Category Management Services enable you to confidently forecast demand to source the right mix of batteries to meet anticipated customer needs.
When battery manufacturers partner with automotive aftermarket retailers, understanding their unique needs is crucial so that consumers can find the battery for their vehicle at the right time, place and price.
Batteries stocked on the shelves often vary depending on the retailer’s location, the time of year and customer needs. Staying current on market trends and providing the right product mix is important to driving sales and a positive customer experience. Category management services can help retailers forecast demand to source the right mix of batteries to meet customer needs.
Choosing the Right Battery
Category management is a dynamic partnership with customers and an internal commitment to monitor market trends consistently. Category management services provide automotive retailers with a framework to help determine the types and number of batteries they will sell in a given period. With a balanced approach, businesses can optimize market coverage and sales velocity.
Monitoring market trends closely involves a strong focus on product assortment. For example, cycling failures have increased 30 percent in the past 10 years, due to the increased electrical demands of today’s vehicles. Battery technologies, such as Enhanced Flooded Batteries (EFB) and Absorbed Glass Mat (AGM), provide improved performance to handle electrical demands of today’s vehicles.
Most modern vehicles come equipped with AGM batteries. They have previously been the only option to power start-stop vehicles manufactured in the U.S. However, EFB is gaining popularity with car manufacturers, providing an alternative to AGM for under-the-hood applications.
Start-stop capabilities are increasing, and consumers are expecting more connected vehicles. Demand for EFB will also increase because of its of its long cycle life and superior performance in high-heat conditions under the hood. EFB is a suitable replacement battery choice for most start-stop vehicles.
Providing consumers with the right battery at the right time means keeping a range of product assortments in line with projected replacement cycles for vehicles in operation. An emphasis on training counter salespeople plays a key role in helping customers find and choose the best battery for their vehicle.
Focusing on Market Trends
By utilizing data-driven insights, battery manufacturers can monitor trends in retail battery sales and track patterns based on retail price, group size and grade level. With this data, manufacturers can advise automotive aftermarket retailers on whether their purchasing strategy aligns with current aftermarket trends. The right data helps retailers quickly adjust their product mix and adapt to market shifts.
Merchandising is another aspect of category management, ensuring assortments meet consumer needs, especially during peak seasons. For example, marine and lawn & garden batteries are in high demand during the warmer months. Automotive battery sales tend to increase beginning in September, as batteries may experience failure from damage during the summer’s high heat.
Whether it’s identifying the growth of certain grade levels in the good/better/best system or understanding the nuances of what to stock during which season, category management guarantees a proactive stance in the face of market trends.
Stryten Energy’s Goal
Category management isn’t just about keeping up, it’s about staying ahead. Stryten Energy’s Category Management Services help automotive retailers align product assortments with consumer needs by ensuring they have the right battery for the right application at the right time, place and price. This will result in greater consumer satisfaction and sustained success in a competitive automotive aftermarket retailer landscape.
