As it turns out, there are MANY reasons why selling auto parts online is a great idea for dealerships aside from just driving more revenue. From eliminating obsolescence to increasing absorption rate, parts eCommerce can solve some of the everyday problems of the parts department.

Here are 6 ways your eCommerce can benefit the parts department, its staff, and the dealership.

READ MORE: How to Eliminate Obsolescence for your Parts Department

Expand Your Parts Sales with eCommerce Solutions

Adding online selling channels to your parts department can help you increase revenue, improve operations, and lower obsolescence. If you want to learn more about how to modernize your parts department, download our free guide, “Creating a Digital Parts Department.”

The traditional auto parts quoting process at the dealership can lead to a poor buying experience that can drive customers away from your business directly to your competitors.

Often, it can cost you time, resources, and money. Turning parts quotes into final sales is an essential process, and when done correctly can help improve your sales numbers. 

But if the traditional quoting process isn’t working for the average dealership, what can you do to fix it?

How Your Current Quoting Process Impacts Customer Experience

The traditional quoting process is often slow, inefficient, and lacks transparency. This can lead to several issues that result in a poor customer experience.

Four Tools to Implement Into Your New Quoting Process

So you’ve decided to get rid of your outdated parts quoting system. Where do you go from here? You need to implement a more streamlined, automated process to help you maintain quality customer service.

To create a better buying experience for your customers, consider using the following tools.

▶ CRM (Customer Relationship Management) System

A CRM software system helps you manage customer information, track interactions, and streamline the buying process.

It can also enable sales staff to access customer and product data quickly, resulting in faster and more accurate quotes.

CRM tools are an essential component of your customer experience strategy.

▶ eCommerce Platform

The right eCommerce platform can provide your dealership with a website plugin that allows customers to search for parts, view pricing, and place orders right on your dealership’s website.

This can save time for both the customer and the dealership while reducing the likelihood of errors.

They can also check to see if parts are in stock, back ordered, or out of stock.

This will help them get a better idea of how long it will take to get access to those parts. 

▶ Automated Quote Generation

Integrate software that can automatically generate quotes based on predefined rules, like discounts for bulk orders or price adjustments for specific customers.

This can speed up the quoting process and minimize human errors.

The RevolutionParts Quoting Tools is the perfect example of how technology can be used to help automate quotes for customers, whether the request comes over the phone or by email.

Check out the video below to learn more about how the RP Quoting Tool works.

▶ Customer Communication Tools

Utilize tools like email, text messaging, or chatbots to keep customers informed about the status of their quotes.

Transparent communication can help build trust and improve customer satisfaction.

It’s also a great way to help train your parts team on their customer communication skills.

Utilize all of these tools to help you streamline your quoting process and maximize your overall efficiency.

Set Up a New Standard Operating Procedure 

You know what tools and systems you need to implement to ramp up your new quoting process.

You’re ready to get the ball rolling, but you need a plan of actionable steps to take to make sure you don’t overcomplicate the process before you start to use it.

Consider following these five steps to establish a new, more efficient SOP for your auto parts department. 

Step 1: Choose The Right Tools

Evaluate and invest in a CRM system, an eCommerce platform, automated quote generation software, and communication tools that best suit your dealership’s needs.

Ensure they can be integrated with your existing systems to streamline the process.

Step 2: Train Your Staff

Train your parts department staff to use the new systems and tools effectively.

Ensure they understand the importance of accurate data entry, timely communication, and providing prompt quotes to improve customer satisfaction.

Have regular training follow-up sessions to help them get used to new tools and processes and reinforce this knowledge. 

Step 3: Define Your Rules

Establish standardized pricing and discount structures to be applied consistently across all quotes.

Incorporate these rules into your automated quote generation software to ensure accurate and consistent quotes.

Step 4: Create a Communication Plan

Develop a clear communication plan for keeping customers informed throughout the process.

This should include:

• Confirmation message acknowledging receipt of the quote request.
• Regular updates on the quote’s progress.
• Notification when the quote is ready.
• Follow-up messages to ensure customer satisfaction.

Step 5: Implement the New SOP

Roll out the new quoting SOP, ensuring all staff are aware of the changes and understand their roles within the parts department.

