Vehicle Accessory Market

It’s no secret that I like to personalize a vehicle.  Most of the articles in the Repairs/Mods section show the different ways I made my vehicles my own.  A lot of that has to do with exterior graphics, however, the range of products you can buy for your vehicle is vast.

Related articles:  Creating Vinyl Graphics With Cricut Machine; Camaro Graphics And Trim Ideas

Accessory Market Size

During my career at GM, our parts organization was always chasing the accessories market.  Even back in the 1980s, it was estimated that owners bought around $1,000 in accessories for their trucks.  That’s a nice chunk of profit for a car manufacturer, if they can get a piece of it.

A recent study by Towards Automotive shows the global vehicle accessory market is valued at $210 billion.  It is expected to grow steadily to $300 billion by 2030.  North America dominates that market, with Asia Pacific growing quickly.  

That’s a serious part of the automotive aftermarket, and represents a lot of choice for vehicle owners.

Types of Accessories

Regardless if the vehicle is a car or truck, interior accessories lead the way.  Floor mats and seat covers are still popular, however, other electronic goodies are gaining popularity.  Those include things like ambient lighting, dash cameras and wireless charging pads.  These are items found in premium vehicles, but desired for those buyers who couldn’t afford the more expensive vehicle at the time of purchase.

Electric vehicle owners represent a new segment for the accessory market.  So far, they have been focused on portable charging stations, energy-efficient lighting solutions, and other interior trim enhancements.

I believe the desire to upgrade your vehicle drives most of these purchases.  Too many new vehicle manufacturers force you to buy an expensive trim package in order to get the one or two options you want.  This is nothing new, but vehicle pricing is keeping buyers from getting the vehicle they really want.  Accessories allow personalization at a reasonable price, and timed for when they are needed.

Pickup Trucks

Pickup trucks have always been popular to accessorize, and parts for just the pickup bed is a $2.5 billion industry.  Tonneau covers and bed liners lead those sales, yet there are so many more options available.

I bought a new pickup truck in November.  It came equipped with a bed liner and side steps.  If it wasn’t, I would be on the hunt for those items to protect the bed and allow my wife easier entry into the cabin. At the moment, I am not in the market for anything else; however, a tonneau cover for the bed and a trailer hitch are likely in the future.  Beyond that, I’ll keep doing what I enjoy most–creating my own custom graphics.

Where to Buy

The Towards Automotive study referenced earlier shows that most truck accessories buyers would prefer to buy offline, but those options are limited. For me, it would be nice to inspect big ticket items before buying.  I just bought a set of Husky floor liners online that were manufactured improperly.  This defect should have been caught before shipping.  I was able to return them for a refund, but it was a challenge due to the size and weight of the floor liners.

As I mentioned earlier, the automotive OEMs have tried for decades to increase their share of the accessories market.  They are still struggling with a sales model that attracts customers.  The dealership franchise system limits how an OEM can sell online. Instead of direct shipping the accessories from the OEM, deliveries need to take place at a dealership–in the parts department.

When was the last time you bought any parts at a dealership?  I recently bought all-weather floor mats through Ford (to replace the defective Husky mats I bought online), but was directed to a participating dealer for pickup (I redeemed reward points earned from my vehicle purchase).  Unfortunately, this involved visiting the parts counter.  Talk about old school dealer practices!  The surly parts guy, who I interrupted doing his crossword puzzle, barely acknowledged my business.  He grumbled about online orders as he took his time pulling it from the parts rack.  

When buying online, Amazon and eBay have a good selection and reliable customer support..  Other websites are available, but customer support is spotty with many of them.  Shop wisely!

Final Thoughts & Questions

It’s fun to personalize your vehicle, and that is made easier with a growing accessories market.  Whether you are adding fun and function to your interior, or practical and stylish parts to the exterior, the options are endless.

I will share any changes I make to my truck as they happen.  If you have any interesting accessories or personalizations to your car, let me know in the comments below.

Curious what makes me tick?  Check out Meet the Vehicle Nanny.