Inside Goodsell Truck Accessories

This article originally appeared in the April 2024 issue of THE SHOP magazine.

By Maura Keller

For Mark Goodsell, owner of Goodsell Truck Accessories in Jacksonville, Arkansas, keeping a close watch on the evolution of truck accessories and design has been paramount in the continued success of his company.

“We started in 1971 as a truck bumper manufacturing company,” Goodsell says. “We manufactured the steel painted truck bumpers with the dealer’s name on them. At that time, trucks did not come with rear bumpers on them, so there was a good market for rear bumpers.”

At that time, Goodsell had a large new car dealer customer base, which allowed the company to continue to add additional products to its offering, until Goodsell Truck Accessories evolved into a warehouse distributor.

“Our truck accessories distribution become so large that we stopped manufacturing in 1991,” Goodsell says.

Prior to this, he had opened a small retail store in 1989 and was cognizant of not being both a supplier and a competitor to his dealer base.

“But it turned out that many of our dealers would use us for the installation of truck accessories, since it was much cheaper and quicker,” Goodsell recalls.

The retail stop has experienced growth since its inception in 1989, thanks in part to the company’s well-earned reputation for exceptional customer service.

Today, Goodsell Truck Accessories is a full line accessories business that sells wholesale and retail truck and SUV accessories. The company offers professional installation by well-trained techs to customers including new car dealers, jobbers, body shops, truck accessories stores, state agencies, utility companies and commercial accounts.

“We sell many brands of bed covers, camper shells, step bars, running boards and a full line of other truck and SUV accessories,” Goodsell says. “We also have a professional staff of installers to install products purchased here.”

A FAMILY AFFAIR

The Goodsell company was originally founded by Mark’s father, Odes Goodsell, in 1971. Mark worked in the business throughout high school and college, signing on full-time in the sales department after graduating in 1985.

“I bought out my dad in 1991 and he retired,” Goodsell continues. “Dad passed away in 2020 at 90 years old. My son, Grant Goodsell, now works in the company and is the third generation to be in this business. He is our social media guy and works with wholesale and commercial accounts.”

The family connection is important, Goodsell believes.

“Many statistics show that second- and third-generation-run businesses do not make it, but I think we have proved that wrong, as we keep growing every year,” says Goodsell. “My daughter-in-law, Ali, (Grant’s wife) is our bookkeeper and is doing an awesome job. My wife, Leah, has been involved in the business for many years also.”

After more than 50 years in business, the entire Goodsell family has a lot to celebrate. As for Mark, he is proud of the way his team takes care of clients.

“I tell our staff in sales meetings that if we do a good job for customers, they will tell two or three people. If we do a bad job, they will tell 10,” Goodsell says. “They will also post Google reviews if they like us or not. So we have to do a good job every time. I am proud of our great team of employees we have. Many have been with us a long time. We try to take care of the team and treat them like family.”

CUSTOMER- & PRODUCT-FOCUSED

Just as the product line of Goodsell Truck Accessories has evolved, so too has its customer base.

As Goodsell explains it, back in the 1990s the typical vehicle accessories customer was male, 30 to 60 years old. But now, the company’s main clients are male and female, from 16 to 90 years old.

“Many of the car drivers now drive SUVs and they gave us a whole new customer base,” Goodsell says. “We have many good, loyal commercial accounts as well that bring us new trucks and vans to rig out every year as they add to their fleet.”

The shop also has loyal wholesale accounts that have been turning to Goodsell Truck Accessories (goodselltruck.com) for 30-plus years.

Over 25,000-square-feet of building space, including the company store, offices, shop and warehouse, more than accommodates the team of 14 employees. Goodsell built its building in 1996 and has always kept a strong inventory of in-demand products on hand.

“We buy direct on most lines, but use other WDs for products that are not big movers for us,” Goodsell says. “We sell lots of bed covers, step bars, toolboxes, bedliners and hitches, so we keep large inventories of those items.”

One of the biggest challenges Goodsell faces is the long turnaround times required for stock orders. Currently, the company places stock orders 11 to 15 weeks out to stay well-stocked.

“We are glad to have good WDs to cover us when we run out of something until the stock order comes in,” Goodsell notes.

SPECIAL EFFORTS

While word-of-mouth marketing has been essential for the growth and success of Goodsell Truck Accessories, the company also strives to create a work environment that keeps employees happy.

The business plans to add more and uses social media and places like Indeed to attract new employees when a job opens—which is not very often.

“We have a good pay scale here and offer health and life (benefits), (paid) vacation, product discounts and a good work environment,” Goodsell says. “Our employees know we appreciate each and every one of them.”

Many of Goodsell’s best customers are local HVAC pros, plumbers, electricians, hardware store owners and the like. They continue to turn to the shop for their work vehicle needs, and Goodsell uses them for their services as well.

Community outreach is also important for the company, as each year Goodsell Truck Accessories hosts a charity car and truck show. This year’s event, the company’s 25th, is set for Sept. 7

“We’re expecting 250-plus show cars again this year and several thousand spectators like we had last year,” says Goodsell, noting the 2023 show set records for entries, attendance and money raised for its charity of choice, Jacksonville Animal Shelter.

“It’s a great event for the city of Jacksonville and brings lots of people to our town,” he says.

Although the Goodsell family has certainly made a name for itself within the community, the shop does use radio and social media for “call to action” ads and utilizes billboards and some Arkansas magazines for advertising.

“Word-of-mouth is our best advertisement,” Goodsell says. “We also put our logo on many products we install like racks, camper shells or toolboxes.”

Grant Goodsell leads the company’s social media efforts and website. Using Facebook and Instagram, he showcases completed customer jobs and he also maintains the SEO efforts via Google, ensuring the company pops up when customers are searching the internet for truck accessories.

Meanwhile, it’s the people he serves that’s kept Mark Goodsell excited to come to work each day after all this time.

“The best part of doing my job for over 40 years is providing great customer service for our many, many repeat customers, providing jobs for our great employees and running a successful business,” Goodsell says. “We have been blessed with a very good company that has experienced growth every year. I hope this growth and customer loyalty will extend into the third generation when Grant takes the reins in a few short years. We give God all the credit for all of our blessings.”