Interstate Batteries Launches Exclusive Partnership with Advance Auto Parts

[AutoShopOwner]

ROANOKE, Va. & DALLAS, Tex.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 12, 2017-- Advance Auto Parts, Inc. (NYSE: AAP) and Interstate Batteries announce a strategic partnership to better serve the changing needs of the automotive aftermarket with premium quality products, expanded availability and enhanced customer service. Interstate Batteries, the leading replacement battery brand with the largest independent battery distribution system in North America, will become the exclusive automotive and specialty battery brand to Advance Auto Parts stores and customers in the spring of 2018.

 

https://www.autopartsforum.com/topic/175-interstate-batteries-north-america’s-no-1-automotive-battery-brand-launches-exclusive-partnership-with-advance-auto-parts/

[Hands On]

Well so much for that good run. Anyone thinking of switching brands?

[OTPAuto]

Damn.  I've had great luck with Advance batteries in the past. However, I've been using O'reilly batteries in customer cars for about the past year without issue so far. Really only because I refuse to buy from the Advance in this town.

[xrac]

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[JimO]

Refusing to deal with Advance is a path that I think is justified howether it is getting more and more difficult. All of the NAPA stores in my area changed to CarQuest which in effect is Advance. This news concerning Interstate is very unfortunate. Depending how this shakes out I will probably be looking for another source for batteries. 

[OTPAuto]

3 minutes ago, JimO said:

Refusing to deal with Advance is a path that I think is justified howether it is getting more and more difficult. All of the NAPA stores in my area changed to CarQuest which in effect is Advance. This news concerning Interstate is very unfortunate. Depending how this shakes out I will probably be looking for another source for batteries. 

In this town we have:
 

Oreilly

Autozone

Napa

Auto Plus

Parts Plus (which just got converted to a CarQuest I see, I don't really buy there either).

 

And Advance.  I have no major issue with Advance in general - I just can't stand the commercial manager here. There's WAY too many options to deal with his condescending bs attitude. Even so, I do 15-20% of my business with Oreilly and the other 80% of my business with Worldpac. I just wish they'd get better about deliveries. IMC won't deliver here either, as much as I'm trying to convince them they should.

Edited December 17, 2017 by OTPAuto

[xrac]

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[Hands On]

For you guys installing Napa and O Reilly, do you Mark them up over what a walk In customer would pay for them in the store? What kind of margin are you able to get? We charge $30 to install most of the time. We include a thorough cleaning of terminals, BG treatment, and do not beat them on with a hammer. Do you guys install for free or charge?

Edited December 18, 2017 by Hands On

[OTPAuto]

I actually get pretty good pricing on Oreilly's batteries. I always check the retail website and resell them for that price, plus install labor.

 

[Richard]

We having been selling Interstate batteries for quite a few years now. Occasionaly we have had one go bad but they seem to have good quality. My concern is how this will affect pricing on them. We have been using the suggested retail price on the Interstate price sheet.

[xrac]

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[JimO]

My problem with Advance is as follows:

CarQuest was a great supplier with good parts, good pricing, knowledgeable staff and a clear indication that we, the professional repair industry, came before the errant walk in customer off the street. Advance partially took that away since their acquisition of CQ. I still deal with CQ but it is not the same and I feel that I am in bed with the enemy. Advance wants and needs all of us but still caters to the general public. Their pricing appears good when looking at profit margin until you take the time to compare and find out that they inflate both the cost and list prices above and beyond dealer pricing in many cases. My area is flooded with Advance radio spots touting free code checking, free electrical system testing, free battery installs and free wiper blade installation. Advance is no longer my supplier but instead they have knowingingly taken on the role of becoming my competition. When my competition offers free services and sells parts to walk in customers at or near my cost it becomes a major concern. Do yourself a favor and spend time reviewing and comparing cost and list pricing. To all of you guys that are Interstate dealers (include me in that list) - the radio spots offering free install of Interstate batteries at or near our cost is right around the corner. 

[Hands On]

I have switched to Factory Motor Parts. They sell the same exide product that interstate is switching to. They give me 5 years free replacement and she menu priced me at $90.00 across the board. I love that I can offer my customers the 5 year free replacement. 

