If you hear a voice within you say “you cannot paint,” then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced. – Vincent Van Gogh
When asked to do a guest column for Truck Parts & Service, I was advised to talk about what distributors want to hear.
One thing I have learned over these years is that our industry does not believe in itself.
The independent aftermarket always has had a paradox in which our greatest strength also is viewed as our greatest weakness. The entrepreneurial spirit, hard work and independence of my peers is used against them when compared to other distribution channels like the OES and large consolidating retail aftermarket players.
Some of our suppliers claim these larger partners bring greater value to the channel and therefore receive preferential pricing or support. We are told, “It’s all about the volume.”
The independent aftermarket reacted to this perception by forming buying groups to consolidate volume. Unfortunately, these buying groups are viewed by management and their members as competing with each other.