Help them train new hires to maintain these processes and keep the customer experience consistent.

Improve the Customer Experience to Double Your Sales Growth

Improving the customer experience is essential to growing your parts sales and securing future business for your dealership.

Streamlining your quoting process is just one piece of the puzzle.

It’s important to look at all customer journey aspects and identify your weak points. This will help you meet customer expectations in the future. 

Looking for more ways to improve the customer experience at the parts department?

Check out one of our most popular guides here to learn three top strategies that can help you do that.

As a dealership, getting as close as you can to 100% absorption through the Fixed Ops department is what you aim for. The higher your absorption rate, the less likely you’ll have to rely solely on new vehicle sales to boost the bottom line. Where should your dealership start when determining how to boost its absorption rate? 

It’s important to focus on streamlining processes between the parts department and service lane to help increase sales, diversify revenue streams, and improve customer service.

Profit & Service Labor Rates

Charging customers the right cost for labor is one of the most important elements allowing a dealership to cover fixed expenses. When it comes to maximizing the profit in your service department, determining labor costs based on the market average is a good place to start.

The National Automotive Dealers Association (NADA) advises that your customer-paid labor should account for 60% of your total labor sales, with warranty and internal contributing 40%. On top of that, the service department should strive for 72% or higher gross retention in every category.

If you can’t hit the market average, look at your local competitors’ average service labor rates to better understand what you can realistically offer. You don’t want to lose out on potential profit just because you’re not confident about the current labor rates. NADA suggests surveying the market every six months or so and bumping the rates up by a few dollars if you haven’t in a while.

Streamline Parts Requests in the Service Lane

Where do most parts sales come from at the dealership? The service lane. The service lane is the number one source of parts orders and requests for the parts department. However, it can also be one of the biggest contributors to over-ordering and obsolescence. 

When the service lane puts in a parts order request, the time spent on sourcing that part can often lead to a few different outcomes. One, the customer becomes frustrated by the wait time and/or price and finds a faster or cheaper alternative. Two, the customer is scheduled for a repair at the service lane but never shows. Three, the service lane puts in an immediate parts order request even if that part is already on the shelves, resulting in multiples of that part. 

In all of these cases, the parts department is left with parts that clutter the shelves, and the service lane makes little to no revenue. Streamlining parts requests and ordering processes can help reduce the number of back-order parts, ensure that parts get used at the service lane, and generate revenue between both departments. 

What approaches can help tackle these issues?

• Have an enforced appointment policy. When appointments are scheduled at the service lane, ensure that those customers fulfill those appointments. Whether through a down payment on the appointment or a non-refundable cancellation fee, this will help you avoid losing money due to appointment issues. 
• Reduce over-ordering by the service lane. Always make sure to check your parts inventory before submitting a parts request. If the service lane puts in an immediate parts order request, make sure not to order before you take stock of what you currently have. 
• Limit special order parts returns. A strong returns policy for special order parts can greatly help combat obsolescence. High obsolescence leads to a low absorption rate; these types of parts returns are the biggest contributors. Set strict policies on returns to help alleviate this problem. 

Expand Your Auto Parts Customer Base 

Even with the best processes in place to keep both the service lane and the parts department running smoothly, the best strategy is to diversify your revenue streams to help increase the absorption rate. One way to do this is to expand your customer base by selling online. 

The online retail market is the largest in the world. With access to a national customer base, dealerships can effectively increase and diversify their revenue streams. What options should dealerships consider when focusing on online car parts sales? 

They also offer a variety of additional services to help businesses sell online easily, like:

• Shipping carrier and fulfillment services
• Discounted seller account fees
• Customer communication service tools

Through online marketplaces, dealerships can expand their parts business beyond their local market and get built-in support to help facilitate the transition onto these platforms. 

A custom-branded web store for the parts department gives you a few distinct advantages: 

• Gives you brand control
• Provides easy navigation for customers
• Makes it easier to find your dealership online

Selling through a custom-branded web store can help you generate a brand identity that fits within your customer’s expectations and help improve customer retention rates. 

