Automotive Research
Automotive Research and Price Collection in the UAE and Gulf
We collect parts prices across every channel
SMRC runs systematic automotive price collection studies across the UAE, Oman and the wider Gulf. We map what the market really charges for parts, labour and standard service jobs, by brand and by channel, so your pricing decisions rest on collected evidence rather than assumption.
Parts pricing · Job pricing · Channel coverage · Mystery & direct
What it is
Automotive pricing in the Gulf is fragmented, opaque and changes fast, and the only reliable way to see it clearly is to collect it in the field.
A genuine part carries one price at the dealer, another at a chain store and a third at an independent parts seller down the road. Labour on the same service job swings widely between an OEM workshop and a neighbourhood garage. SMRC builds a clean, comparable price picture across all of it: part numbers, standard jobs, brands and channels collected on a consistent template, checked, and delivered in a structure you can actually act on.
WHAT WE COLLECT
Parts prices, labour rates and job pricing on one comparable template
Parts price collection studies capture the retail price of automotive spare parts across the market, covering both genuine (OEM) and aftermarket ranges. We collect against a defined basket of part numbers or descriptions so that a filter, a brake pad set or a body panel is compared like for like across every outlet we visit, rather than being lost in inconsistent naming.
Job pricing, or service-centre labour pricing, records what workshops charge to carry out a standard service or repair: a major service, a minor service, brake replacement, clutch work, an oil change and similar defined jobs. Because a quote often bundles parts and labour, our field team separates the two wherever the outlet will break it down, so you can see the labour component, the parts component and the all-in figure a customer would actually pay.
Every price is recorded with the context that makes it usable: brand, model or engine variant where relevant, the channel type, the emirate or city, the outlet, and the date collected. That discipline is what turns a pile of quotes into a benchmark you can trust.
CHANNELS AND METHOD
Three channels, two collection methods, chosen to fit the question
We collect across three distinct channels because each prices differently. Independent workshops and parts sellers set prices locally and negotiate. Chain stores and fast-fit networks run more standardised menus. OEM dealer showrooms and authorised service centres hold list and recommended pricing. Reading all three side by side is what reveals the real competitive spread on any part or job.
We use two collection methods and match them to the objective. Direct (declared) price collection means a fieldworker identifies the study and requests current prices openly, which suits list-based, published or dealer pricing where a declared request returns an accurate figure quickly. Mystery price collection means the fieldworker poses as a genuine customer with a specific vehicle and need, then gathers the quote the way any buyer would, which is essential where the real transaction price only appears once someone is treated as a paying customer.
Mystery collection is the method that exposes negotiated discounts, walk-in labour quotes and the true out-the-door price, so we lean on it heavily for independents and for service jobs. Direct collection is faster and cleaner for shelf-priced parts and published OEM schedules. Many studies combine both, and we agree the mix with you up front against the decisions the data has to support.
THE DIFFERENTIATOR
Own GPS-tracked field force, so every price is tied to a verified outlet, location and timestamp
- Genuine and aftermarket parts collected against a fixed basket for true like-for-like comparison
- Mystery and direct collection deployed by channel to capture the price a customer actually pays
- Coverage across the UAE, Oman and the wider Gulf in both Arabic and English
What we measure
What we collect and what you learn
| What we measure | What you learn |
|---|---|
| Genuine (OEM) parts prices | Where authorised parts pricing sits by brand and outlet, and how far it moves from list |
| Aftermarket parts prices | The discount and spread between aftermarket and genuine on the same part, by channel |
| Job and labour pricing | What a standard service or repair costs in labour, and the all-in figure a customer pays |
| Independent workshops and parts sellers | Real negotiated street pricing and how far independents undercut or match the channels above |
| Chain stores and fast-fit networks | Standardised menu pricing and promotional positioning across the middle of the market |
| OEM dealer showrooms and service centres | List and recommended pricing for parts and jobs at the authorised tier |
| Mystery vs direct collection | The declared price versus the quote a genuine walk-in customer is actually given |
| Cross-market coverage (UAE and Gulf) | How the same part, job or brand is priced across emirates and countries |
How we work
How it runs
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Define the basket and channels
We agree the parts, part numbers and standard jobs to track, the brands in scope, and the channel and outlet mix across the UAE and wider Gulf that matches your competitive set.
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Set method by channel
We assign mystery or direct collection to each channel and study line, brief the field team on vehicle scenarios and quote scripts, and pilot the template before full rollout.
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Collect in the field, GPS-verified
Our own trained fieldworkers collect prices in Arabic and English, with each visit tied to a verified outlet, location and timestamp for quality control.
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Clean, benchmark and deliver
We validate, de-duplicate and structure the data into a comparable picture by part, job, brand and channel, with same-week findings you can act on.
Why SMRC
Why SMRC for automotive price collection
SMRC is an independent research boutique founded in Dubai in 2017 by senior people from MEMRB and GfK, and pricing and retail measurement is where that team spent its career. We run our own GPS-tracked field force rather than subcontracting, so every collected price is traceable to a verified outlet, location and time. We work across the UAE, Oman and the wider Gulf in both Arabic and English, we understand how automotive parts and service markets are structured across independent, chain and OEM channels, and we return findings the same week they are collected so pricing decisions are not held up waiting on data.
Related services
FAQ
Questions we get asked
What is the difference between mystery and direct price collection?
Direct (declared) collection means the fieldworker openly identifies the study and requests current prices, which works well for list-based, shelf or published pricing. Mystery collection means the fieldworker poses as a genuine customer with a specific vehicle and need, then captures the quote the way any buyer would. Mystery collection is how you see negotiated discounts, walk-in labour quotes and the true out-the-door price, so we use it wherever the real transaction price only appears once someone is treated as a paying customer.
Which channels do you cover?
We cover three channels because each prices differently: independent workshops and parts sellers, chain stores and fast-fit networks, and OEM dealer showrooms and authorised service centres. Reading all three side by side is what shows the real competitive spread on any given part or job, and we can weight the sample towards the channels that matter most to your decision.
Do you collect both genuine and aftermarket parts prices?
Yes. We collect genuine (OEM) and aftermarket prices against the same fixed basket of parts, so you see a true like-for-like comparison and the discount spread between the two ranges within each channel and market.
How do you handle labour and job pricing when quotes bundle parts and labour?
For standard service and repair jobs we ask the outlet to break the quote into labour and parts wherever they will, and we record the all-in figure regardless. That lets you analyse the labour component, the parts component and the total price a customer would pay.
Which markets do you cover?
We collect across the UAE, Oman and the wider Gulf, running fieldwork in both Arabic and English. For multi-market studies we keep the basket and template consistent so the same part, job or brand can be compared across emirates and countries.
How is the data delivered, and how quickly?
You receive a clean, structured price picture by part, job, brand and channel, ready for pricing strategy, distribution decisions and competitive benchmarking. We deliver findings the same week the fieldwork is completed.
Ready to get automotive research that stands up?
Tell us the decision you need to make. We will design the study around it and bring you evidence you can act on, in Arabic and English, across the UAE and Gulf.