Image by airgapvia Flickr
The SEMA/APPEX Shows just ended today in Las Vegas. Combined they are the biggest automotive aftermarket shows in the world. According to the cabbies (and taxi drivers know everything that happens in any city), SEMA/APPEX drew bigger crowds this year than the CES (Consumer Electronics Show). The CES has been the biggest trade show in the U.S. for several years.
So what does this say about the automotive aftermaket? The booth space at both shows was down 30-50%, and the attendance was down 10-30%, depending on who you talk to. Although this sounds bad, it is dramatically less bad than the CES turnout in February. And at SEMA the aisles were crowded. It seems to me the U.S. buyers that came to SEMA this year and the ever-growing buyers from international markets seeking U.S. products,came to find and buy new things. They all had confidence the worst was behind us and 2010 would be better than 2009.
Many of my friends in various parts of the U.S. aftermarket told me 2009 was a tough year for them, but they all reported growth. Many of them suggested that drivers are repairing their vehicles instead of replacing them.
But you cannot find the opportunities in today's aftermarket if you are not there!
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