Are you searching for where to sell auto parts? There is a lot of competition in the auto parts industry, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible to make money selling your products. When you’re starting a new business, there are many variables to consider – who your target consumers are, what your specialty is, how you’ll develop your marketing plan, and more.
The automotive aftermarket sector will continue to expand. By 2027, it is expected to have a market value of $513.1 billion. McKinsey predicts that the industry’s growth rate will be roughly 3% each year until 2030. It is one of the world’s major industries, along with real estate and oil and gas production. Simultaneously, there has been an immense shift towards internet aftermarket purchases, especially in light of the ongoing worldwide epidemic.
The statistics presented above imply that there is no better time than right now to begin an auto parts company. However, an eager entrepreneur cannot simply throw herself into the venture and expect things to work out. This article will discuss where people can buy and sell car parts.
A Brick-and-Mortar Store
A brick-and-mortar store where you can buy and sell car parts is a great place to conduct business. You can gain people’s trust by having them look at your products in person before they make any purchases. In addition, if something goes wrong with the part that was sold, then a return or exchange will be done easily because both parties are face to face.
However, a brick-and-mortar dealership also brings with it a lot of overhead costs. These can include rent, utilities, and labor costs, among others. Also, in today’s highly digitized business environment, coupled with the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, brick-and-mortar businesses are seeing a large decline in their profits. This is where online stores come into play to meet the needs of consumers today.
Auto Parts Website
You can set up your auto parts website, where you will have a catalog of the car parts that are being sold. The best part is if something goes wrong with one or more items purchased by users, then returns and exchanges can be done much easier online than they would be in person.
For example, let’s say someone bought an engine for their Honda Civic from your online auto parts store on their site. If it does not fit into their vehicle or there was some other problem encountered during installation, they could return it to you within 30 days via USPS mail (package tracking included). This way, both parties avoid any potential conflict at hand.
Creating a website is much easier than it sounds. All you need is a domain name and web hosting. You can also use platforms such as Shopify to make the process much easier for you.
However, there are some costs associated with setting up your website. These include purchasing a domain name and web hosting, along with paying for an SSL certificate (which is required if you plan on collecting credit card payments). Also, it’s important to note that not all parts of the world have high-speed internet access, which could affect where you sell your auto parts online.
The main benefit of having your website is that you have full control over what’s being sold and how the site looks. You’re not limited by any rules or regulations set forth by other eCommerce marketplaces.
Specialized eCommerce Marketplaces
There are specialized eCommerce marketplaces where you can sell your car parts. These include eBay Motors, Amazon Marketplace, and Walmart’s online store. The main benefits of selling auto parts and accessories on these platforms include:
- Huge audience reach: All three of these marketplaces have millions of active users. This means that your products will be seen by a large number of people, which can result in more sales.
- Easy order management and fulfillment: These platforms have built-in systems where orders are placed, managed, and shipped automatically. This takes the burden off you as the seller to handle all the logistics associated with fulfilling orders.
- Trust and credibility: These platforms have been around for many years and are well known by consumers. They are seen as safe places to buy items online, giving buyers peace of mind when purchasing from you.
- Fee discounts: All three of these platforms offer discounted fees for sellers who sell a high volume of products. This can save you money in the long run.
- Marketing support: All three of these platforms offer marketing support to sellers in the form of paid ads, email campaigns, and more.
eBay Motors
eBay Motors is a great place to start selling auto parts because they have a wide reach worldwide, where people have access to high-speed internet connections in most regions. The eBay platform has a lot of useful tools where you can easily manage items and orders. Users can also pay for their purchases with PayPal, one of the most widely used and trusted online payment methods today. Similarly, eBay Motors also offers marketing support to run ads on the site to bring more buyers to your auto parts store.
The main disadvantage of using eBay as an avenue where buyers can purchase from sellers is listing fees associated with each item being sold on their platform. In addition, if someone returns or exchanges one or more items purchased from you through eBay, then you’re going to incur some expenses for shipping back and forth between parties involved in return/exchange transactions done at hand.
Amazon
The Amazon Marketplace is another great place to sell auto parts. It has a global reach where buyers can purchase items from sellers with high-speed internet access in most world regions. In addition, Amazon also offers a wide range of marketing support for sellers where you can run ads on their site, send out email campaigns to buyers, and more. The main disadvantage of using Amazon as an avenue where buyers can purchase from sellers is listing fees associated with each item being sold on their platform.
Another thing worth noting about Amazon is that they offer Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) services. This means that if you’re selling a large volume of products, then you can ship them all to an Amazon warehouse where they will store your products, pick and pack them when someone orders one or more items from you, and then ships them out to the buyer.
This is a great option if you are selling hundreds of units per month because it saves time on having to ship all these products yourself while also offering next-day shipping for buyers at no extra charge. The only downside with FBA services is that Amazon takes 15% off the total amount paid by customers who buy something from you through their platform. This can eat away some profits made in each sale depending on how much an item costs compared to other marketplaces where there are no fees associated with listing items for sale.
Walmart Marketplace
The Walmart Marketplace is the most recent addition for selling auto parts and accessories. It has a global reach where buyers can purchase items from sellers with high-speed internet access in most world regions.
Like Amazon, there are no listing fees associated with selling products on their marketplace, which is nice because it saves money.
Fitment Data
Whether it’s Amazon, eBay Motors, Walmart, or your auto parts website, it’s important to have accurate fitment data for your parts. Fitment data is where you list the specific vehicles that your parts will fit on. This includes the year, make, and model of the car and the particular part number. Having this information will ensure that customers can find the right part for their vehicle, which will improve your customer satisfaction rate and overall sales.
In addition, it’s important to keep your inventory up-to-date with the latest models and changes to provide an authentic shopping experience for your customers. This means that you’ll need to update your fitment data to reflect the latest models regularly.
If you need any more information about selling auto parts and accessories online, contact us today!
