How many times have you heard about a big business shutting down? Blockbuster, Toys R Us, and many more big-name businesses have disappeared. Why? What went wrong?
The story of Blockbuster is well-known. They turned down the chance to partner with Netflix, not seeing the value in doing business online. Toys R Us also missed the opportunity to cater to an online audience and were soon out-competed by online retailers like Amazon and eBay.
Many big-name brands went out of business because they refused to change with the times and were out-matched by online competitors.
The #1 Thing to Avoid In Your Parts Department
In the laundry list of things to avoid there is one that stands out above the rest: Don’t rely on in-person business for everything. Foot traffic isn’t enough to meet your profit goals. Fewer and fewer people are coming into a dealership to get parts and accessories. Most, if not at all, consumers are taking advantage of online shopping.
Moving your parts department online is the key to keeping your sales high and your overhead costs low. It puts you in direct contact with your customers in a way that’s fast, convenient, and easy to use.
Why Should You Move Away from Only In-Person Sales?
Consumer needs are changing. Most don’t want to come into the dealership to make their purchases when they can do it from the comfort of their own home. Refusing to put your parts and accessories business online will force your customers to go to your competitors, especially aftermarket sellers.
Now, do you need to completely abandon your in-person parts storefront? No. In the few cases where a customer may make a physical visit to your parts department, you should be ready to offer them the best service possible. However, having an online store will help you capture the sales that were never going to walk through your door in the first place.
How Can You Put Your Parts Department Online Successfully?
What are the keys to having a successful online parts store? You might think it takes a great team and an even better website, but that’s only half of the battle when selling online. It’s not enough to set up a web store and expect people will find you, and this is a mistake that many parts managers make.
Running a successful digital retailing parts store depends on these critical things
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- An easy-to-use catalog
- Product recommendations
- Quality online customer service
- Fast shipping & delivery options
- Competitive pricing options
Your customers want to have a seamless online buying experience. Complicated forms, slow delivery, difficulty searching for products, and high prices will scare your customers away. Streamlining your parts department with these key tips in mind will help you gain new customers, maintain customer loyalty, and improve your parts revenue.
You Made An Online Sale, Now What?
If you’re not already selling online, what are you waiting for? Not selling your OEM auto parts online is a threat to the survival of your parts department, and your ability to stay competitive. If you’re selling online and have had success, that’s great! The real question is, how do you keep that success going? The online market is constantly changing and new competitors crop up with new prices, deals, and customer service experiences every day. That means you have to keep up with the times and make changes where necessary.
Look at where you can improve your online presence. Whether that’s through marketing, customer emails, better appointment scheduling tools, or faster delivery. If you can keep up with the pace of the online market, you can keep your parts department’s success.
The biggest threat to your parts department is refusing to change with the times. If you want to stay competitive and grow a thriving parts business, you need to be sure you are selling online. With RevolutionParts, your parts department can easily sell your OEM auto parts through multiple different channels, ensuring you reach customers beyond your local market. Start selling parts through your dealership’s website, your own web store, and Amazon and eBay, two of the largest online marketplaces for auto parts. Click the button below to schedule a demo with one of our experts to learn how easy selling online really is.
