65 per cent Indian car owners stick to same tyre brand installed at the factory

Vehicle owners in India who have to replace their tyres prefer to repurchase the same brand of tyres that were factory-installed on the vehicle when it was new. This report is based on J.D. Power Asia Pacific 2014 India Original Equipment Tire Customer Satisfaction Index (TCSI).

The customer retention for original tyre brands has increased from 57 per cent in 2012 to 65 per cent this year. The study also shows that customers who are highly satisfied are more than twice as likely to recommend or repurchase their current brand when compared to highly dissatisfied customers. This study measures satisfaction among original equipment tyre owners during the first  12 to 24 months of ownership across four factors - appearance, durability, traction/handling and ride.

“Brand familiarity and perceptions of safety are key drivers of tyre purchases. The majority of vehicle owners tend to refit the same brand of tyres as their OE fitment because of familiarity and perceptions of safety, assuming that the vehicle manufacturer would have tested the tyres on critical quality and safety parameters before fitment,” said Mohit Arora, executive director, JD Power Asia Pacific.