[stvstbsvc]

I switched away from Interstate a few years ago when they affiliated with Costco.  It really was no longer a "Premium Product" and I noticed our warranty rate increasing.  Interstate also switched us to a different servicing warehouse and their "service" was horrible.  Just based on what I was seeing, I thought Interstate might have cheapened their product and so I moved on.  Now stocking NAPA (Autocare Center) and Delco (also a PSC) batteries.  Warranted one of each company's battery in the last three years; probably eight Interstates in old customer's cars.  Getting 25% mark-up and .3 - .5 labor depending on how much stuff is in the way.  Plus a .5 Electrical System Test.  Sold a lot of these the last two or three weeks.  Three cars in the shop on slow chargers over the weekend!

[Junior]

On 12/18/2017 at 8:53 AM, JimO said:

My problem with Advance is as follows:

CarQuest was a great supplier with good parts, good pricing, knowledgeable staff and a clear indication that we, the professional repair industry, came before the errant walk in customer off the street. Advance partially took that away since their acquisition of CQ. I still deal with CQ but it is not the same and I feel that I am in bed with the enemy. Advance wants and needs all of us but still caters to the general public. Their pricing appears good when looking at profit margin until you take the time to compare and find out that they inflate both the cost and list prices above and beyond dealer pricing in many cases. My area is flooded with Advance radio spots touting free code checking, free electrical system testing, free battery installs and free wiper blade installation. Advance is no longer my supplier but instead they have knowingingly taken on the role of becoming my competition. When my competition offers free services and sells parts to walk in customers at or near my cost it becomes a major concern. Do yourself a favor and spend time reviewing and comparing cost and list pricing. To all of you guys that are Interstate dealers (include me in that list) - the radio spots offering free install of Interstate batteries at or near our cost is right around the corner. 

Spot on

 

On 1/7/2018 at 11:44 AM, stvstbsvc said:

I switched away from Interstate a few years ago when they affiliated with Costco.  It really was no longer a "Premium Product" and I noticed our warranty rate increasing.  Interstate also switched us to a different servicing warehouse and their "service" was horrible.  Just based on what I was seeing, I thought Interstate might have cheapened their product and so I moved on.  Now stocking NAPA (Autocare Center) and Delco (also a PSC) batteries.  Warranted one of each company's battery in the last three years; probably eight Interstates in old customer's cars.  Getting 25% mark-up and .3 - .5 labor depending on how much stuff is in the way.  Plus a .5 Electrical System Test.  Sold a lot of these the last two or three weeks.  Three cars in the shop on slow chargers over the weekend!

I felt Interstate quality tanked in the last 4 years of so as well. The warranty decreased on them, pro rate periods are shorter than they used to be. Failures went though the roof the last year I was selling them.

[jeffa1958]

I have switched from interstate to Napa batteries upon reading the topic of this post. No corporation has devalued automotive technicians more than Advance. Now that the true Christians that run Interstate battery have made a deal with auto repairs Satan, they can rot in hell.

 

Edited January 12, 2018 by jeffa1958
forgot the word More

[jeffa1958]

Interstate has removed their batteries and delivered a final screwing. We are being charged for 11 batteries when our sales in that period were 5. According to them this is possible because some of them had not been restocked. I have no way to prove it. My fault. Watch your counts. 

[xrac]

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[Hands On]

20 minutes ago, jeffa1958 said:

Interstate has removed their batteries and delivered a final screwing. We are being charged for 11 batteries when our sales in that period were 5. According to them this is possible because some of them had not been restocked. I have no way to prove it. My fault. Watch your counts. 

This is something I believe is happening to me also, one of the two reasons I got them out. I asked for account statements so I can make sure they credited all of my checks. I asked for these almost two months ago and nothing. I have not finished paying them yet so I may just let it go to collections and settle it for half.

Edited January 18, 2018 by Hands On

[xrac]

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[bantar]

I've been checking every once in a while to see when these batteries might show up in the local store.   Checking today, I found this announcement saying that the deal fell apart:  http://www.counterman.com/advance-auto-parts-interstate-batteries-deal-is-off/

[JimO]

Great news, made my weekend, thank you for the update.

[xrac]

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