Drivers spend or plan to spend about $800 on automotive accessories, including iPod adaptors, in the first two years they own a car, according to a new study by Foresight Research.
Additionally, 44 percent of all buyers spend at least $250 on accessories in the first six months of owning a car and plan to spend $1,800 within another 18 months. If you average that across all drivers, it works out to spending or planning to spend $815 in the first two years.
Many of these accessories are car electronics, which proved to be the most popular category in the study for the general car buyer. And within this segment, iPod/iPhone adapters were the top in demand item, followed by satellite radio and then Bluetooth connectivity.
Continuing in descending order of importance were navigation systems, upgrade speakers, sun/moon roof, rear vision camera/park assist and then remote start. Also on the list were car alarms.
Truck owners were the exception, the study found, as the most popular items for this type of driver were “protective gear” like floor mats and bed liners, rather than electronics, said Foresight.
The study, “2011 Automotive Accessory Market Report,” concluded that car dealers leave a lot of accessory business on the table.
“Despite the strong consumer support and desire for accessories, our research shows that dealers currently under serve the market and are therefore missing out on huge sales and revenue opportunities,” said Foresight CEO Steve Bruyn.
Source: Foresight Research
