Bright Future Ahead Aftermarket lighting has taken its place as an off-road industry staple. By Jef White
Educated buyers are interested in product specs such as beam patterns, color temperature, sealing and whether a product is engineered for their specific vehicle. (Photo courtesy Baja Designs)
When customers are ready to head off the beaten path, can your shop help light the way? Featuring an exciting mix of LED emitters, housings, bars, brackets and accessories, the aftermarket lighting category has taken its place as an off-road industry staple.
Offering wide appeal to a diverse audience, lighting solutions can be the answer drivers are looking for today, as well as the first step in a much more comprehensive accessorization journey for tomorrow and beyond.
However, with lighting’s growing popularity has come more manufacturers entering the market and more sources of information for consumers—some more trustworthy than others. Successful shops are ones that can drill down to the answers and brands that best meet the unique needs of individual clients and their builds.
Lighting pros are here to help illuminate the opportunities and challenges of this shiny market niche. Armed with the proper knowledge, your business can have a bright future in the aftermarket lighting category.
CHANGING MARKET
Times have changed from when lighting upgrades were considered niche enhancements for only select Jeep and off-road customers.
“LEDs that were once considered upgrades have now become standard,” says Brandon Miller, brand manager for DV8 Offroad. “Technology has advanced significantly, allowing lights to have more options and be more reliable. More aftermarket companies offer DOT-optioned lights to provide their look, design and feel while following DOT specifications.”
It’s fair to say the category is now mainstream, says Jaclyn Bradham, chief revenue officer for Oracle Lighting.
“LED has replaced halogen as the default expectation, not a premium add-on, and the buying journey has shifted with it,” she notes. “A huge share of demand now starts online, with consumers researching fitment and reviews on Shopify-style DTC sites before ever walking into a shop. That’s pushed brands like ours to invest as much in digital content and community as in the hardware itself.”
Over time the market “has evolved from the lumens and output race to the control and integration competition,” says Brandon Nelson, marketing manager for Vision X Lighting.
“A lot of companies make bright lights, but the ones that will stand out are those that can stay on the cutting edge of vehicle integration through clever mounting, simplified wiring and multi-function designs,” he notes.
The popularity of LED lighting has inflated the market and made it more difficult for professionals to identify quality components and suppliers, says Tony Savasta, vice president of marketing for Westin Automotive Products.
“LED technology became inexpensive and widely available, opening the door to an enormous number of no-name products sold primarily on price. The result has been a shrinking opportunity for established brands to compete,” he explains. “Consumers can now find remarkably inexpensive lights making similar performance claims, often with little understanding of how those claims were tested. SAE testing of aftermarket LED products has demonstrated that advertised or apparent performance does not necessarily translate into properly controlled, compliant light output.”
With more players making bolder claims, the market is heading in two directions, says Natalie Shpiegel, marketing director for RIGID Industries.
“On one end, commoditization has taken over, with cheap imported LED bars flooding online marketplaces, featuring lower outputs and quality at low prices,” she says. “On the other end, a distinct premium tier has emerged for buyers who want high-quality lights. The conversation is moving from raw lumens to precision optics, thermal management, build quality and warranties.”
MOVING AT THE SPEED OF LIGHT
Justin Steller, sales director for Diode Dynamics, sees product innovation happening faster than ever.
“LED lighting used to be considered a luxury upgrade, but now it has become the standard,” he says. “At the same time, the technology continues to evolve, with features such as backlighting, startup sequences, advanced controls and integrated electronics becoming increasingly common. Customers are also placing a greater value on where products are designed and manufactured.”
Adam Watkins, marketing manager for Baja Designs, says shops see far more educated buyers these days who are interested in product specs such as beam patterns, color temperature, sealing and whether a product is engineered for their specific vehicle.
“Ten years ago, the whole conversation was lumens, and a light bar was a light bar.
Two things changed that. First, LEDs became more accessible. A flood of low-cost imports pushed a lot of price-driven volume into the category—and taught a generation of customers the hard way that a big number on a spec sheet doesn’t equal usable light on the ground,” he says. “Second, the platforms evolved. UTVs and overlanding went from niche to mainstream, and factory OEM lighting got genuinely better. Customer expectations increased drastically, pushing the industry as a whole into a new realm of performance.”
Other changes recently seen in the lighting category include “Bluetooth control technology, multiple RGB configurations including DRL as well as the desire for complete mounting solutions that include bezels or mounting solutions that create a factory, OE-like fit and finish,” says Tim Watts, vice president of sales for Rough Country.
Meanwhile, the truck’s overall look also plays an important role in lighting purchase decisions.
