Adapting to the Needs of Online Customers

The growth of online tire sales has caused a shift in the way consumers purchase tires. We turned to executives from tire manufacturers to ask how the online sale has affected shopping behavior and what independent tire dealers need to do to adjust.

When asked how online tire purchasing and direct-to-consumer sales affected traditional retail relationships, Brandon Stotsenburg, vice president of the automotive division for American Kenda Rubber Co. Ltd., says online environments make it more difficult to do the “traditional five steps to a tire sale.” 

“For the retailer, seeing the vehicle and asking the key questions will often allow a better solution for the consumer in a traditional environment,” says Stotsenburg. “Consumers are doing their own research and will often miss key performance elements, which are discovered in a properly conducted face-to-face sales environment.” 

Michael Mathis, president at Atturo Tire Corp., agrees that online tire sales have “put a distance between the local tire dealer and consumer.”  

Mathis says this prompts consumers to make their own choices for tires through online channels and bypasses the “personalized expertise of the local dealer.” 

“The dealer is relegated to being the point of installation,” says Mathis. “Without sufficient engagement between the consumer and dealer, even if only for installation, the quality of the overall tire purchase may not be the same as when the tire is purchased directly from the dealer who is also installing it.” 

Ken Coltrane, vice president of product development and marketing, Prinx Chengshan Tire North America (PCTNA), says that "the convenience of buying just about anything online these days is an amazing leap forward for our culture.

"However, buying anything online that is still going to require you to visit a shop for installation is also going to create an opportunity for that shop to develop a relationship with you and offer the convenience of buying direct from them the next time around."

The ability to buy tires online "has empowered consumers to make decisions on choosing brands that may not have been offered to them in the past," says Coltrane. "If they are searching for price, then so be it. But with the world at their fingertips, they can now do their own research and learn more about the brand of their choice.

"Once they have chosen a brand, they are looking for affirmation - based on their experience over time - that they made the right decision. The brand now has a better chance of  not only being chosen by that customer again, but also being recommeded by that consumer to others."

Mike Park, assistant director of market intelligence and pricing for Tireco Inc., says online discovery has pushed most shoppers into a “research online, install locally journey.” 

This aligns with what David Wang, managing director at Gripmax Tires Inc., believes has shifted in traditional retail relationships and consumer behavior.  

Wang identifies four points of change: greater price transparency, shift in decision-making power, reduced reliance on dealer recommendations and hybrid buying behavior.

“Many consumers buy tires online, but still rely on local retailers for installation, creating a new service-driven relationship,” says Wang.  

Backing up this claim with some statistics, KC Jensen, senior vice president of sales at Hankook Tire America Corp., shares numbers from Hankook’s latest Gauge Index survey, fielded in August 2025.  

“We found that the first place most consumers go when researching new car tires is online search engines (22%),” he says. 

“However, the second most popular answer was getting a recommendation from their repair shop or mechanic (16%) — meaning those traditional retail relationships are still as important as ever.” 

Shawn Denlein, president of sales and marketing for Kumho Tire USA, agrees that although there’s been growth in the online retail options, he has seen that traditional regional and national retailers still “have control over the market from a volume perspective.” 

“Consumers still trust their neighborhood tire dealer and appreciate direct contact with the representative to get their questions answered and help select the quality product they are looking for,” says Denlein.

Another shift in online tire purchasing has made it so that consumers “demand transparency on price availability,” says Gianluca Grioni, vice president of sales for Momo Tires. 

Grioni continues that this has placed additional pressure on traditional retailers to adopt digital tools and omnichannel strategies.  

Grioni says retailers who don’t integrate online visibility risk “losing customers before they ever enter the store.” 

“Most customers who walk into a tire shop still don’t know which brand they want but more and more arrive with a price in mind,” says Rob Montasser, vice president of Radar Tire, Omnisource. 

“Because many Tier-three and Tier-four brands lack minimum advertised price policies, their online prices are often extremely low. The result: customers come in expecting to pay less than what a local shop can realistically offer.” 

