What is SIPS?

S.I.P.S., Society of Import Parts Specialists, is a group of import parts specialists from around the country, that have come together to share experiences, ideas, thoughts and strategies on ways to sustain success in their individual companies.

How many members are there?

Now 21 members strong, representing more than 40 stores and 50 million dollars in sales, the S.I.P.S. group is recognized nationally by many people involved in the automotive aftermarket and the A.I.A. division of A.A.I.A.

How did it begin?

The concept of S.I.P.S. began with the idea, that for an import specialist to remain competitive in the years ahead, a portion of their most popular products should be secured directly from the original manufacturers, without any middlemen. This idea was conceived by Jose Meyer, the owner of Meyer's Auto Parts in Las Vegas , Nevada . His vision was passed to Gary Garberg in his company, who has coordinated the efforts of educating, organizing, promoting, and sustaining the activities of S.I.P.S. since its inception in year 2000.

SIPS Advantages

Today, S.I.P.S. is still growing by discovering similar independent import parts businesses that are financially sound, well managed, and dominant in their markets. Additionally, the owners must share a desire for the camaraderie that is achieved by sharing wisdom, building on the experiences of others, avoiding mistakes of those who have gone before them, and exchanging every kind of information with other members in the group. Confidentiality within the group is a tradition that all members maintain.

As large as the S.I.P.S. group is, efforts to use the purchasing strength of the members to secure more favorable acquisition costs from vendors was a constant challenge and one that required more time than any member could afford to spend. The solution was to discover an alignment with a nationally recognized buying group, whose list of endorsed manufacturers was consistent with the import focus of the S.I.P.S. members. This relationship was initiated in 2003 with Automotive Parts Associates, Inc. / Professional's Choice, in Lenexa , Kansas . 23 S.I.P.S. members now enjoy the benefits and rewards of this association and A.P.A. has benefited also. With the S.I.P.S. members support of many of their import-oriented product lines, struggling volumes were suddenly vaulted to levels earning maximum rebates from these manufacturers. A plus for both entities.

The annual membership meeting for the S.I.P.S. group is held each year in Las Vegas, Nevada during the AAPEX and SEMA shows.