting, better-performing replacement products are today’s best quality and are

a longer-term affordability option for consumers. According to recent Nielsen Co. data on consumer trends, a key piece of data to keep in mind when considering consumer behavior trends for 2010 is that, ―Value messaging must include differentiation beyond pricing for consumers.‖

Retail engagement: keeping advocates and influencers

Repair professional recommendations and influences on consumer choice are important dimensions in the private brand or name brand success equation. According to a January 2010 Frost & Sullivan report, vehicle owners will adopt repair professional recommendations for batteries up to one-third of the time. The important question to ask is: What are the key influences the repair professionals look at when making brand decisions? It is important to recognize th at all participants in the supply channel influence the repair professional’s choice.

New and used vehicle dealers, accessory stores or auto parts chains, big box, warehouse clubs and superstores, online providers and search partners all play an increasingly important

role in affecting consumer choices. Big box, warehouse clubs and superstores are concentrating on improving the shopper experience by offering a wider selection of private brand offerings in many consumer durables and non-durables.

IMPLICATIONS FOR AUTOMOTIVE AFTERMARKET LEADERS: UNDERSTANDING OPERATIONAL BLIND SPOTS

Typically, branded manufacturers and retailers focus only on price gaps and performance gaps, but that may be shortsighted in an increasingly multidimensional competitive game. Ern st & Young’s professionals believe there are at least six dimensions or strategic levers —both quantitative and qualitative — that manufacturers and retail channel players should identify to understand, measure and evaluate private brand competitive dynamics. These six dimensions are pricing, quality, promotion, distribution and merchandising, marketing and packaging perception and organization .

Which of these six are the most relevant to the automotive aftermarket? In many consumer goods product categories, consumers often perceive the quality of private brands as being equal to name brands. But a recent report from The NPD Group, a leading market research company, suggests this isn’t always the case with consumers of automotive aftermarket products. According to NPD, some automotive aftermarket consumers still perceive a quality difference between private brand and name brands. In the category of motor oil, NPD suggests that more than half of consumers surveyed believe motor oil name brands are of better quality than store brands, while nearly one-third see no real difference. What quality level is each consumer market segment willing to pay a premium for? Are independent repair professionals willing to risk their repair shop’s reputation on products that customers may perceive as lower quality?

Manufacturers need to understand where their customers stand on quality vs. price, and must clearly differentiate those attributes that will best drive purchase choice behavior. Likewise, retailers should evaluate brand assortment to ensure they are meeting the requirements of both quality- and value-driven consumers. It is a fact that in some cases, repair shops may utilize original equipment parts over aftermarket or private brand parts. Retailers and warehouse distributors may utilize private brands to promote their reputation as more economical in the short run. The key question to ask is: Keeping safety, dependability and performance in mind, what is the true risk/benefit ratio perceived by consumer segments where each aftermarket product category sells and what levels of price portfolio are fair?

Remember, it is the consumers who pay, and depending on whether it is a repair or maintenance issue, they wield more power today than ever.

Safety, dependability and performance are of utmost importance to the vehicle

owner/consumer when it comes to automotive aftermarket parts used for vehicle maintenance and repairs. As participants in the aftermarket distribution channel (including manufacturer, distributor, chain or independent retailer and repair professional) seek to respond to and influence consumer choice, build trust and maintain market share in vehicle repair and replacement, all players must understand how the products they offer meet these key consumer values and support their reputation in the market.

AASA has launched an initiative called ―Know Your Parts,‖ designed to encourage all distribution channel participants to fully evaluate the increasing number of competing products in the marketplace across several dimensions of dependability, quality and performance. This campaign highlights the importance in understanding the extent to which there is transparency in the manufacturer’s commitment to provide support in the form of technical specifications, warranty, quality assurance, training and other services. It recognizes the important role that repair professionals, distributors and retailers play in influencing customer and consumer choice, particularly when the consumer is more dependent on the supply chain for information to support choice decisions among complex products. PROTECTING AND GROWING BRANDS

Both manufacturers and retailers are asking for clarity in how to understand and act upon private brand market dynamics. We suggest they begin by asking the following questions:

1). Learn the market: See reality in customer and consumer perspectives

a). What levels of awareness, consideration, purchase intent, usage and loyalty exist within the categories and brands where I compete?

b). How is the market changing, and how will future consolidation create opportunities?

c). Are we using digital and social media resources to gain specific insight into consumers?

d). Should we establish strategic listening posts using social media as an ongoing program rather than a one-time effort? Where along the distribution channel should such measures be used?

