Internet gaining influence in Japan’s tyre market

In Japan, as elsewhere, the internet is growing in influence as a source of information for tyre purchasers. According to the according to the J.D. Power Asia Pacific 2011 Japan Winter Tire Retailer Satisfaction Index Study, the percentage of Japanese consumers who say they rely on information from the internet while shopping for winter tyres has increased to 29 per cent in 2011, up seven percentage points from 2010, while the percentage of customers who say they purchased their winter tyres through the internet or mail order has increased to from nine per cent in 2010 to 13 per cent this year.

“It is becoming ever more important for tire retail stores to attract customers who rely on Internet information,” said Tetsushi Furuya, project manager at J.D. Power Asia Pacific. “Customers who rely on internet information while shopping for their winter tyres place more importance on durability and reliability compared with customers who do not compare various brands. Tyre retailers need to take action to help customers understand the benefit of receiving information about tyre selection and maintenance at stores or from dealers.”

Now in its sixth year, the study measured customer satisfaction with winter tyre retailers by examining four key factors that drive the overall sales experience. In order of importance, they are: salesperson (34 per cent); shop facility (24 per cent); service skill (24 per cent); and product offered (18 per cent).