How garages increase tyre margins
Garages increase tyre margins by buying direct from a tyre wholesaler, reducing unit cost, improving availability, and avoiding distributor mark-ups.
Where margin is lost
Garages often don’t realise this.
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Buying small quantities
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Using multiple suppliers
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Paying distributor premiums
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Delayed deliveries
Each one cuts profit.
Example: margin comparison
| Purchase route | Cost per tyre | Typical resale | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retail source | £72 | £95 | £23 |
| Distributor | £62 | £95 | £33 |
| Wholesaler | £48 | £95 | £47 |
Wholesale access changes the maths.
Why wholesalers outperform distributors
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Larger stock holdings
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Direct import pricing
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Faster daily deliveries
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Trade-only pricing
Distributors sit in the middle.
Wholesalers don’t.
What garages also search next
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Do wholesalers deliver next day?
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Can I order mixed sizes?
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Are budget tyres reliable for resale?
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Can I hold trade credit?
These are trade questions — not consumer ones.
What happens next?
Most garages:
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Consolidate suppliers
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Move volume to one wholesaler
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Improve margins within weeks
