Summer is bringing a smile to the faces of independent tire dealers across the US. The latest POS (point-of-sale) data from GfK’s panel of tire retailers shows a year-over-year jump of 14% in units sold for summer models. With 1.8 million units sold, summer tires have accounted for $291 million in revenue so far this year.

Overall, the independent tire channel has grown 1.5% compared to first-half figures for 2018. Light Truck tires and larger (18” plus) rim sizes have also posted gains versus 2018:

• Light Truck dollar sales have grown 11% year to date, with an 11% increase in units sold
• dollar sales for 18-inch and above rims are up 8%, with a 7% jump in units sold

In addition, the latest GfK POS data show that

• unit and dollar sales in the independent tire dealer channel have increased YTD 2019, relative to the same period last year
• +2% out-the-door price increases have resulted in higher dollar sales in YTD 2019 than units sales
• Run Flat tires increased +1.5% YTD vs. YTD 2018

Representing nearly 35,000 points of sale nationwide, GfK’s POS tire panel provides unprecedented data to inform dealer and manufacturer decisions.  GfK’s data allows manufacturers and retailers to understand – for the first time – country-wide trends, competitor activities, sale prices, and brand market share.

Table 1. Year-to-date trends in US independent tire channel