The number of automobiles in China has increased six times in the past decade. This year, it is expected that the number of automobiles in China will reach over 30 million. Currently, the ratio of cars per thousand people in China is about 24. However, this figure is still far below the world average of 120 cars per thousand people, which shows the great market potential.
Currently speaking, private cars in China are close to being a luxury item. When people own their beloved car, they undoubtedly take good care of it. As a durable product, after relatively saturated sales, later maintenance becomes long-term and important. On the other hand, although many large and medium-sized cities in China have developed rapidly, related facilities cannot keep up in a timely manner. The lack of parking spaces forces a large number of cars to be parked outdoors, suffering from wind, rain, and sun exposure helplessly. In addition, many cities in China suffer from severe air pollution, which accelerates the aging of cars. This provides conditions for the existence and development of the "post-automobile" market, specifically the car beauty industry.
According to market research: currently, more than 60% of private high-end car owners in China have the habit of giving their cars external beauty care; more than 30% of private low-end car owners have also started to form the concept of car beauty care; more than 30% of public high-end cars also undergo regular external beauty care. From this, we can see that the prospect of the car beauty and decoration industry is exceptionally broad.
According to expert estimates, a car worth around 100,000 yuan generally lasts for 10 years. Calculating by an annual mileage of 20,000-30,000 kilometers, the annual maintenance cost is over 4,000 yuan, with even higher costs for high-end cars. With China's car ownership at 30 million, the "money prospect" of the car beauty industry is quite astonishing.
Currently, the domestic car maintenance industry is divided into three categories. The first category includes the familiar roadside car washing "guerrillas," auto repair shops that also offer car washing and waxing services, as well as professional car washes. The second category consists of "superstores" that have appeared in major central cities like Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou. The third category is car beauty shops.
The main feature of the first category is low prices, but these often involve "hanging sheep heads and selling dog meat," meaning the operations are not standardized, making it difficult to ensure maintenance quality. In the "superstores," a wide range of high-quality car beauty products are provided, but the stores only sell goods without dedicated personnel providing services, and the prices are also relatively expensive. Car beauty shops combine the features of the first two categories, offering a one-stop service from basic car washing to car beauty and decoration.
The car beauty industry depends on the development of the automobile industry and belongs to the fringe industries. Given the rapid development of China's automobile industry, there is a large market demand that ensures the sustainable development of the car beauty industry. On the other hand, the car beauty industry has been continuously developing, with new products and services constantly emerging. The updating and upgrading of service products provide technical support for the industry's sustainable development.
The biggest characteristic of car beauty shops is car beauty decoration. This service project is currently fresh in the market, with low risk and a large profit margin. According to understanding, except for some electronic items such as sound systems, anti-theft central control, and reverse radar, the rest of the projects have profit margins of over 50%. Many projects even have profit margins as high as 200% to 300%. Car beauty decoration is still a relatively new industry, and it is very popular in the current market. It mainly relies on manual technology to generate profits. Relatively speaking, the investment in equipment and products is much less. The capital investment mainly involves rent and employee salaries. Moreover, for investors who are not very familiar with the car maintenance industry, the technology of car beauty decoration is easier to learn and quick to grasp, naturally reducing various operational risks.
Industry insiders refer to the entire operational model of car beauty as McDonald's and KFC in the car maintenance industry because the core content of car beauty shops is service. Car beauty shops pay special attention to their image and are more standardized in service. They focus on every detail of the service, such as how many actions are required when wiping a car, how many wipes are needed, and how much force to use—all of which are strictly regulated. This ensures the overall quality of the service and makes consumers feel more assured.
Currently, China's car beauty market is not yet standardized. Many car beauty shops are simply transformed from previous auto repair or car wash factories, using the guise of car beauty to provide simple, primitive services.
On the other hand, more standardized car beauty shops are mainly franchise chains, relying on brands and ensuring survival through quality.
Source: http://www.qcmrrc.com/