"What's good with tires is that you can not postpone the purchase for more than a year," jokes Frank Schuhardt, CFO Delticom, Europe's number one sales tires on the Internet. If this mode of marketing is still marginal – it represents only 4% of the total market for replacement – it benefits both the general upturn in demand and development of online sales.
Delticom, whose site is 123pneu.fr French, achieved a turnover of 311.3 million euros in 2009, up 20% and net income of 20 million euros (+ 72.4% ). For Delticom will not be "the Ryanair of the tire business. We want to offer a good balance between our selling price, security of payment to our suppliers and good results for our shareholders, "said Frank Schuhardt.A challenge as to the quality of service rendered, Delticom depends largely on its partners.
Midas offensive
Indeed, the site is not directed only to amateur mechanics can change their tires themselves, balancing included. Like most of its competitors, relies on partnerships with independent garages: 28 000 in the world, including 2 800 in France. Specifically, at the command, the user can choose the garage where he will deliver and mount the tires, according to criteria of proximity, price. "The independent garages are doing brisk business. They do not have the same bargaining power with the tire that Delticom. We bring them new customers, "explains Frank Schuhardt, who believes that the tires are 20 to 25% cheaper on average on the site among traditional retailers.Delticom also prides itself in offering one of the largest selections of tires, if not the largest, with no fewer than 25 brands and 000 references in the catalog (virtual). Enough to satisfy the most sophisticated applications.
The arguments for consumers, while networks like Midas, Norauto, Green Light or Speedy regularly offer promotions on the tires. Norauto for its part has announced the launch of its new tire Prevensys 2. As in any distribution, brand equity are also honored in the area of the tire. In turn, Midas – who belongs to the same group that Norauto – announced in early March to want to open 100 additional centers in Europe by 2010, including fifty in France.
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