Here's a quick-read summary of the exclusive MTD dealer survey presented last week in which we asked, "Are tire price increases sticking?"
In a spot check of independent tire dealers in nine states, 13 told Modern Tire Dealer that tire price increases are sticking, two said they were not. Our question was based on the price hikes announced at the close of 2000 and the beginning of 2001.
Of note, four of those contacted said that while increases on passenger tires were sticking, increases on medium truck were not.
Although unscientific, our calls to 15 dealers nationwide provides some sense of what's going on in the marketplace.
We learned that tire price increases began as early as October 2000 and, in some cases, ran through early April of 2001. The increases were generally issued once in the 3% to 5% range, but in at least one case, came as a 3% to 5% hike during the Nov./Dec. 2000 period, and again as a round two 3% increase in January of 2001.
