Originally Posted by
altiain
Your boss doesn’t have a strong grasp of strategic marketing.
The reality is this: for every tire you sell to a racer, he’ll sell ten more tires for you. Not only do racers buy a ridiculous amount of personal tires (I buy three or four sets a year on average, and that’s on the moderate side compared to a lot of guys I know), but they also drive the buying decisions of almost all of their non-gearhead friends. Everyone in my office – and my extended family - now uses Tire Rack, because they all come to me for advice when their Dodge Caravan or Ford Fusion needs tires.
Make me a happy customer, and I’ll not only personally spend three grand a year in your shop, but I’ll drive another ten or fifteen grand your way every year. Rip grandma off on a set of tires for her Caddy every four years, and how much money are you making?
The problem is that most store managers are short-sighted and/or moved around so often that they don’t have the time or the resources to establish a solid enthusiast base and then reap the rewards. They know they can overcharge Grandma and see an instant profit. They don’t take the long term view, because they probably won’t be there long enough to see it pay off.