"A PIT AUTOBACS" challenges a paradigm shift in mobility
Amid shifts toward EVs and less car use by youth, Autobacs opened "A PIT AUTOBACS" in 2018. Using CCC Group's V member lifestyle data, we supported its marketing and store planning. (Updated March 21, 2025)
What is "A PIT AUTOBACS"?
"A PIT AUTOBACS" is a new business model from Autobacs that proposes a car life (a life that is more fun and enriching with the ownership of a car). With a PIT that gives off a sense of security and cleanliness at its core, the store also offers a "BOOK & CAFE" where you can enjoy a cup of coffee while browsing not only custom parts and specialty car accessories, but also books and magazines about cars, as well as books and magazines about travel and the outdoors that will make you want to go out by car. By creating a sales floor that organically combines a wide selection of car accessories, books, and miscellaneous goods, we are able to propose "a car life that suits you" to each and every customer, including car enthusiasts, students living in the neighborhood, and families.
A new business model born to overcome a once-in-a-century period of great change
From ownership to sharing. In 2018, the concept of car ownership was undergoing major changes due to the spread of car sharing services and the start of initiatives to share privately owned cars. As the environment surrounding cars changes dramatically in what is said to be a "once-in-a-century period of great change," we began creating a store that would evolve from "a store just for car enthusiasts" to "a store for everyone who drives a car."
Yamazoe: "Autobacs is often associated with car accessories, but with the changing environment, we needed to change our business model from targeting only car enthusiasts. The concept was to create a store that could be enjoyed by people of all ages, including drivers, passengers, and families."
Creating stores based on data, not on intuition
Through ABT Marketing Co., Ltd. (*), which was established in 2017, we used data to understand the needs of our customer base. The store has been designed with a focus on comfort for all customers, including families, with a store design centered around a pit that will satisfy car enthusiasts, a "BOOK & CAFE" where parents and children can relax, and the introduction of a "Lifestyle Sales Area."In November 2018, the first store of this new business format, "A PIT AUTOBACS SHINONOME," opened in Koto Ward, Tokyo.
(*) A joint venture established between Autobacs Seven and CCC MK HOLDINGS. The aim is to combine the resources of both companies, namely Autobacs' customer base and car lifestyle know-how, and CCC Group's customer base and lifestyle proposal capabilities, to build a database service centered on car lifestyles and implement marketing services.
Yamazoe: "Even if we know about customers who use Autobacs, we have no way of knowing about customers who have never used our store. This is where we utilized data from ABT Marketing. We analyze data on the customer bases of AUTOBACS and the CCC Group and use it to organize sales floors and select products. This has enabled us to make decisions based on data, rather than on intuition or assumptions."
In addition, the sales floor will feature sections that combine lifestyle themes with cars, such as "Travel and Cars," "Nature and Cars," "Garage and Cars," and "Family and Cars."We offer products that allow all car owners to discover new ways to enjoy their cars.
Yamazoe: "We are merchandising based on the idea of what is necessary for a car when traveling, and what we can offer to people who use their car to enjoy nature. We have adopted a new approach not seen at Autobacs before, which is not just about buying products, but also about suggesting what kind of lifestyle can be achieved by using the products you have purchased."
"A PIT AUTOBACS" 2nd store opens in Western Japan
As originally intended, "A PIT AUTOBACS SHINONOME" has attracted many customers, not only car enthusiasts but also families, and has attracted attention in various media, including TV and the web, as a "hot shop" in the car industry. Furthermore, looking at customer data, a paradigm shift is beginning to occur, and the store has become a place where customers of all ages can visit, including women, who previously had few customers.
The second store, "A PIT AUTOBACS KYOTO SHIJO," will open in Kyoto in September 2022. While retaining the concept of the first store, the new store offers one of Japan's largest selections of car accessories, as well as a wide range of outdoor goods and apparel. There is also a "BOOK & CAFE" where you can relax in an open space with an atrium that extends up to the third floor, and it is a place where you can have fun while deepening your attachment to cars.
Yamazoe: "We opened our second store by utilizing the know-how we gained from our first store. The products available at each store change based on data analysis. The data shows that customer needs vary from store to store, so even if the same apparel is being sold, we sometimes change the brands we carry."
Increase brand awareness of "A PIT" and move on to the next business
Recently, the number of inbound customers has been increasing, and products that suit the car culture of each country, from car books to parts, are selling well.
Yamazoe: "Do you know what 'A PIT AUTOBACS' is called? Actually, it's not called "Autobacs" but "A PIT."Although there is still room for growth, we believe this is a sign that brand awareness has increased to a certain extent. "By coming to 'A PIT', customers can learn about the cultural aspects of Japanese cars, and we hope to take advantage of this popularity of the 'A PIT' brand to lead to further business opportunities."
Yamazoe: "This is a once-in-a-century period of great change. If you don't do anything, your store will become stale. Data is necessary to grasp changes in the world and customer needs and evolve. For example, we will reflect the hypothesis that "Because camping is popular, there will be an increasing demand for camping equipment for beginners" in our product lineup, and verify the effectiveness using purchasing data. By implementing the PDCA cycle based on this data, we believe we can create stores that better meet customer needs."
