The Outdoor Power Parts & Accessories Association (OPPAA) recently published results of its peripheral Dealer Survey including expected areas of business growth, anticipated business disruptions and largest concerns. These results are based on an online survey sample size of 230 independent OPE dealers across the U.S. which was conducted in December, 2024.
Three key takeaways from the survey:
- The dealer’s largest concern by far was the economy. Fully 70% of respondents identified this as a top issue, with 36% saying interest rates were their biggest concern.
- Parts and accessories was the area dealers anticipated would have the most amount of business disruption, with 84% selecting this segment. Ride-on equipment (35%), hand-held power equipment (27%), service (24%) and battery-powered equipment (18%) were other areas in which dealers expected business disruption.
- The area expected to have the most growth in 2025 was service, according to 53% of survey respondents, with parts & accessories (26%), ride-on equipment (11%) and battery-powered equipment (9%) selected as other top areas of growth over the year.
Sales Expectations
In projecting parts and accessory sales, 49 percent of dealers who participated in the survey reported that they expect commercial and professional sales to stay the same as 2024, while 38 percent expected an increase and 12 percent forecasted a decrease in sales.
In the consumer and homeowner category, 42 percent of dealers expected the same sales levels, while 44 percent noted an increase was likely, and 14 percent forecast a decrease. Looking into service department sales, 40 percent of dealers responding to the OPPAA peripheral dealer survey expected the same sales levels as last year, while fully 51 percent forecast an increase and only 9 percent expected a decline in service department sales.
OPPAA has performed extensive research to gain exclusive outdoor power equipment dealer-focused insights within the parts and accessories industry since 2009. A survey is performed every other year and to supplement the data, an additional peripheral survey is conducted to capture any upcoming trends as the environment continues to evolve.
Parts and accessories are integral to independent OPE dealer businesses and having accessible resources will only help OPPAA members support their own network of dealers, noted the OPPAA in a statement summarizing the survey.
Click here to see the survey summary.
About OPPAA
OPPAA, originally established in 1986 as OPEAA, promotes the quality of replacement parts and accessories as an equivalent and economical means for the maintenance and repair of power equipment. OPPAA’s ultimate purpose is to facilitate the growth and availability of quality replacement parts and accessories for outdoor power equipment. Focused on the OPE parts and accessories industry, it contracts OPEI to manage its administrative services. Its representatives reinforce the concept that commonalities and shared interest exist between the two entities and provide opportunities for greater outreach, whereby combined advocacy is stronger when interests are aligned.