Some common selling channels included in an omnichannel strategy include:

• Online marketplaces
• Designated online store
• Mobile apps

Selling through all available selling channels at the parts department can help you expand your customer base, get ahead of the competition, and establish a strong online presence that helps foster customer loyalty. A strong eCommerce strategy can help you increase parts sales and move inventory faster. 

Tackle Your Absorption Rate Today 

Having an effective fixed ops strategy in place can help you improve your absorption rate, create more revenue streams, and streamline processes between departments. With the right strategies in place, you can help both departments effectively grow their business. 

Looking for more ways to help boost the absorption rate at the dealership? Here are five strategies to implement to help you do just that!

Parts departments are filled with EXPERTS on auto parts but many may have little sales experience.

This can make it difficult to grow parts department sales revenue.

Sound familiar?

Your parts team might not be tapping into its full potential.

There are many tricks and tips the experts use that your team can implement to grow parts department sales and squeeze more profit into the dealership each month.

Here are 6 expert tips that will help you sell car parts at your dealership.

1. Prioritize Customer Service and Communication

Nowadays, your customers have access to a lot of information. There’s a good chance they’ve researched the parts they need online before coming to your dealership.

Creating a personalized connection with your customers goes a long way in building customer loyalty.

This, in turn, increases the chances that they’ll come back to shop with you next time!

Establish your dealership as a trustworthy and credible source of information on everything they need to know about cars.

If you’re feeling ambitious and really want to go the extra mile, start up an auto blog they can refer to for installation guides and other automotive topics.

2. Review Your Auto Parts Pricing Strategy

Instead of applying the same pricing across the board, try breaking down your inventory into smaller categories and repricing them accordingly.

There are a lot of ways you could break your inventory down, you can break them down by:

• Popularity of the part
• Price of the part
• Parts vs accessories vs. performance parts
• Transportation and handling costs
• Front­ counter vs. back counter customers

For something small and inexpensive, like nuts, bolts, and screws, apply a larger pricing margin. Instead of selling at MSRP, which might only be around 15-20 cents, you can easily set up a matrix that marks it up to around $1.

For online sales, setting different margin pricing across your inventory is absolutely essential.

Without a pricing matrix, you often end up overcharging for expensive parts and undercharging for cheap parts.

This will either scare away potential shoppers or cause you to sell parts at a loss.

Price parts accordingly and pay attention to where you need to change your pricing structure.

RELATED: 7 Pricing Mistakes that are Hurting your Parts eCommerce Store

3. Improve Your Stocking Practices

The best way to improve your parts sales is to always have the products customers need readily on hand. If you don’t have it, you can’t sell it!

Listen to customers and monitor your sales.

What sells the most? What sells the least?

If you know you can sell a LOT of something, you might even be able to order a larger pallet and qualify for a better bulk order discount.

Differentiate between what you sell from inventory and what you order specifically for a customer.

This kind of classification will improve inventory management and help you make better stocking decisions.

You can also use your inventory to compare what parts customers are buying from other dealers and include them in your future inventory.

Data-based decisions will lessen the risk of overstocking or understocking parts and accessories.

You can also try stocking fun novelty items! Shoppers are always attracted to fun items from their favorite car brands, so use this to your advantage.

Aside from auto parts, try selling things like:

• Hats
• T-shirts
• Water bottles
• Keychains
• Backpacks/Laptop bags
• License plate frames

Since auto parts are not always the most attractive items to put on display, use these items to liven up your counter.

4. Launch an Online Sales Channel for Auto Parts and Accessories

The online automotive parts market is expected to reach $22B in sales by 2023, and you don’t want to miss out on the opportunities!

The internet exposes you to new national and global markets at a fraction of the cost.

Launching your own parts website adds a valuable new channel for the parts department and can generate tens of thousands of dollars each month in sales.

Marketplaces like eBay Motors and Amazon grow larger every year… so why not sell auto parts there, too?

Solutions like RevolutionParts make it easier than ever to plug in and start selling, so don’t worry about being “technical” enough to grow parts department sales using the internet.

5. Eliminate Obsolete Auto Parts

Obsolete parts tie up money and warehouse space that you could otherwise invest in fast-moving parts.

While it’s nearly impossible to get rid of obsolete auto parts by just selling them at the counter, we have a few tricks you can use to keep them at a minimum.

