FOCUS ON CAR CARE AND LUBRICANTS: Buffing up sales

With drivers seemingly holding on to their cars for longer, this is a boom time for car care.

Whether it’s cleaning the exterior and interior, polishing the wheels or changing the windscreen wipers, many drivers are keen to do all it takes to get as many miles as they can from their vehicles.

The profits from things like food to go and chilled foods have meant some forecourts have reduced their car care ranges but that’s not the case at Top 50 Indie Park Garage Group which offers plenty of food to go and chilled food – and a comprehensive car care section. And it’s for this reason that its Park Rushden site in Northampton, won the Best Car Care & Lubricants Outlet category at last year’s Forecourt Trader of the Year Awards.

Store manager Rachel Trafford says: “I definitely think customers are looking after their cars more. I think the cost of living has a lot to do with this with people maintaining their cars in the hope that they will last longer. I also think that the cost of new and second-hand cars has increased so people can’t afford to purchase a new or used car.”

At Park Rushden the car care section is split between car maintenance and cleaning products, with cleaning SKUs being particularly important. Trafford explains: “Having jet washes and hoovers on site, coupled with the amount of parking we have means that over the weekend, in particular, we can be very busy with people fully valeting their cars on site.”

As for their best sellers, Trafford says that would be anything to do with car cleaning plus they also sell a lot of car air fresheners. During the colder months the biggest seller is screenwash.

The car care section in the store is easy to find thanks to the large letters spelling ‘Car care’ being illuminated. The section itself might seem tucked away but it is en route to the restrooms, which are always busy.

Park Garage Group’s main car care supplier is Convenience Distribution Group (CDG). “This is a great company to work with. The rep calls once a fortnight and we go through the section and order stock for the fortnight,” explains Trafford. “CDG produces a planogram twice a year to include any new or updated lines, however they are more than happy for us to add extra lines that we want to sell.

“Last year we had a request for UK stickers from a customer and within 24 hours of the request they were on site and out for sale and have now become a good selling line,” she says.

Meanwhile, Newco supplies the store with products for HGVs and chrome cleaning sprays which Trafford says are very popular with the car cleaning community.

Trafford says she is proud of the whole site and takes pride in all categories. “I understand that 90% of my customers drive to the site and if the category is full/clean and has the correct products, customers will return time after time.”

There is also the customer service aspect, of which Trafford is very proud. For example, with regards to oil she encourages her team to use the office PC and do a Google search if a customer asks about oil for their car.

“We do get asked for help. Me and my husband (who works with me) are more than happy to help a customer out with any issue they may have and I know that this rubs off on staff when we are not here. Quite often you see my husband out on the forecourt helping a customer with a request. It could be helping top up their oil, AdBlue, screenwash or putting air in their tyres.”

Strong brands

Graham Tissiman, sales and marketing manager at CDG, says one of the main reasons the company has been so successful is down to its strong commitment to brands and service.

“In terms of brands, a good car care bay must include strong brands which the consumer recognises and trusts, Trust gives confidence in any purchase decision and it is for this reason that we at CDG have strong brands on our planogram such as Armor All, STP, Redex, Simoniz, Turtle Wax, Holts, Little Tree and WD40.

“There also needs to be a balance between impulse purchases, such as valeting products and air fresheners, and distress purchases such as bulbs, fuses, fuel cans and booster cables. The former will deliver the retailer incremental sales and the latter are certain purchases but will create a disgruntled customer if they are not available.

“In terms of service we have a “boots on the ground” approach whereby we offer our customers, such as Park Rushden regular rep calls which helps in merchandising and presentation of new products and promotions. This means that the retailer is up to date with the new developments in the car care market.”

Tissiman says a sales opportunity that has arisen is driven by the fact that many new cars do not come with a spare wheel. “This is where products such as Holts Tyreweld come in to repair tyre punctures. It is quick and easy to use and will repair and inflate the tyre.”

He continues: “The number of cars with internal combustion engines will remain high for many years to come and as they age, their need for additives and oil will only increase. A growing product in the additive market is Diesel Particulate Filter Cleaners which like screenwash and AdBlue, will show a warning on the drivers console when it is needed… probably the best prompt for any driver.”