“Today’s buyers want lighting that improves both visibility and vehicle appearance,” says Sara Ford, marketing manager for TrailFX. “Products like our Black Edition lights, featuring clear lenses and black reflectors, are especially popular with enthusiasts who want a clean, aggressive look without sacrificing functionality.”
Performance is still the foundation, says Alex Wang, CEO of Novsight, “but a growing number of customers now also care about design language, personalization, beam character, DRL signatures and how lighting fits the overall identity of their vehicle build. We see this as a natural stage in the development of the category, similar to what has happened with wheels, bumpers, suspension and other aftermarket products.”
When it comes to scene lighting solutions, Chance Lord, owner and founder of Kingpin Equipped/Kingpin Lighting, has seen similar effects on the market from low-quality solutions providers.
Lighting is often just one piece of a comprehensive off-road or overland build. (Photo courtesy Diode Dynamics)
Lighting Products
HOT PRODUCT: Squadron 2.0
FEATURES & BENEFITS: Next-gen 3-inch pod; Pro model delivers 5,921 lumens at 65W and Sport model delivers 3,200 lumens at 30W; all-new, color-selectable backlight; improved uService functionality with new clip-in reflectors and a re- designed lens gasket.
--------- Baja Designs
Adam Watkins
Marketing Manager
HOT PRODUCT: F-Series 40-Inch Light
FEATURES & BENEFITS: Dual-color red and white; full diffusion; low-profile rotation; extreme durability; extreme efficiency.
--------- Kingpin Equipped/Kingpin Lighting
Chance Lord
Owner/Founder
HOT PRODUCT: D-Switch Switch Panel
FEATURES & BENEFITS: Enhanced functionality in a compact, easy-to-use system; compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto; backlight busbar and controller button; multiple strobing patterns; three trigger wires; solid-state relay; app and controller functionality.
--------- Diode Dynamics
Justin Steller
Sales Director
HOT PRODUCT: DV8 Elite Lights
FEATURES & BENEFITS: Designed to fit all of the company’s accessory products; affordable, reliable lighting alternative; strong polycarbonate lens resists cracking or breaking when impacted off-road; high-power OSRAM LEDs.
--------- DV8 Offroad
Brandon Miller
Brand Manager
HOT PRODUCT: Halo Pro Series Off-Road Driving Lights
FEATURES & BENEFITS: Distinctive industrial housing design that is easy to recognize on the trail; dynamic DRL signature that also works well as an in-store demonstration feature; clean installation; dependable performance; strong after-sales support.
--------- Novsight
Alex Wang
CEO
HOT PRODUCT: Spectrum Series High-Performance LED Light Bars
FEATURES & BENEFITS: Modern bezel-less design with a tinted indirect reflector that conceals the OSRAM diodes and produces a bright, long-projecting light.
--------- Rough Country
Tim Watts
VP Sales
HOT PRODUCT: Lensless Tacoma Headlights
FEATURES & BENEFITS: Offered for 2016-23 Toyota Tacoma models; completely reengineered platform eliminates the traditional outer lens entirely, replacing it with sealed, modular LED emitter pods.; individual low-beam, high-beam and DRL modules.
--------- Oracle Lighting
Jaclyn Bradham
Chief Revenue Officer
HOT PRODUCT: Phoenix Series Lights
FEATURES & BENEFITS: Instant adaptability to changing conditions through a five-mode color system that lets drivers select the light temperature from cool white to amber via an in-cabin switch; more than 10,000 lumens per pod; three power modes; replaceable lenses.
--------- RIGID Industries
Natalie Shpiegel
Director, Marketing
HOT PRODUCT: 4-Inch LED Side Shooter Pod Lights
FEATURES & BENEFITS: Compact-yet-powerful lights that combine a 60-degree spot beam with a 140-degree flood beam; improved visibility and broad trail coverage; clear or amber lenses; kits include wiring harness, lens covers and mounting hardware; IP67 and IP69 ratings.
--------- TrailFX
Sara Ford
Marketing Manager
HOT PRODUCT: DURA Pro Dual-Action Series Driving Lights
FEATURES & BENEFITS: Versatile range of flagship driving lights; unique street-legal DRL mode; dual-circuit design utilizes an entire row of oversized TIR optics; creates a ghosted light bar effect when stacked for roof and bumper applications.
--------- Vision X Lighting
Brandon Nelson
Marketing Manager
HOT PRODUCT: HyperQ LED Auxiliary Lights
FEATURES & BENEFITS: Four powerful 5-watt Cree LEDs packed into a compact, rugged housing, delivering 1,080 raw lumens per light; available with a focused spot or flood beam; dust- and moisture-resistant polycarbonate lens; wiring harness, relay and fuse included.