6. Try Parts Marketing 

Ultimately, these strategies only work if people know you have auto parts and accessories for sale!

If you have an internal marketing department, they should be helping you with a marketing strategy specifically dedicated to the parts department.

However, that’s not an option for many dealerships.

There are plenty of easy DIY marketing tricks you can use to help drive more parts department sales.

Use online marketing tools to your advantage.

Email marketing, digital advertising, social media, and many more digital marketing tools can help your parts department grow its revenue. 

Understandably, not all parts departments have the time to do their own marketing, nor do they have the internal support or expertise to market parts.

In this case, they may read out to outside marketing agencies.

Wherever you choose to do your marketing, you want to be sure they specialize in marketing parts if you want to see a high return on investment.

For example, dealers using RevolutionParts Marketing Services see an average return of $8.75 for every dollar spent on advertising.

Conclusion

If you want to grow parts department sales, it requires deliberate effort and innovation from the team.

These tips are a great place to start, but you can always find new ways to improve!

While there are many strategies you can employ, leverage your creativity as a team to come up with the best sales plan.

Take risks, utilize online platforms, and always place the customers’ needs at the center of your decisions.

If you want to learn more about how you can increase parts department revenue by selling OEM parts online, download our free guide to learn the 8 Keys to Success.

Parts departments struggling to manage their older inventory should look to the number one cause of high parts obsolescence, and for most departments, that offender is special order parts (SOPs). 

Special order parts are parts that a dealership does not currently have in stock when they’re requested by a customer. When an SOP has been received, it often doesn’t make it through to the customer. The customer either doesn’t pick it up or finds the same part from a competing parts seller at a lower price or with a quicker shipping time.

This leaves your parts department with a pile of specialized parts that are harder to sell and tie up inaccessible cash.

Selling these parts isn’t the only solution to the problem. Putting the right processes in place to prevent an overflow of special order parts is an essential component of combating parts obsolescence.

Here are the top strategies to both prevent obsolescence and sell obsolete parts effectively.

Preventing SOP Obsolescence

Stopping the problem before it occurs is always preferable. Here are a few things you can do to help prevent obsolescence before it happens.

Set Requirements for SOPs

One of the biggest problems parts departments face with special order parts is the cost of purchasing the part. Ordering a special part that doesn’t get picked up or gets returned, eats into the profit and revenue to be made from that part. That investment is then tied up in a part that is stuck on the shelf.

To prevent this from happening, there are some things you can do.

• Require a deposit for non-warranty services parts.

• Get confirmation from the service manager that the customer has prescheduled an appointment to get the part picked up.

• Bundle special order parts with larger orders to increase the likelihood that the customer will return for their order.

• Bundle special order parts with larger orders to increase the likelihood that the customer will return for their order.

• Set strict return policies on special order parts.

• rain staff to perform follow-ups with customers to confirm orders and order status.

Standardizing these processes can go a long way to preventing a buildup of obsolete SOPs. Remember to identify when relationships with that customer may be strained and analyze how much that will impact your business.

Evaluate the Life Cycle of SOPs

Once you’ve identified the source of high SOP obsolescence, the next step is to determine the life cycle of those parts. In short, how long do those parts sit on the shelves at the parts department? The percentage of obsolete parts that are acceptable to have sitting on the shelves is different for every dealership. 

For the average dealership, the ideal obsolescence rate is below 5%. 

The average obsolete part sits on the shelf for anywhere between 7 and 12 months, depending on your dealership’s specific definition. If your parts department has an accumulation of special order parts that are 12 months old or older, that percentage could easily rise. 

In fact, the average parts department reports that up to 30% of their total parts inventory is made up of obsolete parts. 

What can you do to lower that percentage? Identify how much of your obsolete inventory comes from special order parts. Determine how long those parts have been sitting on the shelves and develop processes to keep special order parts on the shelves for a limited time period (i.e., six months). If you can return a special order part, be sure you note the amount of time you have and return the part to the OEM.  

Creating a Special Order Parts Process

As special orders are placed, you should have a system of tracking who is ordering them, when they are ordered, and when it is time to send them back. If you miss the window to return your unused SOP to the manufacturer, you risk it becoming obsolete. Below is a simple three-step process you can implement to easily track your special order parts process.

