Traditionally, the auto industry has lagged behind the trend when it comes to online sales. However, 2017 saw a surprising increase in competition and sales in the eCommerce automotive sector. This trend comes against a backdrop of testing times in the industry. However, it seems like it has been driven in part by advances in technology. Not only are B2C businesses thriving in this space, but many of the advances also benefit B2B customers. The aftermarket auto parts niche received a big boost during last year. There were promising signs of growth from names such as AutoZone and Advance Auto Parts. However, perhaps the biggest news for this particular area was Amazon’s announcement that they will be selling auto parts from some big-name companies such as Robert Bosch, Federal-Mogul, Dorman Products and Cardone Industries. So what does this mean for those who sell B2B auto parts?
As the online market for auto parts grows, it’s crucial for B2B companies to keep up with the trends. Having a platform that is tailored specifically to B2B auto parts is a great way of doing this; it streamlines the sales process, solidifies regular customers, and provides dedicated features based in the industry. In this article we’ll discuss some of the differences between B2C and B2B marketing, features of online auto parts platforms, and why our eCommerce solution, Shopping Cart Elite, is the perfect choice of software.
B2B vs B2C Marketing
Because of the difference between an emotionally-driven customer and a rational business, marketing strategies between B2C and B2B differ considerably. The emphasis for business customers is more on providing a logically-driven benefit that’s cost-effective for the business. They serve the needs of a complex network of stakeholders, rather than the wants of an impassioned individual. B2B marketing is about building trust and producing results that are mutually beneficial; forging lasting relationships is of paramount importance. Again this differs from a regular consumer who can be attracted by indulging their impulses and giving in to emotive advertising.
With all that being said, there are certainly elements of eCommerce marketing that overlap between the two worlds. Both B2B and B2C websites need to have similar elements surrounding SEO, customization, optimization, and connectivity. Your customers, regardless of whether they’re an individual or a business, need to have trust in a site’s ability to meet their needs.
B2B Auto Parts Online
As we’ve mentioned already, the auto parts industry has a growing presence online. One of the main benefits of having an online B2B presence is the ability to showcase and manage a large auto parts catalog in an efficient way. It was likely a lack of this ability previously that slowed expansion of B2B auto parts sellers into the online world. Now, dedicated platforms are emerging to fill this gap. One of the big challenges of selling auto parts in the business sphere is dealing with the complexity of orders and clients; it’s rare that any two clients are identical.
Customers using the site need to be able to find the parts they’re looking for and make a custom order to meet their business needs. As the business selling the parts, it’s tricky to then gauge what to promote, when to promote it, and who should see it. It’s these challenges that require expert industry knowledge in order to build an effective online platform, and that’s exactly what we have with Shopping Cart Elite’s B2B platform.
A B2B Online Solution: Shopping Cart Elite
Shopping Cart Elite CEO Igor Soshkin turned his love for sales and marketing into his first business venture. In 2002, he and his family started an eCommerce business in the automotive vertical niche. They saw a good deal of success in the early days of the company, but soon realized the limitations of the software to automate their online presence. After spending an increasing amount of time trying to balance both sales and development, Igor and his brother Nick decided to take a new direction. With their knowledge of eCommerce and experience with development, they launched Shopping Cart Elite in 2007. Since then, our company has overcome challenges and moved from strength to strength. We’re now proud to offer a complete eCommerce solution, which still has specializations for both B2C and B2B auto parts companies.
B2B Auto Parts Features
There are a few reasons why B2B auto parts sellers need the specialized platform that we offer. We believe that sites built using our B2B infrastructure benefit your business and your customers. Below we’ve outlined some of the key features that we think you’ll love:
Integrated Features
There are a wide variety of useful tools that are integrated into the sites that we build. Some of these include:
- Make, Mode, and Year Lookup: A simple dropdown that allows visitors to your site to refine results related to the specific vehicles they need.
- Integrated Fitment Databases: A comprehensive set of automotive databases covering major regions, including ACES, PIES, ERP Motors, and Wheel & Tire Fitment databases.
- Integrated Fitment Mapping Tools: You can easily add new vehicle fitments into Shopping Cart Elite, and we update our ACES and PIES databases on a monthly basis. If you are managing your data through a third party automotive management application, you can also easily import it.
- Integrated Connectors: Easily publish your product listings with fitment data to other platforms such as Sema Data Coop, eBay Motors, Amazon, and Newegg. It also allows your dealers to pull data on inventory and pricing via API calls into your system.
For Your Business
Our team of experts is on hand to help you get setup, whether you’re starting a new site or transitioning from an existing one. We can help with a range of processes for your business such as doing research, data entry, and managing your catalog. This frees you up to focus on the tasks that are going to drive sales. You can also easily track all sales made by your sales reps, making the commission paying process straightforward.
For Your Customers
Not only will we deliver a website that is fast, functional, and fully customizable, it will also be packed full of features that your business customers will benefit from. These include:
- Unlimited Dealer Wholesale Levels: Allows you to easily assign wholesale levels to your dealers, in bulk.
- Discount Levels: Means your pricing structures can easily be modified for different platforms, such as Amazon, eBay, and Google Shopping. You can set discounts based on percentage off, or flat rate discounts. All of this can be controlled in one central place.
- Auto-Approve Dealers: Once a customer registers with your site, you can auto-approve them for a wholesale level. After they have a level, you can then assign certain levels with VIP status. This means that functions such as processing and delivery can be expedited for these dealers.
B2B Auto Parts Competitor Focus: Magento
One of our competitors in this sector is the Magento platform. We’ve written before about some of their limitations in terms of B2C sites, but there are definitely comparisons that can be drawn in terms of B2B in the automotive vertical. Whilst we both offer multi-site, eCommerce support that is customizable and SEO friendly, there are many extra features that we offer at no extra cost. With Magento, for functionality such as PCI compliance, a credit card vault, and a customer service help desk, you will have to pay extra fees. At Shopping Cart Elite however, all of this is included in the price. Similarly, we offer CRM and Email marketing features, as well as marketplace integration with no extra outlay. These are all features that you’ll have to pay extra for if you use the Magento platform.
We’re confident that Shopping Cart Elite is the best available platform for selling auto parts in the B2B niche. Our expertise in the field means we know exactly what companies need to expand their online presence and sales.
eCommerce for Automotive Manufactures
As we’ve seen in this article, the automotive market is picking up speed in the online world. After years of frustrations and a lack of effective ways to sell B2B, there are finally solutions that are pushing the market forward. During this time, it’s important for B2B wholesalers to have the right tools to sell online. We feel that Shopping Cart Elite delivers everything you need to have a successful online store. Our experience in both software and the auto parts industry mean that we understand the kinds of functionality that are essential for success, and that we can deliver them. Contact us today to find out more about how our complete solution can benefit your company.