IMR Inc. has released its latest insight, an update from its 2021 insight on the importance of private label and national branded parts at independent repair shops.

As of August 2022, more parts purchasers at independent repair shops reported knowing what brand was in the private label box (20.8%) compared to 2021 (19.6%), with purchasers at smaller shops (one to three bays) more likely to know what was in the private label box (22.6%) compared to larger shops with eight or more bays, where purchasers were less likely to know what was in the private label box (16.4%), IMR says.

This year’s survey results showed that 40.8% of shops said that their first-call supplier carried mostly private label parts with only a few national branded parts options, which is a decrease from 2021 survey results, at 42.6%. Of that 40.8%, 19.1% said that they go to another supplier to purchase nationally branded parts, 10.3% said that they always or frequently do and 66.7% said that they occasionally do.

When shops were asked about the likelihood of switching their first-call supplier if it changed to offer majority private label brands with limited national brands, only 6% of shops said that they definitely or very likely would switch, compared to 2021 survey results, where 15.2% of shops said that they definitely or very likely would make the switch. However, of the 59.2% of shops that said their first call supplier doesn’t have heavy private label branded categories, the number of those who would definitely/very likely switch rises to 8.8%, and another 13.5% say they would be likely to make a switch.

Overall, more than half of shops surveyed reported in 2022 that they occasionally go to another supplier for nationally branded parts at 66.7%, while 17.9% rarely go to another supplier. 10.3% reported going to another supplier frequently and 0% reported always going to a different supplier for nationally branded parts.