2). Know thyself: Look at what value your brands offer in each product category and consumer and repair professional segments

a). How can my management teams think differently rather than preserve the status quo?

b). Should organizational practices or structure change in light of private brand dynamics?

c). Which brands represent leading practices that should be replicated?

d). What marketing and promotional levers can be pulled to preserve and grow brand loyalty and quality perceptions among all distribution channel consumers?

3). Evaluate new competition

a). Where are my marketing activities over- or under-resourced as compared to competitors? Does this new reality offer cost-reduction or revenue opportunities?

b). What is the potential to maximize revenues given the price elasticity of my products as compared to competitor and private brand offerings?

c). How are competitors combating private brand threats, and what lessons can be learned?

4). Build private brand defense and offense strategies and competencies

a). How can I build a private brand monitoring capability?

b). Should I develop a private brand index or similar measure?

Aftermarket companies need to develop holistic, reliable and multidimensional measures to better understand, evaluate and monitor private brand value gaps across the entire aftermarket distribution channel. These measures must go beyond pricing and include quality, innovation and other dimensions such as customer and consumer perceptions. Obtaining information to develop such measures will likely mean using different approaches to gather consumer-level insights. This analysis focuses on three areas: 1) measuring and evaluating the true penetration of private brands within various product categories experiencing a high degree of commoditization, 2) identifying the root causes of this trend in quantitative and qualitative terms and 3) building viable and practical responses at brand and category levels.

汽车售后市场的竞争动态：品牌产品和自主产品

业务案例

在汽车零配件行业中，高管正面临私人品牌的现实。类似的动态不仅存在汽车售后市场内，也有其他行业的强化，如传统的消费品。也被称为“私人标签”并将许多面向消费者的行业称为“品牌专卖店”品牌，“控制品牌”或“自己的品牌，”他们的崛起导致高管问：

?作为美国品牌制造商的自有品牌将面临怎样的问题和风险？

?在市场力量和过去几年不同的今天，这一现象是如何演变的？

?如何能更好的找出在日益竞争格局中操作的盲点？

?我的管理团队应如何专注于保护和发展我的品牌？我们首先应该做什么？

?在汽车后市场的自有品牌的发展趋势和消费产品部门之间的相似性和差异是什么？

?我们可以通过其他部门的高管在自有品牌的汽车售后市场经验教训学到什么？

尽管这些问题的答案并不简单，一些市场动态尚未完全明确，自有品牌和其他竞争趋势在汽车售后市场内逐渐发展，就像他们在许多消费产品领域。

全国最大的零售商出售的自有品牌产品就从仅仅几年前的五件中有一个到现在的三件就有一件。美国的自有品牌不能再被消费产品制造商忽略，例如在美国的食品市场中私人品牌销售额超过800亿美元。根据行业研究公司的数据，美国的私人品牌在食品、药品和大规模商业渠道的市场份额超过20%。在同一时间内根据特定产品类别，超过80%的消费者在大盒子、仓库俱乐部和超市购物经常购买商店品牌。零售商正在私人品牌聚集更多的资源来提高利润，增加货架转换速度和扩大商店的忠诚度和交通条件。

私人品牌在食品，药品和大众商家消费品的渠道是不是一个新现象，也不是在汽车售后市场的一个新概念。然而,有不同程度的私人品牌渗透率发生在传统消费品行业与汽车售后市场。这个因素引起一些差异包括性质和使用的产品(如即期消费品与耐用消费品)、消费者的偏好、销售点的能力、技术或其他进入壁垒的其他厂家生产的自有品牌、产品受监管控制的程度,不同的渠道,产品分布。尽管有这些区别,但私人品牌扔将继续影响竞争格局。

随着经济的变化与低迷和不断膨胀的获取信息和技术，消费者的行为在过去的五年经历了戏剧性的变化。消费者优先权的界限是模糊的和不断变化的，而无论品牌或产品组合，这些变化的测量和管理战略的成功，是在全球市场增长的关键。

在美国，作为最大的单一市场美国汽车售后市场也像其他消费品市场一样越来越受

到自主品牌的影响。然而，总的自主品牌在售后市场的渗透并不像其他消费品行业进行密切的测量和监控。但随着品牌与产品策略的不断发展，自主品牌普及率的提升，在后市场渠道参与者之间更复杂的监测开始使用。