Click through the tabs to view each step.

Selling Obsolete SOPs

Preventing future obsolescence from accumulating is an important part of the solution, but what do you do about the obsolete inventory you already have? Here are some effective channels you can use to help sell obsolete SOPs and turn them into a strong revenue stream.

Improve SOP Processes & Reduce Obsolete Inventory

Managing special order parts processes effectively can help you prevent and reduce obsolete inventory. These strategies are just the tip of the iceberg in decreasing obsolescence. Generating sales from obsolete parts is just as important.

Interested in learning about the revenue potential from selling obsolete parts? Download our free guide, “Turn Obsolescence Into Revenue With Parts eCommerce,” to learn how to get rid of your obsolete parts and turn them into profit.

Getting the most out of your quoting process is a real struggle for most parts departments. Quotes that don’t lead to sales are burning a hole through many dealerships’ pockets, but making the final sale isn’t the only challenge. Parts departments also have a hard time keeping track of the number of parts quotes that come in on a daily basis. Plus, parts advisors have better things to do than spend all their time on the phone.  

A few missed quotes here and there may not seem like a big concern, but they can add up over time. In fact, most dealerships could be losing over $1,000 a day from missed quote sales. Additionally, it costs your parts department valuable time spent on other important tasks. 

Fortunately,  with the right tools, like the RevolutionParts Quoting Tool, you can simplify and automate your process to recapture those lost quotes while saving your department time.

RevolutionParts Quoting Tool Makes It Easy

RevolutionParts makes it easy for you to create, offer, and close deals on parts quotes. Our quoting tool makes it easy for you to find the data you need and create the best quotes for your customers.

With the Quoting Tool, you’re able to:

• Access all orders from the RevolutionParts platform
• Easily create quotes and email them to the customer
• Set up custom automated emails for higher quote conversions
• Review abandoned quote reports so you can develop better selling strategies

The RevolutionParts Quoting Tool helps you seamlessly provide your customers with quick and convenient quotes that simplify your workflows by bringing together the ability to assemble, save, dispatch, and process quotes all from a single space.

Plus, the RevolutionParts Quoting Tool makes it easier for your customers to make their purchases online. When you send your customers a personalized quote through email, they can click the link and choose to buy if they like the offered price. Once they purchase, it gets saved in your parts store’s history so you can pull that customer data in the future.

Why You Should Care About Your Quotes

You might think that a few missed quotes here and it is not a big deal, but they can add up over time. In fact, most dealerships could be losing over $1,000 a day from missed quote sales. With each missed opportunity from lost quotes, you lose your customers to your competitors. 

How Can You Turn Your Quotes Into Sales?

The best way to turn quotes into final sales is to streamline your quoting process. This is where a lot of dealerships have the most trouble. Spending hours standing by and answering phones can often result in order errors and lost sales. It can also slow down the parts counter during busy hours. So how can you improve your process to help you make the final sale on quotes while still keeping the rest of your department running smoothly?

Fine-Tune Your Quoting Process

Your parts advisors have a lot on their plates. They’re not always available to give a quote over the phone. So, when a customer calls in for a quote on parts, be it a local buyer or a wholesale customer, they might not be able to get them right away. This means you lose more opportunities to close more parts sales, and your parts advisors have wasted valuable time.

The quoting tool helps you fine-tune the quoting process, making it easier for your parts advisors to

• Create a customer profile or look up an existing customer
• Collect customer data
• Quote a part directly from your catalog
• Add shipping and/or discounts
• Email the quote to the customer
• Automate follow-up emails to remind the customer to purchase

By setting your parts advisors up with streamlined quoting processes from a  single dashboard, converting them into sales gets a lot easier. 

*Plus, all of those quotes are stored in one centralized location for easy access in the future.

Get The Right Customer Data

Gathering customer data is the most important step. The more data you can collect on your customers, the better you can meet their needs. By gathering the right data, you can ensure proper fitment and have their information at the ready, so you can follow up on their quote and suggest future purchases.

