By Matt Kennedy
The year 2020 was in many ways unprecedented for the specialty-automotive aftermarket. Unique disruptions stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic forced consumers to make often radical adjustments to their daily lives, with many remaining largely stuck at home for much of the year.
With time on their hands and a lot of their usual places to spend money no longer an option, it was a great time for folks to work on their vehicle(s). Many consumers took advantage. In the recently released “2021 SEMA Market Report,” you’ll find information and insights into how specialty-automotive consumers reacted to COVID-19, and how those adaptations affected our industry.
A few examples of what SEMA’s research found include:
- 48% of specialty-automotive enthusiasts spent more time than normal shopping online for car parts.
- 40% of enthusiasts spent more time working on their vehicles themselves.
- An estimated 57% of parts purchases made were through online channels.
- U.S. consumers bought nearly $8 billion worth of parts through independent retailers.
And that’s just scratching the surface. You’ll find a whole lot more data in the full report on the parts market, consumer behavior, vehicle population trends, and more in the “2021 SEMA Market Report,” available now at www.sema.org/research. Download your copy today!