When looking at oils, Tissiman advises that retailers be keep up to date with the new specs for modern engines, which is why CDG produces a car care and lubes planogram. It is also important to have a brand of oil that the consumer trusts such as Castrol, Mobil, Helix, Havoline, Jet and Comma.

Tissiman says a key advantage that the forecourt retailer has over other stores is that they can satisfy the consumers’ needs instantly. “If their screenwash or AdBlue is low and shows a warning on their dashboard, the consumer may not be willing to wait several days for an online delivery and, at the same time as buying these products in-store, the consumer will be open to an impulse buy such as a car air-freshener.”

Tissiman says Little Tree continues to be the number one selling air freshener in the UK and, key to its success, is bringing out new fragrances. The latest addition, which is performing very well, is Super Nova which is already in the top 10 of fragrances.

Preferred supplier

There’s been a lot happening at the aforementioned Newco, with the company recently becoming preferred supplier for TotalEnergies’ lubricants. Total Energies sales manager, David Valentyne, says: “We are proud to partner with Newco to expand market reach and provide UK drivers with greater access to premium engine oils. Meeting the needs of the modern driver is an absolute priority of ours at TotalEnergies, and with our Quartz range approved by almost 100% of the UK’s car parc and recommended by more than a third, we’re not just improving the choice drivers have – we’re helping retailers increase their coverage and improve their customers’ access to premium solutions for their vehicles.”

Meanwhile, Chris Nuttall, Newco’s head of forecourts UK, says drivers are spending more on high-quality lubricants and engine oils to keep their engines running smoothly; fuel system cleaners to improve efficiency and longevity; exterior and interior car care to protect from wear and tear; and replacement air fresheners and connectivity solutions, to make daily driving more comfortable.

With regard to EVs, Nuttall says they may require less engine maintenance, but they still need proper care to stay in top condition. Key considerations include:

• Tyre maintenance – EVs are heavier due to their batteries, leading to faster tyre wear

• Specialist lubricants – while there’s no traditional engine oil, some moving parts still require lubrication

• Screenwash – visibility is key for all drivers, especially with regenerative braking increasing windscreen dirt build-up

• Interior cleaning and air fresheners – EV owners are just as keen on a well-maintained car interior.

Meanwhile, Nuttall says there are a few “must-have” items that every driver should keep in their vehicle:

• Screenwash – clear vision is a must in all seasons

• A reliable phone charger – especially with today’s reliance on navigation and hands-free calls

• Emergency breakdown kit – including jump leads (for petrol/diesel), a tyre inflator, a torch and safety vests

• Air fresheners – which Nuttall describes as a ‘small but impactful way to enhance the driving experience’.

Obviously the different seasons impact what drivers will be after. For spring/summer Nuttall says they typically need screenwash because bugs, pollen and dust build-up faster in warm weather. Sunshades are useful for protecting interiors from overheating. Air fresheners (again) help keep cars feeling fresh and tyre care products are important as the warmer weather means longer journeys, so proper tyre maintenance is key.

Across all categories in-store, shoppers like to see new products. “We have successfully launched with Scentz and Ultra Grime over the last few months,” says Nuttall. Scentz is a premium air freshening product with a wide range of fragrances across cards, diffusers, bean bags and sprays which he says has been well received by both retailers and consumers. In addition, Ultra Grime wipes were first launched as part of Newco’s enhanced trucker offer. Following a successful launch the range of ‘bigger, stronger, wetter’ wipes has been added to the company’s main planogram.

Keep your customers coming back

Alliance Distribution Group says stocking premium car care products is more important than ever. Its extensive range includes big-brand names such as Armor All tubs of wipes, Castrol Edge and Magnatec oils, Simoniz cleaning products, Unipart Essentials and WD40.

A spokesperson for the company says: “Alliance Distribution Group brings you top brands, expert merchandising and competitive pricing to help you maximise sales and stay ahead.

“By tracking market trends, we ensure our partners benefit from the best prices, allowing them to maintain healthy margins and stay competitive.”