If you are giving a customer a quote, it’s important to get the right information, like:

• Name, phone number, and email
• VIN number and vehicle type

Create Effective Automated Follow-up Emails

So you’ve given a customer a quote, but they’re still on the fence. Now what? Often, these customers need a small push. How can you get them to finalize their purchases? By setting up automated emails! With email automation, you can follow up with customers and remind them that you have their quotes saved so that they can make their purchases. It’s quick, it’s easy, and it’s painless. 

You can also use the information gathered during the quoting process to persuade customers to make additional purchases. With the right customer data, you can market additional products or services that are specific to that customer’s needs. You can nurture them into repeat buyers and keep their business. It’s a win-win!

Make Quotes Do The Work For You

With the help of the RevolutionParts Quoting Tool, your parts department can maximize sales from parts quotes. By gathering and using the right customer data, you can create targeted email marketing to get them interested and make it easy for them to purchase after accepting a quote online. 

With the right methods, you can add up to $1,000 a day to your parts department’s revenue. Download our guide, “How to Make an Extra $1K a Day on Parts Quotes” to learn how.

Does this sound familiar?

Your parts department just found the wrong part was ordered for a customer, so it sits on the shelf. Another customer doesn’t show up for their appointment at the service lane, so the part goes back on the shelf. A customer orders a part for pick up but never arrives, so the part goes back to the shelf and they all start collecting dust. It’s easy to end up with an obsolescence issue if you don’t have a focused strategy in place to keep parts from sitting on the shelves for too long.

It’s unlikely that a customer will waltz up to your parts counter and need a  part that’s been sitting on the shelf for a while, but that’s only because you’re selling to a limited market. If you could sell on a national level, you’d have a much higher chance of finding the customer you need.

If your dealership has an obsolescence problem, the good news is that an eCommerce platform is an easy fix. You don’t have to be tech-savvy to run a parts web store or put your inventory on today’s most popular online marketplaces, either. As long as you work with a solid eCommerce solution that offers you full support and training, you’ll feel in control every step of the way. So what are the steps to launching a successful parts eCommerce strategy to address obsolescence?

Assess Your Resources and Goals

Do you just want to eliminate obsolescence, or do you want to aggressively grow your parts department’s revenue? You can decide to start small and get used to handling more orders, or you can scale quickly. Set the pace that’s best for you and is based on your internal resources. This will help you determine which options are best for you when going digital.

The main ways to go digital are:

• Replace your parts request form with a user-friendly parts and accessories catalog to empower customers to find and reserve parts
• Sell parts on your existing dealership website
• Create a separate custom parts website to sell nationally
• Sell on marketplaces like eBay and Amazon(another great option for getting rid of obsolete parts)

Find a Parts eCommerce Solution That Aligns With Your Goals

If you evaluate your resources and still aren’t sure which channel is right for you, then you can go to an eCommerce provider for guidance. They provide the online parts and accessories catalog, shopping cart, order processing, shipping tools, and more. They’ll also handle every step of the website setup and implementation, so you don’t have to worry about the technical details.

Since the quality of the eCommerce solution is critical to your success, it’s worth your time to research your options. Look at sample sites and even view a demo if you can. You can find an auto parts eCommerce checklist below with 50 questions to ask vendors and helpful tips for evaluating eCommerce solution providers.

SEE MORE: How to Choose the Right eCommerce Platform to Sell Auto Parts Online

Configure Administrative Settings

If you pick an eCommerce provider with a reliable support team, you’ll be guided through every step of the process. They’ll guide you through things like shipping methods, tax settings, payment gateways, and other back-end settings that are necessary to run an online parts business.

If your eCommerce solution isn’t able or willing to help you out, then you might want to reconsider who you’ve decided to partner with. This is your first indicator of how the support team will work with you in the months or years to come.

Set Up a Parts Store

You have multiple options when it comes to selling online, and if you want to do it well, it’s best to sell through as many channels as you can.

Start Selling Auto Parts

Once your parts website is live, the orders will start coming in. It’s up to you to fulfill and ship these orders! Make sure you’re prepared with some packing materials on hand.

Remember, this is your chance to clear your shelf space of those obsolete parts! It’ll also help you avoid obsolescence in the future. Drop the prices for the parts you want to get rid of, and with the right marketing strategy, they’ll be off the shelf in no time.

