Text by Ian Boissoneault
In too many shops, parts returns are seen as just a minor annoyance.
👉 “It’s part of the job.”
No!
It’s often the largest uncontrolled variable cost in a repair.
On paper, the parts margin looks fine.
On the shop floor, between:
- delays,
- partial credits,
- lost deliveries,
- new orders,
- and production downtime…
đź’¸ real profit melts away without anyone noticing.
A big discount doesn’t mean much if:
- the return rate is high
- parts arrive too early vs. a job scheduled in 2 months
- or quality is inconsistent
👉 A supplier with a 30% return rate can eat up to half of your parts profit, without it ever showing clearly on the income statement.
The real question isn’t:
“What discount did I get?”
But rather:
➡️ What is the real cost of my parts, returns included?
Top-performing shops don’t choose suppliers based on the lowest price.
They choose the ones who protect production, timelines… and cash flow.
đź’¬ And you, are you really measuring the impact of parts returns in your shop?
Photo par Zoshua Colah
