>> Sadly, from a motoring viewpoint, they have probably largely outlived their usefulness, In the good
>> old days it was common for people to service and repair their own cars. They
>> needed tools, lubricants, spares, axle stands etc etc.
>>
>> With increaingly lengthy service intervals, and the challenge of working with complex digital systems, most
>> neither have the ability nor interest to get involved.
>>
>> Many other items they sell can be bought online cheaper - cycles, camping gear, etc.
I think there's a lot of truth in this, and as the number of "user serviceable" cars dwindles, so will their business.
In terms of spares, I suspect they've also been hit by the Euro Car Parts/Carparts4u and GSFs of this world, who carry a much wider range of stock, and at lower prices.
If I think of our local Halfords store, big sections of floorspace are dedicated to activities or products that are either dying out, or done bigger, better and more prominently by the competition. There is a huge ICE section with a wall full of head unit options, but when you think about it, most cars designed in the last 10 years don't actually have separate head units, and have the stereo integral with the dash. That market will surely disappear, or at the very least become more specialised.
Big section of tools, oils, fluids and spares. People will always need oil, but DIY maintenance is dying for the reasons listed above, so that has to be shrinking overall. The tools are excellent, but professional mechanics don't buy them, and fewer people are DIY-ing.
There are also smaller areas for child seats and towing accessories, and roofboxes, but again, I would imagine many people would go to a specialist for such things, who will stock a wider range of options, and perhaps be better able to advise.
The only bit that I suspect does well is the cleaning and valeting area. Big range of stuff, and well priced.
Halfords sadly strikes me as another Blockbuster Video. Nothing inherently wrong with the way it does what it does, but what it does is becoming increasingly irrelevant due to changes in customer habits. Blockbuster doggedly stuck to their physical media rental model while internet streaming became an exciting concept, and then a reality, and so Halfords seem to be doing something similar with their offering. It's a shame.
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Halfords new
Halfords new
