T
o supply or not to supply? That's
the question distributors of heavy-
duty commercial vehicle parts
might be asking themselves regarding
whether to expand their inventories and
service to meet the light-duty needs of
new and existing customers.
The lucrative potential of the
medium-duty marketplace has been cov-
ered in Truck Parts
& Service before, and
the same might be said for addressing
light-duty needs for customers with a
mixed fl eet. Being the go-to source for
their light-duty needs can improve cus-
tomer loyalty and incremental sales for
distributors, and provide convenience for
customers by saving them from having to
go elsewhere for light-duty parts.
However, the decision to serve cus-
tomers that own light-duty trucks should
not be taken, well, lightly. Distributors
already doing it say there are several
aspects of the business to consider before
taking the plunge.
"I do see more companies trying to do
both and it requires a real commitment
because, although there are many similar
products and similar issues, the business
is still very different as we compare light
duty to heavy duty," says Corey Bartlett,
president and CEO, St. Cloud, Minn.-
based Automotive Parts Headquarters
Inc. APH has experience in providing
By Bill Grabarek, Online Associate Editor
billgrabarek@randallreilly.com
20
Sales & Marketing
T R U C K P A R T S & S E R V I C E | F e b r u a r y 2 0 1 8
Treading
lightly
Offering light-duty parts could be good
business for heavy-duty commercial
vehicle parts distributors, but consider
these factors fi rst.
