Cam Systems reports that it is on the hunt for global business partners, as it launches Cam International, driven by Mike Allen, managing director, and Steve Daly, commercial director. According to the company, the aim is to establish international links and joint ventures that will enable Cam International to expand its technology franchise worldwide.
This year’s Reifen show coincides with the release of a totally new and fresh online presence for Euro-Tyre: At Essen the Dutch wholesaler, in addition to offering dedicated tyre expertise and displaying its extensive product portfolio, will premiere its re-launched website. The layout and structure of the homepage has been completely redesigned in order to increase its user friendliness to online shoppers.
Tire Review reports news of a US study conducted by Forrester Research that suggests consumers who research products in stores before buying products on a retail website are less satisfied with the experience than consumers who do the opposite. The findings were based on online surveys of 4,723 US consumers conducted in August 2009.
On May 20 Techking launched its redesigned corporate website, techkingtires.com. The company says the new site contains the latest Techking news, information on its complete range of products plus many other functions. The techking.com and techkingtires.cn addresses are now also directed to the new site.
Burnley-based online tyre retailer, Fast Tyres Direct has issued a statement suggesting that Bridgestone is having a particularly good season in the motorbike segment, with “88 per cent of [motorbike tyre] sales through the website in the last three months”. The website offers a range of ten motorcycle and car tyre brands, covering all price segments.
Livingston Autoparts, one of the largest independent distributors of motor components in Scotland, has launched a new e-shop to support its expansion into retail parts and accessories sales. The new website features over 400,000 products including spare parts, accessories, car care, consumables and tools. Customers are able to browse categories with full-colour photographs or use the integrated VRM catalogue to identify products. The e-shop is open 24/7, and customers can place secure orders using credit cards or PayPal for next day delivery.
As part of the new look Bridgestone has given its First Stop tyre network, the tyre major has created a dynamic new consumer website. The site, firststop-tyreexperts.co.uk, features a new style of navigation that Bridgestone says is designed to “drive users to their nearest dealer” by enabling them to locate the closest tyre centre simply by entering their postcode. It also offers a product guide that includes detailed specification across the Bridgestone range and gives users the ability to narrow their tyre search according to the vehicle they drive. Alternatively, a new tyre selector function allows drivers to find the correct tyres for a car simply by entering its registration number.
Independent garage group D&G Autocare, which operates seven locations in Scotland, is launching its own online retail portal. The new business goes by the name Net-A-Tyre and is accessible at www.netatyre.co.uk. According to the company, the online portal “offers customers the chance to buy tyres simply and easily online and have them fitted where they want at one of the company’s UK wide network of independent fitting agents.” D&G Autocare adds that it seeks to expand this already growing network.
Tyres & Accessories has already reported online and in its May 2010 magazine on HiQ’s expansion plans, including the fast fitter’s intention to add 50 new sites to its network this year. According to the company’s franchise development manager, Peter Tye, HiQ is currently in “advanced negotiations” to open new HiQ outlets with fifteen new business partners.
Used properly, the Internet can be a powerful and valuable marketing tool. Unfortunately, in the wrong hands, it can be used to adversely affect your business. It recently came to the attention of the NTDA that a wholesaler of tyres on the Internet had downloaded details of all NTDA members and, customers who logged on to certain retailers' websites were being diverted to the wholesaler's site.
It may sound a trivial offence, but it is one which is being taken increasingly seriously by courts. Indeed, in a recent case, a disgruntled estate agent purchased the ".com" version of his former employers' domain name (the employers were using the ".co.uk" address) and visitors to the site were diverted to a hardcore porn site. The case went to court and the employee was found guilty of passing off and copyright infringement and had to pay costs of £15,000.
In this instance, the NTDA warned members that this was happening and e-mailed the following letter to members:
Bartec USA, LLC announces the latest software update for its Tech400 TPMS re-learn tool. With this latest software update, the Tech400 tool reportedly provides market leading TPMS coverage of Nissan and Infiniti vehicles. According to the company, this is perfect timing because a recent survey conducted by the Equipment and Tool Institute (www.etools.org) found 53 per cent of the respondents concluded that Nissan and Infiniti vehicles are the most difficult to work with.
Pneus Online’s turnover grew 40 per cent in the first quarter of 2010. According to the company, “a harsh winter and a difficult economical environment enhanced the growth of the discounter.” The company has not released any details of its profitability. Pneus Online made a 14.7 million euro turnover in 2009 selling in the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Austria, France, Spain, Switzerland, Germany, Portugal, Belgium, Luxembourg, Italia and Ireland.
Following a half-year absence from the world wide web, UK based motorcycle and car tyre online retail portal www.fasttyres.co.uk has returned under new ownership. The company behind the resurrected website is Fast Tyres Direct, and company owners Gary Kay and Michael Webb say the site has been retained in its original format to ensure the same high standard of user experience. While some changes to the site are planned, Kay and Webb emphasise its ‘traditions’ will be maintained.
MAM Software Ltd. has released Autocat+ v6.0, the latest version of its electronic all-makes parts catalogue, which introduces over 30 enhancements to improve lookup speed and accuracy. In this latest version, users can quickly and easily access previous searches to speed up repeat lookups. As well as remembering which product groups were searched for a given registration number, Autocat+ v6.0 also records the actual part numbers that were transferred to point-of-sale.
North America’s largest independent tyre distributor has changed hands for approximately US$1.3 billion. In a deal announced on April 21, Equity firm Texas Pacific Group (TPG Capital) has purchased American Tire Distributors from Investcorp, Berkshire Partners and Greenbriar Equity Group, who acquired the distributor for $500 million in 2005. The transaction is expected to close in the second quarter of 2010. Pursuant to the acquisition, American Tire will suspend its planned public offering and listing on the New York Stock Exchange.
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