According to product suppliers and manufacturers, intense competition from internet-based companies will hit traders – if they do not look after their consumers. Simon Pelly, managing director of Rage Products — which provides accessories including exhausts and sports seats – believed retailers needed to improve their knowledge of the equipment they were selling. He told Motor Trader: “The issue with the internet is price, so shops must differentiate their business by taking the customer all the way through a purchase. “However if retailers are not proactive in this way they are no better than a website, – the key is to have employees that can explain to a buyer exactly what they are getting.” Pelly maintained that customer service was still appreciated by buyers while the internet was a less personal medium and almost exclusively driven by price. He said: “But access to the market is changing and people are demanding more of you now — sales of products over the internet have become a big problem for retailers.” Mark Hawthorn, national sales manager at car care products manufacturer AutoGlym, also believed that retailers needed to sharpen up in the months ahead. He said: “The retail market has been contracting – some shops are struggling although major retailers, such as Motor World and Halfords, are growing year-on-year. “As a trader you need to look at products that you can convert into a good margin.” However Hawthorn said that AutoGlym was available to help customers if they needed advice. He added that traders should not be afraid to approach manufacturers for guidance in presenting their products and achieving the best possible margin.