The impact of a big box retail approach at a powersports dealership – June 5, 2006

Parts Unlimited Sales Rep. Paul Griffin brought big box retail practices to his Central California sales area, including to this dealership.
Store: Grand Prix Sports
Location: Santa Clara, Calif.
Main changes: Griffin encouraged the dealership to make several retail merchandising changes, but perhaps the biggest impact was the helmet display. The store previously had two shelves of helmets that ran across almost an entire wall. The rest of the helmets were stored in boxes underneath the shelves. About eight months ago, Griffin worked with the store to shelve the entire helmet wall, including an area that shows different helmet shield options.
Impact: “It’s probably doubled or tripled our helmet business easy,” said Scott Farstad, Grand Prix’s parts manager, noting that he can think of no other reason — there have been no changes in F&I and no spike in unit sales — for the increase in helmet sales. Farstad said there’s been little, if any, change in the amount of money the dealership is putting toward its PG&A inventory. The only notable difference is the increased staff time for maintaining the helmet wall.