James McIntyre, senior vice president of sales in Canada and North American product development for Sailun Tire Americas, adds that shoppers are more research-driven and price-sensitive, and they expect conveniences like online booking and local installation.  

“For dealers, this means less control over the sales and tighter margins, but also new opportunities to position themselves as trusted service providers who deliver the expertise and customer care that online platforms can’t match." 

Agreeing that the shift in landscape provides tire dealers with new opportunities — like focusing on service — is Nick Gutierrez, territory sales and marketing director for Sentury Tire USA.

“This gives salesmen the opportunity to continue the relationship with the consumer (through service or installation), offer recommendations for future products and answer any additional questions they may have in real-time,” says Gutierrez. 

“Because online tire sales have increased, we are committing to serving our distributors even more through marketing and easy distribution.” 

Dylan Lindsey, territory sales manager for Tire Group International LLC (TGI), is leaning into the service aspect of this new consumer purchasing landscape.

“While online platforms compete on price, local dealers can compete on expertise, service speed and trust,” says Lindsey.  

He encourages retailers to “sharpen both their product knowledge and pricing strategies to earn business.”

Changes in consumer buying trends 

Online tire shopping and buying has also inspired shifts in preferences, as well as purchasing patterns among consumers.

“With more access to information than ever before at consumers’ fingertips, they are arriving at shops with thoughtful questions about brands and performance and are making more research-based decisions,” says Jerode Padilla, vice president of marketing and merchandising for Big O Tires, a retail franchise owned by TBC Corp.

“Price sensitivity is up, brand loyalty is softer and convenience (availability) is critical,” says Josh Benson, vice president at First Choice Sourcing Solutions (FCSS).  

At Sentury, Gutierrez acknowledges this and encourages dealers to find ways to make prices “look attractive to consumers by offering prompt service or throwing in a free tire service if they purchase tires directly from you.”  

Wang, of Gripmax, agrees that price sensitivity is up, and brand loyalty is down. He also mentions that an emerging trend is premium versus budget polarization. 

“While some consumers are drawn to low-cost online options, others use online research to justify investing in premium brands for safety and durability,” says Wang.  

Atturo's Mathis agrees that price is a leading factor in how consumers make decisions for tire purchasing. He says every survey of tire buyers shows this. 

“What most surveys do show is that brand preference is lower among online tire shoppers,” Mathis adds.

“This speaks to the wider range of tires often available from an e-commerce seller than a typical retail dealer.”  

Hankook's Jensen again turns to the company's latest Gauge Index survey.  

“Beyond price, the Gauge found that this year, performance ratings (25%), safety ratings (20%), and brand reputation (19%) are the top three most influential factors for drivers when purchasing tires."  

“The first two may come as no surprise — but brand reputation has leapt in importance. In 2024, only 7% said brand reputation was the most important factor when purchasing tires. This could indicate that consumers are putting more value on word-of-mouth and brand reputation as online sales rise.”

Denlein from Kumho is seeing something different. He says that the market seems to be gaining amongst those consumers who are selecting tires to fit their lifestyle, regardless of the brand or price.

“Tire brand loyalty has been declining for years, and that trend has only accelerated in the post-COVID, post-tariff market, where higher prices have forced consumers to reevaluate their choices,” says Montasser, of Omnisource. 

“At the same time, lower tier brands are now delivering performance levels comparable to many tier-one and tier-two brands. It’s hard to place the blame solely on online retailers. While they’ve certainly increased price transparency, the bigger shift is that consumers have realized a higher price tag doesn’t always equal a better product.”  

Lindsey of TGI is seeing a decline in brand loyalty as well because of the number of brands consumers have the option to choose from when they shop.  

“Even if a customer had a major tire brand in the past, they are open to trying a new brand if it can save them money on their replacement costs,” says Lindsey.  

“Online sales tend to be focused on affordability over everything. People shopping online are looking for the best price they can find, while still getting a tire that's reliable and safe.”

