en.Wedoany.com Reported - A 2026 Dealer Insight Report released by U.S.-based EquipmentWatch shows that rising equipment costs, inflation, and interest rates are the top concerns for North American heavy equipment dealers this year.

Conducted in April, the survey covered 398 verified North American dealers. The report indicates that dealers are facing multiple pressures, including buyer hesitation, declining sales lead quality, tariff policy uncertainty, and technological disconnection.

Rising equipment costs are the biggest economic disruptor for dealers, cited by 70% of respondents. This is followed by inflation affecting operating costs (48%) and interest rates and financing challenges (47%).

Based on these factors, overall dealer sentiment remains mixed. Just over half of respondents (52%) described the 2026 equipment market outlook as "cautiously optimistic" or "confident," while 39% remain "concerned" or "very concerned."

In terms of customer behavior, 64% of surveyed dealers believe buyers will delay purchases and extend equipment holding periods in 2026. This figure is down from 76% in last year's survey.

The most common profitability obstacles among surveyed dealers are rising equipment costs (27%), followed by high operating expenses (21%) and weak customer demand (15%).

Recruiting and retaining skilled employees is the biggest daily challenge for surveyed dealers, cited by 45% of respondents. Other major challenges include attracting and retaining customers (35%) and effectively managing inventory (33%).

The report also includes other findings: 32% of dealers said that obtaining more sales leads from high-intent buyers would make their jobs easier; 41% said customers are delaying purchases due to high costs; 37% believe that too much aged or slow-moving inventory in stock is the biggest challenge to current inventory structure; and 53% rely on industry guides when pricing used equipment.