Survey: Tire Dealerships Slowly Adopting Internet Technology

Tire dealerships could be doing more to make the online experience better for customers, according to market intelligence service Tire Intelligence.

The service conducted a survey of 150 U.S. tire dealerships – primarily independents with multiple locations – during Q1 2015 to gauge tire dealership’s adoption of Internet technologies. The report, titled 2015 Adoption of Internet Technologies in Tire Dealers, focused on two areas of Internet technology: Web visibility and website to store conversions.

The study reported that 73% of dealerships are below basic or basic as related to their Web visibility. Visibility, according to the report, refers to the dealership’s website’s search engine optimization and social media participation.

A majority of surveyed dealerships ranked high in Google searches for “tire dealers” in their local city. According to the survey, 64% of surveyed dealerships appear in the top three results of a Google search.

Fifty-three percent of surveyed dealerships have no Facebook account or don’t update the account; 70% of surveyed dealerships have no Twitter account or don’t update the account.

“Having a website is just the beginning,” the report stated. “In order to attract consumers to your website, you will need to invest time and money to increase your visibility across search engines, social media platforms, etc.”

The survey also measured the ability of a tire dealership’s website to increase the likelihood of customers visiting the store after visiting the website.

“Very often, companies invest in the creation of a website, hundreds of dollars in Google Ad-words and Facebook Ads, however, they do not spend enough time and investment in the actual mechanisms to closing sales,” the report stated.

When it comes to checking inventory and prices, 88% of tire dealerships’ websites have a tire selector. However, only 20% of dealers showed prices online.

Sixty-seven percent offer the customer the ability to request a quote.

Less than half of the surveyed dealers’ websites enable customers to book appointments online.

A small percentage of tire dealerships, 6%, provide customers with the ability to pay for tires and service online, the survey reported.

Discount Tire & Service Centers has a new sponsorship deal with the Los Angeles Angels for the 2024 season. Discount Tire said this partnership will not only benefit its customers with season-long promotions and giveaways but will also support local non-profits.

"We're thrilled to launch this strategic partnership with the Los Angeles Angels," said Sergio Andonian, president, Discount Tire & Service Centers. "As neighbors, from Anaheim, we are dedicated to serving our local communities and providing quality tire & automotive service at the most competitive prices. Together, we look forward to making a positive and lasting impact in the communities. Add baseball to the mix, and with this winning combination, the possibilities are endless."