What will shape the automotive aftermarket in 2027? Understanding the answer requires looking beyond industry sales figures to the broader economic and consumer trends influencing purchasing decisions.

Circana’s annual Aftermarket Outlook session at AAPEX offers attendees a data-driven look at the forces shaping the market, connecting consumer spending patterns with aftermarket performance and the opportunities and challenges ahead.

Why Attend

One of AAPEX’s most consistently attended General Sessions, the annual Circana presentation provides valuable perspective for manufacturers, distributors, retailers and service providers looking to better understand where the aftermarket is headed.

Nathan Shipley, Executive Director and Industry Analyst for Circana’s Automotive Aftermarket practice, will share new analysis of consumer behaviour, recent aftermarket performance and the economic and industry factors expected to influence the market in 2027.

Circana’s broad view of consumer spending provides an added dimension to the discussion, helping attendees understand how pressures on household budgets, changing purchasing priorities and economic uncertainty can influence demand for automotive parts and services.

What You’ll Learn

The session will explore several factors influencing aftermarket performance and the outlook for the coming year, including:

• The latest picture of the U.S. consumer and what it means for aftermarket demand.
• The influence of pricing, vehicle age, miles driven and weather on recent aftermarket performance.
• Changes in DIY versus DIFM purchasing behaviour and evolving channel preferences.
• The impact of inflation, tariffs, vehicle affordability and other economic factors.
• Circana’s outlook for aftermarket growth in 2027.

“The aftermarket doesn’t operate in a vacuum. The same consumer deciding whether to replace their brakes is also deciding what to spend on groceries, electronics and travel,” says Shipley.

“Because Circana sees the whole consumer, we can show this audience not just what happened in our industry, but why it happened and what it tells us about the year ahead.”

Event Details

What: AAPEX General Session: Aftermarket Outlook 2027

Who: Nathan Shipley, Executive Director and Industry Analyst, Automotive Aftermarket, Circana

When: Wednesday, November 4, 2026, 2:00–3:00 p.m. PT

Where: AAPEX 2026, Las Vegas – AAPEX Forum Stage (F14022)

About the Presenter

A recognized aftermarket analyst and frequent industry speaker, Shipley has led Circana’s annual AAPEX outlook presentation for roughly a decade. With nearly 20 years of automotive industry experience, he works closely with manufacturers and retailers to help them understand marketplace dynamics and plan for future growth.