Key facts
Roland Berger surveyed 6,000 car owners in 13 markets: loyalty to OEM and supplier-branded parts keeps falling as non-branded parts gain on price and quality.
Loyalty toward traditional OEM and supplier-branded parts continues to decline globally, Roland Berger's 2024 Automotive Aftermarket Pulse report found, as reported by aftermarketmatters.com [1]. Consumers increasingly pick non-branded parts, including private label store brands, viewing them as sufficient quality and better value.
The report surveyed 600 repair shop owners and managers and 6,000 private car owners across 13 global markets, including the US, China, Germany, the UK and France. This year's edition covers all major American markets: the US, Canada, Mexico and Brazil. Shops in the US and Europe are installing a growing share of nonbranded parts in response to consumer price sensitivity. China runs the other way — consumers there lack confidence in non-branded parts.
"For instance, in markets where brand loyalty of consumers is high, suppliers can focus on premium branded offerings, strong warranty packages, and brand-specific marketing," Roland Berger Partner Neury Freitas said in the report's announcement. In regions that favor lower-cost options, he said, suppliers can push reliable non-branded parts through a leaner distribution network to keep prices down.
What it means at the parts counter
US buyers kept shifting to independent shops in 2024: 56 percent of respondents chose independent workshops, up from 50 percent in 2023, citing lower prices and shorter wait times. EV owners buck no trend here — 76 percent globally say they would take their vehicle to an independent shop for simple maintenance or repairs, and nearly half would do the same for powertrain or battery issues.
A buyer can verify the shift on any quote: ask whether the line item is an OEM-branded part, a supplier-branded part, or a private-label equivalent, and compare the warranty terms attached to each. The report's finding is that more customers than last year accept the third option.
Online buying keeps climbing alongside. Fifty-one percent of consumers are buying parts online, though many report frustration with the channel's user experience. Forty-eight percent of US consumers bought parts online in the past year and said they would do it again.
The number
$330 to $700. That is what 48 percent of US consumers reported spending on service, maintenance or repair during 2024, in a self-reported survey of private car owners by Roland Berger. Another 25 percent said they spent more than $700. US and European spending grew at a rate that outpaced inflation, the report said.
Terms
- reman: remanufactured — torn down, machined to spec, rebuilt with new wear parts, tested.
FAQ
Are buyers still loyal to OEM-brand parts? Loyalty toward OEM and supplier-branded parts continues to decline globally as consumers opt for non-branded parts they view as sufficient quality and better value, Roland Berger's 2024 Automotive Aftermarket Pulse found.
How many US consumers buy parts online? Forty-eight percent of US consumers reported buying parts online in the past year and said they would do it again, the survey found.
Are buyers willing to pay more for sustainable parts? Interest rose to 77 percent in the US in 2024 from 64 percent in 2023, but relatively few will pay a premium, which the report says opens an opportunity for the remanufacturing business.
Interest in sustainable parts keeps rising — 77 percent in the US in 2024 versus 64 percent in 2023. What buyers will actually pay for one remains unanswered; the report found relatively few willing to pay a premium, and Roland Berger did not price that gap.
Reported with AI assistance from public sources; reviewed before publication.
Sources
1. aftermarketmatters.com — "Consumer loyalty to OEM and supplier-branded auto parts declines globally - Aftermarket Matters". https://www.aftermarketmatters.com/national-news/consumer-loyalty-to-oem-and-supplier-branded-auto-parts-declines-globally/ (captured by the desk 2026-09-26; read in full)
Also published at Expedia Parts →
Reported with AI assistance from public sources; reviewed before publication. — Powered by Creytix.