In today’s competitive performance equipment marketplace, it is often difficult for the consumer to know where he or she should spend one’s hard earned money to upgrade their ride. Consumers already know how to weigh the most commonly considered issues: best price, availability of parts, customer service, and support after the sale.

However, there is one key element that many people overlook when choosing a shop to purchase from: is the shop an authorized dealer of the product(s) you are buying? Furthermore, why should you, the end user consumer care if the shop is an authorized dealer or not? Why should you consider paying a little extra to purchase from an authorized distributor?

First, manufacturers offer a warranty on a product only after it is proven that the product was bought through an authorized distributor. Imagine buying that several thousand dollar turbo kit from “just another dot-com,” and having the manifold crack or the turbo blow up 3 months later. Only to call the manufacturer and find out that you’ll have to come with the hundreds or thousands of dollars to replace the part(s) that failed. The manufacture won’t even consider helping you as they have no idea how you acquired the product. The product could be used longer than you say, could be stolen, or could have been bought via “grey market”. Suddenly the little bit of money you saved doesn’t seem so appealing after all.

Also consider this: an authorized distributor who spends hundreds of thousands or millions of dollars a year with a manufacture is going to have a lot more influence over their warranty decision than a “dot-com” company the manufacture has never heard of and has no benefit in helping.

Next, manufacturers offer service, support, and technical assistance only after it is proven that the product was bought through an authorized distributor. We realize that not everyone needs support on everything they purchase. But often you may have a few questions that would be best answered by the people that made what you bought. It would be nice to know they will talk to you if you do need assistance. While manufacturer provided technical assistance is not the most important reason to buy authorized, it is certainly has its value.

Finally, authorized distributors of a product are more likely to be around in the future when you may need help the most. Becoming an authorized distributor is no walk in the park and it involves a lot more than a phone call. While every manufacture has their own individual requirements to become an authorized distributor, most of them have some requirements in common. These include:

• The shop must make an opening large purchase, usually tens of thousands of dollars. (Some upwards of $100,000.)
• The shop must have warehousing space to support put the manufacturer’s product on their shelves.
• The shop must have a physical business location where customers can purchase the manufacturer’s product. In other words it can’t be run out of their house or a corner in their friend’s business.
• The shop must be proven, have good credit, a solid reputation, and excellent references.
• Some manufacturers go as far as to fly to the shop and do a personal inspection of the facility before agreeing to authorize and sell.

What does all this mean to you? It means that an authorized distributor is a more established business, is a full time business, and is set up to best serve the customer. Many “dot-com” shops are run out of a spare bedroom or dorm room. Most of them are 1-man shows. Most of these “shops” aren’t shops at all…they are operated in the spare time of the owner. Everything else comes before you: his or her other “real” job, college classes, homework, or his kids screaming in the background while you are trying to get your questions answered.

If you don’t know if the shop you are purchasing from is an authorized distributor, simply ask. Or better yet, call the manufacture and ask them!