How to Make a Profit by Selling Automobile Parts Online?

Over the past five years, as brick-and-mortar retailers have entered the online space, the online automotive parts and accessories industry has skyrocketed. According to a McKinsey market survey, this growth will continue at a rate of 3% per year until 2030.

Consumer interest in online shopping coincides with this growth, and while it may not grow as quickly as women’s or men’s fashion, the already $516 million industry could prove to be a worthwhile investment for an established automotive parts retailer.

Are you ready to expand your business by ?

The McKinsey survey reports that “80% of players [in the industry] believe they are not well prepared — mainly due to their lack of strategic focus and skills, and their insufficient digitization resources.”

Read this comprehensive guide on how to sell automobile equipment online to prepare your business for online sales.

Make Sure You Know What You’re Selling

Even though the answer may seem simple, there is a complex equation behind what we sell and why we sell it. Would you like to compete in the larger automotive arena or are you looking to specialize in a particular product area?

Knowing the products you wish to sell will help you structure your eCommerce website and provide users with a seamless and well-structured interface that leads to conversions rather than bounces.

Here are a few examples of online automotive parts that customers are looking for.

1. Exterior parts: bumpers, grills, hubcaps, etc.

These external parts often require large shipping boxes and are less fragile than internal parts. If you plan to sell these products, you need to consider the shipping requirements.

• Which shipping company offers services that match your product specifications?
• Can users pick up the products?
• Can you ship interstate?
• How much does interstate shipping cost?

2. Spark plugs, transmissions, cylinders, etc.

These are often more fragile and need to be packaged carefully before shipping with lots of bubble wrap.

There are similar questions surrounding the choice of the shipping company and the shipping service you intend to offer your customers. An inventory of wrapping and shipping materials may also be necessary.

3. Tools such as jacks, wrenches, etc.

They can either be light tools, like a wrench, or heavy tools, like a jack. Think about how these items can be shipped safely and securely.

4. Opportunities in other categories.

What other automotive parts do you specialize in? Maybe there is an area of the market that is unsaturated. Research could help your product stand out.

Do You Know Who Buys Your Parts?

Online auto parts buyers come from many different demographics and user groups. Customers that are obvious categories include wholesale — e.g., a local garage; and retail — e.g., individuals looking to make a one-time purchase. When designing and building your eCommerce website, you must also consider your target market.

Using tools like Google Analytics, you can analyze your current user demographic if you already have a website and are considering adding an eCommerce component. You can track your audience by age group, gender, country, and interests using Google Analytics.

In the absence of a website, you can find market research regarding the shopping habits of automotive aftermarket shoppers online.

You can better understand how to sell automobile parts online by knowing your audience. Listed below are some examples:

1. Local auto shops, garages, and other vendors

You are a B2B wholesaler, selling parts to small vendors who then sell them to customers. The advantages of B2B selling include sales stability, lower costs and better volumes — which can result in higher sales for your company.

2. The end user

You’re selling to the kid who wants a loud exhaust on his 2002 Honda Civic. This is a B2C market. One of the benefits of selling B2C is the possibility of shorter delivery times for smaller quantities.

Here are the 4 best ways to sell auto parts

There is an omnichannel world out there. Consumers no longer purchase products from just one place. Comparison shopping, convenience shopping, and even location-based shopping are available.

For the auto market industry, an omnichannel approach may be beneficial for online sales. Consider these channels when researching how to sell auto parts online:

1. Owning your own eCommerce store

Your eCommerce shop is completely under your control. You won’t have to pay fees tacked on to each sale — unlike eBay and Amazon — and you can set your own pricing. Choose an appropriate eCommerce platform for automobile parts.

By setting up your own eCommerce store front, you can also better communicate your brand and build better relationships with your customers. Relationships lead to customer loyalty and repeat business, and customer retention is more cost-effective than acquisition.

The effective on-site search must be ensured for a positive customer experience, and it will add a layer of complexity, but the benefits to your brand may be worth it.

2. eBay

You can sell auto parts on eBay, especially if you’re selling rare parts. At the end of the fourth quarter of 2019, there were 183 million eBay users worldwide — a 2% increase from the previous quarter.

eBay is also a popular place for auto parts: there are about 90 million active auto part listings, and three parts or accessories are sold every second. eBay offers a number of tools to help automotive sellers, including tools that simplify adding fitment to listings.

3. On Amazon’s marketplace

Additionally, Amazon’s marketplace allows small businesses to reach a wider audience. According to a 2019 survey, Amazon was the most used online retailer in the U.S. You can easily export automobile product catalog to marketplaces.

You should note a few things about using Amazon to sell auto parts. Refurbished products must come with a warranty, and images must be reviewable outside of Amazon.

4. Combining all three channels

Thankfully, BigCommerce shop owners don’t have to choose between eBay, Amazon, and their own eCommerce when considering how to sell automobile products online! Connect your BigCommerce store to eBay and Amazon with our easy-to-integrate eBay and Amazon plugins.