American Tire Distributors, Inc. launches online consumer tire buying site, initiates local installation network
More than 2,700 nationwide tire marketers are already enrolled in the service and installation network for www.tirebuyer.com, an online consumer purchasing site recently launched by American Tire Distributors, Inc. (ATD).
“It’s a one-step transaction” for motorists, explains Ron Sinclair, ATD’s senior vice president of marketing.
“It allows us to harness the power of the whole network,” he says. “It will be a win for our dealers and a win for us.”
The site “brings car owners a new level of convenience, control and confidence that a new national survey says consumers want when buying tires,” says Sinclair. “We’re seeing more consumers go online” to make significant purchases – such as televisions and other technologically advanced products – that they previously would have shied away from.
An easy-to-navigate process lets viewers choose from an inventory of more than 3 million tires and wheels, allowing them to narrow their search to products that fit their car while using a 3D imaging system to see how any given tire and wheel combination will look on a particular vehicle.
Once a selection is made, buyers can purchase the product online and pick an ATD-certified local tire dealer where they can have the new tires delivered to and installed.
The system “lets consumers know their installation charges upfront, and pay for everything – including installation – in one simple online transaction,” Sinclair says. “Unlike other online tire retailers, in most cases, there is no delivery charge and tires are delivered to the dealer of the buyer’s choice within one or two days.”
A tire shop wishing to join the dealer network must agree to provide “timely processing and levels of service” that are acceptable to the ATD clientele. “Handling the customer right” is a top priority, says Sinclair, noting that network eligibility includes making a “certain level pf purchases” through ATD along with other conditions.
A national ATD survey has revealed that many women don’t know when it is time to buy new tires or how to pick the right set for their car. Twenty-one percent of men admit they don’t “know as much as they think they should” about purchasing tires.
Half of the women who responded say they rely on their spouses to tell them when new tires are needed, and nearly 40 percent let someone else buy their tires for them.
According to the survey, some women are intimidated by the process or are fearful of being sold something they don’t need or enticed to pay too much.
“Tirebuyer.com takes the intimidation and fear completely out of the process because it puts you in the driver’s seat and lets you take all the time you need to do your research,” says author and consultant Lauren Fix, who is known as “the Car Coach.”
“To purchase tires and pre-pay for installation on tirebuyer.com, you just select the make and model of your car and your zip code, and then you can sort the tires that fit your car by price, brand or user rating and see exactly how they’ll look on your car, from all angles,” Fix says.
She goes on to point out how “you also can learn about warranties, the different installation prices for dealers in your area and anything else you want to know before you buy. And then, you can pick the certified dealer you want to install them. What could be easier and more empowering?”
The survey found that buying tires over the Internet appeals to people for several reasons:
• Being able to see the prices online before they buy
• Being able to see the selection that would fit their car
• Being able to have tires shipped free to a certified dealer of their choice
• Being able to pick the tires they want instead of relying on someone else
• Being able to pay for the tires and installation online
“Most people barely have time to do what they need to do every day, let alone find extra time to shop for tires, but driving on worn-out tires is a safety hazard and replacing them should be a priority,” Fix says. “Tirebuyer.com makes it easy for people to research and buy tires based on their own personal schedule – which for many of us is after the kids are in bed or at the end of a long day at work.”
A “Freewheelin’ Road Trip Contest” is being conducted to coincide with the site’s launch. Entrants explain in 100 to 150 words “My Simple Tips for a Safe and Fun-filled Road Trip.”
The grand prize is:
• Tires for Life
• $3,000 in cash
• The Ultimate Emergency Roadside Car Kit
• Fodor’s Essential USA, 1st Edition, Spectacular Cities, Natural Wonders and Great American Road Trips
• An autographed copy of Fix’s book, the Guide to Loving Your Car.
Five runners-up will each receive a set of premium tires, $500, the roadside car kit, the Fodor’s road trip guide and an autographed edition of Fix’s tome.
For more information, visit atd-us.com and www.tirebuyer.com.