Transparency shows up again in response to online tire buying.

Tireco's Park says, “Customers arrive with a number in mind from search results, so the ‘good-better-best’ story must be crystal clear about what extra dollars buy in mileage warranty, and other features and benefits."  

Another trend is the importance of convenience.  

“Convenience — easy ordering, delivery, and installation — now strongly influences purchasing decisions, meaning dealers need to emphasize expertise, service and trust to stay competitive,” says Sailun's McIntyre.

Adjusting to online tire sales 

Stotsenburg (Kenda) also encourages retailers to provide an overview of the performance features and benefits a tire offers.  

“For the traditional tire retailer, who is also online, the best action is to assure consumers that you will be happy to install online-selected tires in store, but will also be happy to answer any questions about tire or brand options to help consumers get the best product for their vehicle and lifestyle,” says Kenda's Stotsenburg.

PCTNA's Coltrane says the key is to be "easy to do business with. Explain why you recommend the brands you carry versus all the brands available on the Internet. Maybe that reason is because you developed relationships and trust with your suppliers that is just not available from every brand on the Internet. This relationship and trust means you can solve any issues that need solving much easier."

Grioni from Momo advises tire dealers focus on these things: consistency, differentiation and trust and service.  Consistency refers to aligning in-store and online pricing and messages, he notes. Differentiation refers to carrying brands that “aren’t oversaturated in the marketplace, which helps preserve margins and reduces head-to-head competition.” 

While price may get the consumer to click on the tire, Grioni says “customer loyalty comes from expertise, speed and a reliable in-store experience.” 

Mathis at Atturo says dealers must answer one important question as part of their online tire sales strategy.  

“Dealers need to decide if they are willing to install consumer-provided tires (or parts of any type),” says Mathis. 

“If so, a great process would be to require the consumer to confirm their tire choice in advance with the shop. Make sure that the tire they selected is right for the vehicle and the driver’s expectations.”

He says dealers should not cut corners on service and should charge appropriately for the dealership's and technician’s time and knowledge.

Padilla, from Big O Tires, says in order to meet and exceed customers’ evolving expectations, tire dealers must embrace a “customer-first mentality.”

“Shop teams also strive for clear communication, especially around product availability, warranties and installation timelines,” says Padilla.  

Clear communication can encompass many different things. For Tireco's Park, it means translating technician language into plain language benefits.

“For example, siping density becomes shorter stops (on wet surfaces), or a 70,000-mile warranty means an extra year of driving for the average driver,” says Park.

Each customer will prioritize something different, says Kumho's Denlein. Whether it’s “mileage, wet performance, etc., that will help determine the best tire for them to purchase.”

Confidence is also an important trait to display to consumers, says TGI's Lindsey, especially confidence in the value they bring to the customer.

“Value doesn’t mean being the cheapest price out there, because anyone can go lower on price,” he says. “True value comes from expertise, trust and the experience you create for your customer.”

Lindsey also notes that a dealer's online presence should reflect professionalism and a customer-first mentality.

“Consumers have more choices than ever, so you need to make sure your business stands out as the one they can trust,” says Lindsey. “For our traditional retailers, we provide a wide range of in-store marketing materials and little giveaway items like keychains, air fresheners, hats, shirts, rubber duckies for our off-road enthusiasts, and even Cosmo candy to help them create a memorable customer experience with our product. 

“For our e-commerce shoppers, we create a memorable experience through our packaging. We make sure they get collectable Cosmo stickers included in the packaging that secures their shipping label to the tires.”

Hankook's Jensen says it doesn’t matter what type of customer you have — an online customer or an in-store customer — it all comes down to getting to know them.  

“No matter how they’re buying, they’ll have specific needs,” says Jensen.  

“For those buying online, it may not be as easy to understand their needs as asking them from across the sales counter. However, providing information as to the top qualities and best use for each tire offered online could help consumers see themselves in their purchases and help ensure satisfaction accordingly.”