Hurricane Automotive Market Research

Market Research

To determine how existing competitors of Hurricane Automotive operate and look aesthetically, we gathered some secondary data from their online sites. This allowed Hurricane Automotive to see what services are already being offered for comparison and to help decide how to make the online site look and navigate.  No primary data was collected due to the lack of recorded information on existing and returning customers.

We researched three main competitors and found the following:

Car ID

• Products/Process

• Offers a much wider variety of services including Interior Accessories, Exterior Accessories, Performance Parts, Lighting, Wheels, etc.

• Aesthetics/Navigation

• Easy to navigate with sub tabs at top of the page.
• Division of each of the types of products offered.
• Pictures all throughout the site for easy recognition of products.
• There is an account sign in link at the top of the page for returning customers.
• Search options to search by vehicle, part, or specialty shop.
• At the bottom of the site there are several brand logos that help customers with recognition and trust.
• There is a review section that shows existing customer reviews and gives consumers personal testimonies of real people that used Car ID. Some are very good and some are not so good, so it shows that they are not screened before posting.

Discount Converter

• Products/Process

• Only offers converters.
• Processes and ships within the same day of order.
• Value is sold in the customer service piece. “Where we really shine is we will go out of our way to give you service before, during and after the sale”.
• They carry in stock for quick delivery.

• Aesthetics/Navigation

• The front page goes into deep detail on the history of the company and how they have been the oldest and most knowledgeable distributor of catalytic converters on the Web.
• There is a graphic on the front page that goes through updated converter news to educated consumers.
• The site is very simple and easy to navigate
• The site does not look professional and gives off the “mom and pop” style feel.

Performance Curve

• Products/Process

• When googled, sub titles pop up under the main site link guiding you to choose which product you are looking at for faster navigation.
• On front page, there are featured products that are currently being offered.
• There are a limited number of product links that include Alignment, Equipment and Exhaust.

• Aesthetics/Navigation

• Once you click on the Exhaust link, eight sub categories pop up that are relevant to exhaust systems.
• Easy navigation.
• Limited information under the About and Contact tab so it is hard to establish trust with the customers.
• The site is divided into two sections, one section that changes with each click you make, and the other stagnant piece that allows you to always go back to the main categories on the front page.
• There is an option to add your email address to join their newsletter for product news.