--------- Westin Automotive Products Inc.
Tony Savasta
VP Marketing
Good light when and where they need it is what people are after. (Photo courtesy Rough Country)
“The past 10 years have been a race to the bottom, with companies offering the cheapest commodity products for scene lighting options and the high-end, forward-facing lighting brands never really adopting the right technology for these applications,” he observes. “Designs that rely on focused, high-power light sources to achieve their desired throw often use an extremely concentrated and bright light source that is not comfortable to look in the direction of, particularly when mounted close to your eyes. When you light up a truck, trailer, or camper, the lights are always right in your eyes, so this has always been a problem. We’ve looked to solve these issues and more with our light designs.”
SEEING CLEARLY
Shpiegel sees lighting products as a gateway to increased vehicle customization.
“A customer who comes in for a light bar almost always needs a bracket, wiring harness, switch or mounting solution,” she observes, “and the install itself is billable labor with strong margins. More importantly, it is a strong opportunity to turn a one-time sale into a long-term customer.”
Steller identifies bumpers, roof racks, mounting brackets, wiring and switches as just some of the products that complement lighting upgrades.
“Customers who are investing in lighting are often building out their entire vehicle, whether that includes rooftop tents, skid plates, awnings or other accessories,” he says. “Lighting is one piece of the overall build, so offering it alongside other products and installation services can help shops increase the value of each customer relationship.”
Drivers already buying bumpers, racks, grille guards or other accessories are often looking to improve visibility and add functionality as well, says Ford.
A crowded supplier market means it’s more important than ever for shops to identify quality components and quality brands. (Photo courtesy Westin Automotive Products)
Lighting products often serve as a natural gateway to further vehicle customization. (Photos courtesy RIGID Industries)
“Recommending compatible light bars or pod lights is a natural next step that helps customers get more out of their setup while increasing the overall value of the sale,” she notes.
With the abundance of upsell opportunities, “a shop can turn a single-product installation into a more complete truck build—and potentially bring the customer back for the next upgrade,” says Savasta, as lighting “becomes a natural ‘while we have it in the shop’ conversation. For installers, that can mean more revenue from the same vehicle without having to acquire another customer.”
Nelson agrees that a single lighting sale can turn into a larger, more profitable project.
“A customer comes in looking for a light bar and suddenly you’re talking about wiring, switches, mounts, bumpers and a complete setup—meaning more revenue for the shop,” he says.
Lord reports that serious buyers will be interested to learn more about quality lighting options.
“Lighting is one of those accessories that all customers are interested in if presented with the option,” he says. “Scene lighting can be sold as a small upsell or as a full-blown light system. With such a strong value proposition for the customer, once they see a demo, it’s hard for them to pass up the option, especially over cheap commodity products. Combine this with an experienced shop that can confidently handle 12-volt wiring and it’s a recipe for sales success.”
LOOK AT ME
Miller says a well-done LED lighting upgrade becomes an appreciated finishing touch on many projects.
“Not only are they an easy add-on to a customer’s build, but lighting really allows the vehicle build to look complete. While DV8 specializes in armor, once proper lighting is added, it can pull together the entire build to look complete and provide the customer that ‘wow’ factor they may not have expected,” he says.
Following successful projects, it’s often not long before the lighting upgrade is spotlighted on the buyer’s social media channels.
“Lighting installs are inherently shareable—customers post their trucks the same day, which turns every install into free marketing for the shop,” says Bradham. “It also tends to be a gateway sale: once a customer trusts a shop enough to touch their electrical system, they come back for the next upgrade, so it builds repeat traffic and ticket size well beyond the original lighting sale.”
Today’s lighting consumers care about performance and appearance. (Photos courtesy Novsight)
Scene lighting can be sold as a small upsell or as a full-blown illumination system. (Photos courtesy Kingpin Equipped/Kingpin Lighting)
Recognition for the product often leads to recognition for the shop that installed it, Wang notes.
“Especially when the product has a distinctive visual signature, a lighting installation can often deliver an immediate and highly visible transformation. The customer drives away, posts photos or videos of the finished vehicle, friends notice the new setup and that can naturally lead to referrals back to the installer.”
Watkins calls aftermarket lighting upgrades “the most efficient advertising a shop can buy,” noting that the products offer a short installation time with big payoffs.
“Every rig that rolls out of your bay lit up is a billboard—at the trailhead, at the local cruise night or event and in that customer’s own social feed,” he explains. “Dealers tell us constantly that one lighting job brings in the next three customers.”
