General Business Of all the dealers surveyed, nearly 93 percent have some portion of their business coming from retail sales. Sixty-four percent do wholesaling and almost 58 percent dabble in the commercial side. In 1999, the average independent dealer had 5.6 service bays, up from 4.5 last year. Proximity is a huge factor for a customer when looking for service. The average distance for all tire dealers was 37 sq. miles.
Promotions are a big issue with independent dealers.
Things such as where to promote, how often, and what works can weigh heavy on a shop owner's mind. The Yellow Pages rank at the top of the list, with 81.6 percent of dealers using it as a promotional tool. The newspaper is second, with 67.5 percent. Following these main methods, in order of decreasing popularity, are direct mail, radio, community service, cable TV, television and telemarketing. Ownership of an on-road truck service has also become an important means of gaining profit for dealers.