Five Reasons Why It Pays to Be aSEMA-Member Retailer

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SEMA Member News—March/April 2014

Five Reasons Why It Pays to Be a SEMA-Member Retailer

 

Supporting the association that represents the automotive specialty-equipment market is reason enough to join SEMA, but there are many additional reasons. Some are especially helpful to the retail segment, but wading through all the benefits SEMA offers can be overwhelming at times. For those who are wondering about the value, here are the top five reasons it pays for retailers to join the association.
Retailers who are SEMA members can now access data exports from all approved SDC suppliers free of charge. 

  
Supporting the association that represents the automotive specialty-equipment market is reason enough to join SEMA, but there are many additional reasons. Some are especially helpful to the retail segment, but wading through all the benefits SEMA offers can be overwhelming at times. For those who are wondering about the value, here are the top five reasons it pays for retailers to join the association.
1. Free Data Through the SEMA Data Co-op

Perhaps the most exciting benefit for retailers is also the newest. Data standards have been a hot topic among SEMA members recently, and now, SEMA-member retailers can receive unlimited data exports from all approved SEMA Data Co-op (SDC) suppliers free of charge. This benefit alone saves member companies $1,200 every year.

The SDC is our members’ single source for multiple brands of validated, standards-compliant data that matches their formatting and content requirements. Industry owned and operated, the SDC can supply information about millions of parts and applications at the lowest possible cost to provide the fuel needed for members to run their businesses and sell more parts. The SDC program also includes free on-boarding and personalization of data export formats.

Member retailers receive full file refreshes or “net change” updates on the schedule they choose—daily, weekly, monthly or any combination. The SDC is the only data service that validates all data for standards compliance before storing information in the repository. All data is stored securely in the latest industry-standard PIES and ACES formats, ensuring that retailers are provided with consistent and accurate data.

To learn more about this new benefit, contact SDC Director of Membership Jim Graven at 888-958-6698 x4 or jimg@semadatacoop.org.

2. Market Research: Knowledge Is Power

SEMA’s market research team provides members with the information needed to keep a competitive edge and remain industry leaders. With market research reports as well as consumer demand indexes and consumer segmentation studies that are updated annually, members will catch on to the latest sales trends, consumer needs and economic fluctuations impacting the industry. Overall, resellers are able to make better business decisions using this information, which is free or discounted to members.

3. Education: Learn More, Earn More

The SEMA Education Institute (SEI) exists to assist members in sharpening their skills and learning industry best practices—both of which can boost an individual’s value within a company. Specifically for resellers, webinars focused on marketing, sales and customer service can offer important improvements. Product training courses are also available from some of the industry’s leading manufacturers.

4. SEMA Show Perks: Member Buyer Rewards (MBR) Program

SEMA offered special perks for retailers, warehouse distributors and jobbers who attended the 2013 SEMA Show. Member buyers wearing their MBR passes were able to take advantage of:

  • MBR Lounge with complimentary coffee and snacks during Show hours
  • Daily happy hours in the MBR Loung
  • Dedicated taxi lines in front of the North and South Halls
  • One complimentary one-way monorail ticket to the first 500 member buyers
  • Reserved seating at the SEMA New Product Awards Breakfast and the NHRA Breakfast

Stay tuned for MBR program details for the 2014 SEMA Show.

5. Business Resources: Ways to Save

Whether members need help internally for shipping, offering insurance to employees, reducing payment processing fees or giving customers the best service when it comes to payment options, SEMA’s benefit partners can help members reduce their day-to-day costs and grow business. For more information, visit www.sema.org/benefits.

In addition to providing members with business resources directly, SEMA loves to help members connect with each other. If there’s a service the association doesn’t offer, there just may be another member that can help bridge the gap. The SEMA Membership Directory is updated annually and includes detailed information that is helpful for all types of industry professionals. Easy-to-use listings make it simple to identify members in particular categories, council affiliation or reps serving certain locations. The electronic (PDF) version of the directory is immediately available for download by adding the item to the online shopping cart at www.SEMA.org/orderdirectory, and the best part is that it’s free to
SEMA members.

Members can learn more about all of these benefits by checking out the Retailer Toolbox. SEMA’s customer-service team can also be reached at 909-610-2030 to answer questions.