When it comes to the lighting itself, many pros agree that brighter isn’t always better.
“Good light when and where they need it is what people are after,” says Watts. “A blinding white light can actually work against you more than for you.”
LIGHTING ON DISPLAY
When it comes to increasing lighting-related sales, Ford from TrailFX suggests starting with a conversation about how the customer uses their truck or SUV.
“Once you know where they drive and what they use the vehicle for, it’s easier to recommend lighting that adds real value,” she explains. “Customers appreciate solutions tailored to their needs.”
Watkins from Baja Designs advises shops to “stop selling lights and start diagnosing the customer’s needs” by asking where the customer actually drives, be it the high-speed desert, tight tree-lined trails, in dust or snow, or while enjoying night camping or rock crawling.
“The honest answer almost always calls for more than one light,” he reveals. “That’s the whole premise of our Lighting Zone System—forward long-range, mid-range, wide cornering, ditch, work/scene and rear (options). A customer who walked in for one pod leaves with a plan, and the average ticket goes up substantially.”
Nelson from Vision X Lighting calls it “selling the solution, not just the light.”
“Don’t just ask customers what light they want—ask what they’re trying to accomplish,” he states. “Once you understand their needs, you can recommend the right combination of lights, mounts and accessories to build a complete solution and increase the overall sale.”
That time spent with the buyer is invaluable, says Watts from Rough Country.
“Understanding the customer’s needs ensures you recommend a solution that not only performs but also delivers long-term satisfaction,” he reports.
Novsight’s Wang suggests thinking in terms of complete vehicle lighting systems rather than individual components.
“One of the biggest opportunities for a shop is not only bringing in more customers, but also increasing the value of each installation by showing how multiple lighting products can work together, such as a light bar, pod lights and auxiliary lighting, he says.
Technological advancements mean today’s lights have more options and are now more reliable. (Photo courtesy DV8 Offroad)
An individual lighting sale can often turn into a larger, more profitable project. (Photo courtesy Vision X Lighting)
From there, “lighting is a relatively easy incremental purchase when the vehicle is already in the shop and installation labor can be combined,” says Westin’s Savasta. “Sell lighting as part of the vehicle upgrade—not as a separate product category. When quoting bumpers, a grille guard, a winch mount or other accessory, show the customer what the finished vehicle looks like with auxiliary lights installed and price them into the quote as an option.”
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
Shpiegel from RIGID Industries is among the insiders who suggest showcasing the products and how they work through an attractive showroom display.
“Many times, a customer will need more than one light product to get the lighting package they need, and their needs will vary based on the type of driving they do (desert, racing, night trails, overlanding), so educate your staff on the differences between the beam patterns and the ideal placement on vehicles,” she suggests. “Train your staff to ask customers what kind of driving they will be doing and then match the beam pattern, lens and product to that use case. Bundle the light with the mounting, wiring and install so the customer leaves with a complete, working solution, and follow up afterward to open the door to the next upgrade.”
Spotlighting options makes sense, says Steller from Diode Dynamics, given that lighting is already a highly visual product.
“Customers want to see and touch the products they’re considering for their vehicles, and a good display allows them to understand the size, appearance, functionality and performance of the products before making a purchase,” he notes. “We’re seeing consistent growth from brick-and-mortar shops that utilize displays such as our slatwall kit, which showcases our core lineup of off-road lighting pods, light bars and rock lights, all controlled through our D-Switch switch panel.”
In-store light displays help potential buyers understand the differences and benefits over factory lighting, says Miller. “Also, most consumers want ease of setup, which is why DV8 has tried to tailor all of our lights to have some sort of plug-and-play wiring harness,” he adds.
A display unit with products that actually light up converts better than a box on a shelf, because lighting is “a visual, emotional purchase,” says Bradham from Oracle Lighting. “Show it; don’t just shelve it.”
Finally, that strong display paired with knowledgeable employees who can answer lighting-related questions is a recipe for success, says Lord from Kingpin Lighting.
“Sales team members are the main ingredient, so they must know and understand the products deeply and be able to recommend/upsell specific lights depending on the situation,” he says. “Beyond this, showrooms and interactive demo displays are the number one most important aspect to driving aftermarket lighting sales. It’s also always best to have an employee vehicle set up as a demo vehicle. Most customers want you to show them what might work out best for their lifestyle, so they can point and say, ‘I want that.’”
Recommending compatible light bars or pod lights is a natural next step that helps customers get more out of their setup while increasing the overall value of the sale. (Photos courtesy TrailFX)
Once a customer trusts a shop enough to touch their electrical system, they often come back for the next upgrade. (Photo courtesy Oracle Lighting)
