In the UK, wholesaler Stapleton’s Tyre Services has announced that it is to invest two million Pounds in an internet-linked network of service outlets, called Tyreserve, aimed at the car fleet market. Stapleton’s retail division (50 outlets) will be the first member and Tyreserve will begin trading next April. The new move has the full backing of Itochu, Stapleton’s parent company.
SupplyOn, an internet market platform for the automotive supplier industry, located near Munich, wants to enhance its international presence. Recently the company opened a bureau in Paris. Due to the great interest in a business-specific E-commerce platform, the company intends to establish a presence in the USA by the end of the year. To date, 25 international automotive suppliers are registered with SupplyOn, whose offer contains integrated solutions for buying, distribution, logistics and development.
Dunlop Online has launched what it says is “the most sophisticated guide to motorcycle tyres on the net”. It gives surfers tyre fitment and pressure data for their motorcycles, along with the recommended Dunlop tyre for their machine. Details are on ww.dunloptyres.co.uk/motorcycle
Continental has ended its co-operation with Autobytel Europe. The tyre manufacturer had intended to invest 15 million Euro in retail sales via the Internet. The company has revised plans and is eschewing B2C activities to concentrate on B2B developments. Swedish customers in the test market can already access the tyre module from car broker Autobytel.
Despite all the joint-ventures, take-overs and mergers within the tyre industry, the number of tyre brands, types and dimensions offered by tyre trade is continually rising. As customers’ demands are increasing too, it is no longer an easy task to sell black round rubber tyres. Additional services, covering car service as well, are required more than ever before. Where the tyre trade could easily lose track, simple computer software could solve the problem. However, we have realised several times, especially within our series of visits to tyre trade sites – and recently at a shop in Dortmund – that there are still some “dinosaurs” among the dealers who prefer file-card boxes, lists, card indices and similar things to computer files, not only for placing an order for a potential customer but for stocktaking. This is not automatically a disadvantage, but it raises the question if it is an exception or, if on principle EDP is not as accepted in the tyre business as in other business sectors. “Within the tyre trade EDP goes without question” so say the software producers, while developing new challenges such as integrating internet and e-commerce into their programmes. In interviews with some suppliers, NEUE REIFENZEITUNG has been looking into this and other trends concerning EDP and the tyre trade.
The planned co-operation between the European Scrap Tyre Exchange (Eustex) and the European Tyre Recycling Association (ETRA) will not now take place, said Michael Laasch, Managing Director of Eustex. At the beginning of December, Eustex had shown interest in a costless internet co-operation between the two organisations. Laasch had suggested the provision of an “ETRA-News” button on the Eustex Webster. In return, ETRA would recommend the use of Eustex to its members.
Delphi Automotive Systems is to participate in Cosivint, the internet purchase network of General Motors, Ford and DaimlerChrysler. According to the Wall Street Journal, six or seven other companies will join during this week.
The National Tyre Distributors Association held its millennium conference in Portugal. Before the conference got under way, delegates were given the news that RapidFit had applied to join the association. The 300-strong chain of Ford dealers is the first of the vehicle dealerships to enter into membership. The keynote speaker at the conference was Sir Tom Farmer, one of whose points was that the association should consider becoming more commercial and explore the possibility of setting up a buying group for members. Other speakers explored the themes of the impact of e-commerce and the internet on tyre retailing and what tyre dealers can do to take advantage of the opportunities which are liable to arise in the future. The impact of legislation – existing and forthcoming – was another topic, including the implications of the proposed End of Life Vehicle Directive. There was a different format for the second day, when delegates broke into groups to discuss the three subjects of scrap tyre disposal, e-commerce and the changing face of tyre retailing, reflecting the previous day’s subjects. The group chairmen then reported back to the meeting and the conclusions were presented to the NTDA in order to guide the association as to its future strategic direction in these areas. Debate was lively and everyone agreed that the new format had been a resounding success.
German tyre dealer Reifen Mayerosch (Wolfersheim-Berstadt) has been awarded a quality seal by “Trusted Shops” for his online shop offer “komplettradkauf.de”. Trusted Shops examines the quality and security measures of internet shop companies.
“Tomorrow already, today will be yesterday” – there is hardly anything else coming so close to this fact than the internet. Whereas two years ago in Germany, the percentage of people being connected to the internet was around 9 per cent, this figure went up to 16 per cent in the last quarter of 1999 and achieved more than 20 per cent, i.e. 13.4 million online users by the end of March 2000. And, relying on market researchers, the peak is still far away. It is supposed that in Germany another 10 million people will use the internet by the end of the year. Thus, probably the number of people with particular homepages will continue to rise very quickly. Meanwhile, this fact has also got about in the tyre business, which can be underlined by the variety of companies who presented their websites on the REIFEN 2000 in Essen. Would it now be possible – after books, software and music – to download tyres, too? Of course, tyre dealers still have an advantage: there must always be someone for mounting the tyres. For certain reasons tyre dealers do not really want to get to like being in this position, as they often feel to be “degraded to service operators”. In this case, however, they should realize the opportunities of the internet for being able to “distinguish themselves as service operators”, although there is hardly anyone today, who can foresee the development of the tyre dealers’ business over the next five or ten years. Find out more in the November issue of NEUE REIFENZEITUNG.
Ford Motor Co are using the Internet to publicise their part in the Bridgestone/Firestone recall. A banner advert used on some 200 sites leads surfers to a comprehensive Ford run website publicising the recall and the details of the tyres involved, advises replacement tyres and authorised replacement dealers. The publicity has the potential to reach 564 million readers.
Tyre manufacturer Continental intends to engage itself more in the e-business arena – especially on the “B2C” (Business to Consumer) level. The company has therefore decided to begin cooperation concerning tyre distribution with “autobytel.com”, an independent US-American internet-platform which offers a complete car service to its customers covering the complete life cycle of the car. Working together with tyre retailers, a complete service package will be offered to customers. All retailers interested in this project will be given the opportunity to participate, even if they do not possess the necessary infrastructure at the moment. The two companies explained during a press conference in Frankfurt what they are going to do. Continental is initially investing about 15 million Euro, most of it for the creation of a “tyre portal”. At present the whole project exists only on paper but Continental wants to arrange the basics of this project by the end of February 2001, and the operative start is planned for autumn 2001. During the press conference, Conti CEO Kessel underlined his interests in working closely together with the professional tyre trade.
In the USA it is possible to order coloured BFGoodrich High Performance tyres via the internet.
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