Make Parts Marketing a Priority

Marketing is absolutely essential if you want to dominate the online retail sphere. Even if it’s as simple as a Facebook account or an email list, you need some way to let customers know that your parts website is open for business.

If you want to rank with the top competitors, write original product descriptions to boost organic traffic to your parts website. Additionally, you can set up paid ads through Google. Advertising with Google is another powerful option that’s not too difficult if you know what you’re doing—and it’s great for advertising your low-priced, obsolete auto parts.

Bottom Line

An online revenue channel will rapidly grow your market share and profit. The best part is, that it doesn’t require a ton of technical knowledge to get started. When it comes to online advertising, you can choose to invest as much or as little time as you want. Of course, you can always hire a marketing service to do all that for you, so you can focus on selling auto parts.

Setting up your parts department for sales success is easier than you think. By taking these steps, you can help reduce and eliminate obsolescence in the parts department. If you’re still unsure about the process, read through our “Parts Manager’s Guide to Beating Obsolescence,” to dive deeper into how these tools and steps can help you grow your parts business today!

How do you increase sales in the parts department while simultaneously increasing future vehicle purchases? The solution is simple! With the right strategy, your parts department could become an untapped gold mine for your dealership. Here is how you can transform your parts buyers into car buyers.

Create an Undeniably Modern Parts Shopping Experience

A modern shopping experience equates to a single word, digital. Can you use that word to describe the automotive customer experience with your parts department? If you require your customers to fill out a parts form, pick up the phone and call, or even drive to the dealership, you have effectively shown them your dealership is stuck in the stone age. Chances are that customers won’t come back when they’re ready for a new vehicle down the road. 

If the customer’s first interaction with your dealership is through the parts department, you need to make sure it gives a memorable first impression. That means it’s time to give parts shoppers a modern, digital, easy experience that they will remember. 

A digital parts department includes:

• Web Store (with an online payment gateway)
• Amazon Store
• eBay Store
• Dealer Website Storefront
• Digital Marketing Strategy
• Online Wholesale Resource

Collect and Use Customer Information To Sell Vehicles

When a customer requests a parts quote or orders a new part, this is a great opportunity for you to collect their contact information, their make, model, year, or VIN, along with what part they are looking for and what repair they intend to perform. Now you have all the information you need to serve this person for this sale AND future sales. 

Collecting the right information gets you halfway there—what really matters is how you use that information. For example, if a customer calls and asks for a quote on a certain part, you’re dropping the ball if your communication with that customer ends with that phone call. 

Use the vehicle and contact info you collected to send an email to that customer with their part quote and a way for them to complete their purchase online. 

If they’re a local customer and you have the resources, offer them free delivery with their part purchase. If that doesn’t turn into a purchase, send a follow-up email with a special offer. 

Now that you have shown your customer that you have an excellent shopping experience, you can use their information to remind them about important vehicle services and promotions your dealership may be offering. 

The idea is to be there for your customers and provide amazing customer service so they associate your dealership with trust and value. When it comes time to buy a car, your dealership will be the first place they think of.

Introduce Part Shoppers to the Service Department 

Creating a sense of familiarity between your customer and the other parts of the dealership can give you a great advantage. The more visible you are to the customers, the more likely they are to come back for all of their automotive needs. 

For example, when someone buys a part from you, let them know their options with the service department to have that part installed in their vehicle. 

In an era of instant online convenience, make it a no-brainer for shoppers to choose your dealership as their one-stop shop. Give them a positive experience. You stand to sell more parts, increase service revenue, boost CSI scores, sell more vehicles (at a $0 customer acquisition cost), and improve customer retention rates. 

The more familiar someone is with your entire dealership, the more they will turn to you for their automotive needs, whether it be parts and accessory products, trustworthy service for their vehicle, or a brand new car.

Adjust Your Sales Pitch To Match Customer Needs

There is no one-size-fits-all sales strategy for every dealership. However, if you make a habit of always taking a customer-focused approach, you will be on the right track. Sometimes the solution to a potential parts customer problem is to visit your service department or replace the vehicle altogether. 

If you can get the customer into the dealership, you have the opportunity to show them that trading their car in for a new one is significantly more affordable than they thought. What was once a parts customer is now a new vehicle owner. Not to mention, acquiring a new vehicle buyer by funneling them from a parts request is FREE, so it’s actually an ideal customer acquisition strategy. 