问题、机遇及风险

零售商认为市场整合的程度是影响自主品牌在市场份额渗透变动的一个因素。根据供应商的晴雨表AASA（汽车后市场供应商协会）2009年第四季度的市场报告，零售业的整合也是增加零售商的价格的因素之一，并最终可以导致供应商的利润侵蚀。

零售整合可以创建自主品牌的规模经济优势，让品牌的开发和部署成本逐渐转移到更高级的产品销售中，并增加使用效率。自主产品更进一步的渗透到不同类别的产品。与产品类别商品化程度较低的相比，那些更高程度的商品化市场份额中自主品牌占有较高的水平。在汽车售后市场内的轮胎配件与维修配件等产品也有类似的现象。最近佛洛斯特·沙利文关于制动组件销售的报告显示，自主品牌从2009年的60%的市场份额将预计会在2015年增加到66%。

品牌制造商可以参与帮助评估当前商品化的程度，并监控售后市场没个产品种类自主品牌的市场份额差距水平。然而，关于售后市场许多产品种类自主产品渗透水平的详细和准确数据不是现成的，不像其他的耗材行业，伊利和尼克森的扫描仪数据提供了良好地能见度。产品的类别、地理、渠道、合作伙伴和消费者群体不同自主品牌的渗透率也不同。为了应对机遇和风险并维持竞争优势，自主品牌将进行更多的数据测量，消费者的行为和供应链的的透明程度也将增加。

理解客户和消费者：对自主品牌的偏好

从18岁到34岁的人群内超过50%的人在购买消费必需品时会选择自主产品。经销商或维修专业的态度和价值观、零件的可用性、便利程度、价格的敏感度、共享段都可以在不同程度上影响消费者对自主品牌的选择。理解客户和消费者的偏好可以让从生产商到最终消费者整个价值链更好的为产品定位和制定更有效的促销计划。

了解你的客户。他们在哪购买，什么驱使他们购买等因素是至关重要的。厄恩斯特·杨在2010年3月调查1000多名消费者发现：

?接受调查的消费者中有56%的在汽车维修店、零件和配件商店购买汽车配件；

?22%从新车和二手车经销商购买；

?15%从大卖场、仓库俱乐部和超市（非汽车）购买；

?7%从网上购买；

?20%的车身也要进行服务（维修、修理、客制化）；

自主品牌市场动态影响大部分产品的销售渠道。开发基于客户和消费者渠道及每个渠道细分的独特价值的影响对保持市场份额是最重要的。

从各产品类别中主要品牌理解消费者的背叛率（速度、程度、动机），可以很好的衡量用户群体眼中的品牌相关度。

汽车售后市场正经历着某类产品的品牌知名度低的情况。对于选择制造商，消费者的品牌忠诚度是主要影响因素，这意味着风险作为一件商品将面临更多的利润和销售压力。以零售商和为我做这件事为顾客宣传重点的修复专家能为商店品牌产品利用自己的荣誉作为一个技术服务为导向的零部件供应商之间建立消费者品牌忠诚度。制造商也试图接近他们的初级和次级消费者，通过专业的安装培训计划和广告宣传活动来提高品牌知名度。这些特殊的措施旨在找到更好的替代商品前提高消费者对本产品的承受能力并使该产品在市场存活更长的时间。根据尼克森对2010年消费者行为趋势的调查显示“价值信息必须包括超出分化定价的消费者的信息。”

零售业务：保持存在有想法和影响力的人

在自主品牌或品牌的成功方程式中修理专业的建议和影响消费者选择的因素是重要的条件。根据2010年月佛洛斯特·沙利文的报告，车主将采用电池维修专业人员建议的三分之一的时间。其中报告中最重要的问题是：什么是维修专业人员对品牌决策的关键影响点，修理专业的建议对参与者在供应渠道选择的影响。

新车和二手车经销商、配件商店或汽车零部件链、大箱、仓储俱乐部和超市,在线提供商和搜索合作伙伴都在影响消费者的选择过程中扮演越来越重要的角色。在许多耐用消费品和非耐用消费品，大箱、仓储俱乐部和超市都集中在为消费者提供更多的自主品牌产品的选择的机会。

汽车售后市场领导者的影响：了解操作的盲点

通常情况下，品牌制造商和零售商只注重价格和性能上的差距，但在一个日益多维博弈的市场是目光短浅的。厄恩斯特·杨等专业人士相信在自主品牌竞争动力学中，至少有六个维度或战略杠杠——定性的和定量的，制造商和零售商需要识别理解、衡量和评价。这六个维度分别是价格、质量、推广、分销和销售、营销、包装的观念与组织。