Ditch the cookie-cutter approach. Make an effort to learn about each individual customer, provide the right customer journey for them, and sell more.

Bottom Line

Ready to upgrade your parts department? It’s time to go digital by partnering with RevolutionParts, a powerful parts eCommerce solution that will have your customers returning time and again. Want to get a clear idea of how quickly you can turn around your dealership’s profits through the parts department? Click here to download our free guide on how to transform your dealership in 6 months to meet your revenue goals!

2022 Parts Department Resolutions:

>>> Check out this guide to Grow Your Own (Sales-Minded) Parts Advisor <<<

>>> Click here to learn How to Profit Off Shipping OEM Parts <<<

Black Friday weekend is the biggest retail weekend of the year, ending on Cyber Monday. This is the weekend that kicks off the Christmas shopping season,, and shoppers across the country wait all year for the best deals on products from their favorite brands. While traditionally shoppers did their shopping in person, in recent years (especially in COVID), more people have chosen to forgo the crowds for a more convenient shopping experience online. In 2020, Black Friday weekend (including Cyber Monday) accounted for over $34.36 billion in online sales, which is expected to be even higher this year. Shopping online for Black Friday weekend didn’t just rise during recent, pandemic-driven buying habits, but online shoppers have actually out-paced in-store shoppers for years now. 

Auto parts commerce isn’t much different from other retailing businesses during Black Friday. In 2020, the month of November saw an increase in auto sales of 269%. While this includes the sale of OEM and aftermarket parts, dealers on the RevolutionParts platform selling OEM parts saw a major increase in online sales, totaling $4.6 million dollars, compared to $4.1 million in 2019. In 2021, online sales are expected to increase to $5.7 million in parts and accessories sold for the holiday weekend. 

How OEMs Can Support Parts Sales in Their Dealerships

Having a successful Black Friday weekend in the parts department means dealers need to be able to sell online. This is where people are shopping, even for auto parts. Customers will shop for auto parts online, whether dealers have their parts online or not, and if they are not, dealers are handing those sales over to their competition.

While most dealers that take advantage of current OEM programs in the parts department like their programs, more than half of those dealers wanted more eCommerce support from their OEM. This means manufacturers should start investing in creating a parts eCommerce program for their dealers to help them achieve more sales across the country. 

While it may be too late for manufacturers to build an OEM eCommerce parts program that will support massive 2021 Black Friday sales set up for their dealers, now is the perfect time to start planning for Black Friday 2022. This will give OEMs and dealers plenty of time to create a robust parts program created for their brand with robust dealer adoption and success with their new eCommerce platform. 

Creating a Hybrid Model OEM Parts Program

The best way for OEMs to support their dealers is by creating a parts program that supports the eCommerce capabilities that so many are seeking. Nowadays, it is no longer reasonable for dealers to rely primarily on foot traffic into their local dealership, which represents an outdated approach to parts retail customers who increasingly prefer the ease of shopping online with many local businesses. 

Now is the perfect opportunity for OEMs to provide dealers with a parts eCommerce model that helps them to maximize their parts and accessories sales. The best way to do this is to create a Tier-1 / Tier-3 hybrid model. This allows dealers to take advantage of their own parts program and easily sell their inventory online through their web store while gaining easy access to the top online marketplaces like Amazon and eBay. Dealers can also take advantage of orders consumers have placed on the OEM’s National Store. Furthermore, by allowing dealers to receive orders from their National Store, the manufacturer can take advantage of inventory carried by their dealers around the country to fulfill orders and reduce shipping costs and time. 

Create a Powerful Parts eCommerce Platform

The best way for a manufacturer to create a powerful parts eCommerce program for their dealers that will maximize parts sales, not only for Black Friday weekend but throughout the entire year, is to partner with a company that specializes in creating parts eCommerce programs. When you partner with a company specializing in automotive parts eCommerce, you can have a branded hybrid parts eCommerce model up and running instantly, so you can be ready for Black Friday in 2022. 

Contact us today to learn more about partnering with RevolutionParts and our custom parts eCommerce solutions.