这是六个和汽车售后市场最相关的因素吗?在许多产品类别里，消费者往往认为自主品牌等于品牌质量。但最近一家领先的市场研究公司NPD集团的一项报告说明在汽车售后市场并非如此。根据NPD的报告，一些汽车售后市场的消费者认为一些品牌的质量较差。NPD表明，在机油中，一半以上的消费者认为发动机润滑油品牌产品质量优于商店品牌，虽然近三分之一的看不出真正的差异。什么样的细分市场的质量水平会使每个

消费者愿意支付溢价?独立的维修专业人士愿意冒着维修店的声誉在使用一些产品时,

客户会不会可能会认为质量低？

制造商必须在质量和价格的立场上了解他们的顾客，并明确区分这些属性，这样才能设计出最佳驱动购买选择行为。同样，零售商应该评估品牌分类以确保他们满足消费者的质量要求和价值驱动。事实上，在某些情况下，修理店可以利用售后市场或私人品牌的零件作为原有设备部件。零售商和经销商可以利用自主品牌推广自己的声誉。关键问题是：保持安全性，可靠性和性能考虑，消费市场中真正的风险/效益比，每个售后市场销售的产品类别，什么级别的价格组合是公平的？要记住，这些取决于修理或维修都是要消费者支付的，因此他们今天要比以往能行使更大的权力。

当汽车的拥有者、使用者谈到用于保养与维修的汽车售后零部件时，它们的安全性、可靠性和性能都是非常重要的影响因素。在售后市场的分销渠道参与者（包括制造商，分销商，零售商和连锁或独立的专业维修）应寻求应对和影响消费者选择的措施，并建立信任，保持车辆维修和更换的市场份额。所有的人员必须了解他们所提供的产品，满足这些关键消费者的价值观和支持其在市场上的声誉发展。

汽车售后市场协会发起了一项名为“了解你的一部分”的活动，旨在鼓励所有分销渠道参与者充分评价越来越多的竞争产品在可靠性、质量和性能几个方面的市场。这种活动强调了解制造商提供支持技术规范的承诺与保证、质量保证、培训与其他服务的重要程度。它承认了在分销商和零售商之间影响客户和消费者的选择特别是当消费者在复杂产品之间更依赖于供应链信息支持决定选择时维修人员的重要作用。

保护和发展品牌

制造商和零售商要想清新的了解私人品牌市场动态并采取行动，我们建议他们可以先问以下问题：

1）了解市场：从客户和消费者的角度

a）什么样的意识水平，购买与使用意图，存在于种类与品牌竞争中的忠诚度。

b市场的变化趋势，如何在未来的整合中创造机会。

c能否使用数字媒体和社会媒体洞察特定的消费者。

d我们能否使社交媒体作为一个正在建立的战略性的监听设备而不是一次性的使用，沿着分销渠道能采取哪些措施。

2）了解自己：看看你的品牌在产品类别、消费者和维修专业领域的价值a）如何使管理团队从不同的方位思考而不是维持现状。

b）一些组织的做法和自主品牌市场动态的变化。

c）那些品牌领导者的做法可以借鉴。

d）什么样的营销和促销手段可以保护和提高所有分销渠道消费者的品牌忠诚度和质量感知度。

3）评估新的竞争

a）相比竞争对手我有那些营销活动或财力的不足，这些会不会提供降低成本或收入的机会。

b）相比竞争对手，怎样最大限度的提高我的产品的价格弹性和自主品牌的潜力。

c）自主品牌的竞争对手是如何打击威胁的，并可以吸取什么样的教训。

4）打造个人品牌的防守和进攻策略和能力

a）如何才能建立一个私人品牌监控能力。

b）怎样开发自有品牌指数或采取类似措施。

售后服务公司需要在整个市场的分销渠道制定全面的、可靠的、多维的更好理解的措施来评估和监测的私人品牌价值的差距。这些措施不仅仅定价，包括质量，创新，如客户和消费者认知的其他维度。获取信息制定这样的措施很可能意味着使用不同的方法来收集消费者的见解。本文的分析侧重于三个方面：1)测量和评估自主品牌在各个类别产品的商品化程度；2）在定性与定量的角度识别这一趋势的根源；3）在品牌和类别角度构建可行的实用的反应水平。