As an auto parts seller, you know all the main challenges of running an online store, such as managing complex product catalogs and ensuring high-quality auto parts data. And let’s not forget the hassle of shipping, inventory storage, and order routing between your distributors! 

It’s only logical that automotive online retailers seek new opportunities for resolving those challenges and reducing time-consuming tasks to save time and resources. 

Dropshipping can be a perfect solution for overcoming logistical constraints when selling car parts and accessories online. By passing on the shipping tasks to the supplier, you can focus more on maintaining and expanding your eCommerce store. 

In this article, we’ll explain the dropshipping business model for selling auto parts, its benefits and potential drawbacks. We’ll also provide a list of the best-selling auto parts, guide you through starting a dropshipping online store, and help you avoid common pitfalls. 

What Is Auto Parts Dropshipping? (And How It Works)

The auto parts dropshipping business model allows you to sell spare parts and car accessories without storing, packing, and shipping them on your own. 

The orders are fulfilled directly by the auto parts dropshipping suppliers, whereas sellers (dropshippers) control order processing and proper marketing.

To better understand how it works, let’s take seat covers as an example of a product for dropshipping. The supplier sets the price for seat covers, and retailers adjust it to include profit margins, shipping fees, and taxes before offering the product to customers.

Depending on the selling platform, a drop shipper can also be asked to pay listing or transaction fees (by the way, X-Cart doesn’t charge any transaction fees). 

Once a customer buys seat covers, the distributor fulfills the order, and the drop shipper gets their profit from this sale.

Although dropshipping businesses don’t handle product shipments directly, they incur shipping fees from their suppliers. You can adopt several strategies to manage these costs, like offering free shipping and covering the shipping costs from your profit margin or passing the exact shipping cost onto customers. 

Dropshipping is a great way to start selling online with lower financial risk and flexibility to choose products from reliable suppliers. However, like with a traditional business model, running a dropshipping automotive store takes dedication and a well-thought-out strategy.

The Pros & Cons of Auto Parts Dropshipping

Understanding the benefits and potential challenges allows you to develop effective sales strategies and boost sales more quickly.

Dropshipping Pros

👍 No need to procure and store car parts and accessories

The huge advantage of a dropshipping business over a traditional online store is the ability to operate without having any inventory on hand, which frees you from keeping obsolete inventory of unsold stock.

👍 Low overhead costs

Unlike a brick-and-mortar store or even an automotive online store with its own warehouse, a dropshipping model helps reduce overhead costs. It frees the seller from warehousing expenses (rent, maintenance, and labor costs).

👍 Ability to automate order management and fulfillment

Limited time and finances are common challenges for all entrepreneurs. An automotive dropshipping business effectively addresses both issues. With eCommerce automation, you can significantly speed up order fulfillment by synchronizing data exchange between your online store and warehouse distributor.

👍 Flexibility of your product range

You can work with one distributor and/or connect to as many suppliers as needed. The dropshipping business model is often associated with a wide range of various products available for sale. This advantage allows you to respond to market trends and consumer preferences quickly.

👍 A broad selection of products

The dropshipping business model is often associated with a wide range of various products available for sale. You can choose to work with one distributor or connect to as many suppliers as you need. 

Dropshipping Cons

Despite the numerous pros of dropshipping business models, they also pose some challenges. Before launching an auto parts dropshipping store, you should be aware of the following potential issues.

👎 Lack of control over product quality and delivery times

Relying on suppliers inevitably entails order fulfillment risks. You don’t produce the products and don’t see what goes into the packs but your customer service team has to handle potential concerns about incorrect, broken, or missing items.

In addition to product quality, you might face shipping issues, such as delays with order confirmation or delivery times. Indeed, some issues related to aftermarket parts ordering are beyond your control; however, you take responsibility for the money the customers spend on your website.

👎 Getting approved by dropshipping suppliers

This part of dropshipping might look challenging for beginners. Getting in touch with your potential dropshipping suppliers should be always preceded by preparation.

To make a solid first impression, buy a domain name for your auto parts online store. In addition, the domain registration might include a free email service, so your personalized email address changes to “yourname@yourautopartsstore.com” which looks professional.

Another part of preparation is getting information about suppliers and the location of their distribution centers. Before making a call or contacting the warehouse distributor via email, take a few moments to look through their website and see whether your question has already been answered.

👎 Inventory shortage issues

It is stressful to realize that the product the customer has just ordered from your store is suddenly out-of-stock. eCommerce automation significantly eliminates product availability problems by regularly (and automatically!) updating the details on the inventory levels, however, this kind of situation might happen to any dropshipper.

👎 Fierce competition

The low barrier to entry is the main reason dropshipping is so popular among online retailers. Logically, it sparks competition in various niches, and the automotive industry is no exception. Auto parts sellers should maintain healthy profit margins and choose the best-selling, low-competition products to stay ahead of the pack.

How to Start Dropshipping Auto Parts

Since you’ve already narrowed the niche down to automotive aftermarket, your next steps are choosing the products, launching your website, and starting to sell. This auto parts dropshipping guide covers everything!

Choosing the Right Products to Sell

Researching automotive communities and forums can be valuable for businesses. There, you can get insights from car enthusiasts on key pain points and product ideas.

Later on, this knowledge can be used to highlight the value and necessity of your products, make up special offers with automotive product bundles, and better consult your customers.

Below, we share twenty sample non-seasonal aftermarket dropshipping products to choose from:

Finding car parts dropshipping suppliers

After defining the products, your next step is to find a reliable auto parts distributor that provides the vehicle parts and brands you’d like to sell on your website.

Top 9 Automotive Parts Distributors to Dropship Auto Parts from Your eCommerce Store

How to Build a Dropshipping Store on X-Cart

Step 1: Try a free demo

There is no better way of getting to know the eCommerce platform than testing it with a dedicated expert. With a free demo, you have a chance to try all the features required for dropshipping. In addition, X-Cart solution advisors can guide you through the nuances of running an automotive eCommerce business, answer any possible questions, and find the right solution for your dropshipping store.

Step 2: Set up integration(s) with auto parts suppliers

Enable the integration add-on(s) to synchronize your online store with the aftermarket warehouse distributors. After that, link your dealer account using the API key.

Turn 14 Distribution: Automate order fulfillment for your automotive store with an award-winning national distributor. 
Excellent customer service and 60% US shipping coverage within one day and 100% in two days.

Keystone Automotive Operations is the leading aftermarket automotive parts distributor with distribution centers across North America and Canada.
85,000+ unique SKUs from more than 800 suppliers.

Meyer Distributing focuses on marketing and distributing automotive specialty products. With strategically located warehouses across the country, Meyer serves thousands of customers through Meyer Logistics’ direct shipping, offering over 700 product lines and fast, flexible distribution services.

American Tire Distributors (ATD) is one of North America’s largest distributors in the tire and automotive industries, making it an ideal supplier for selling wheels and tires online.

Their loyalty programs can help boost your dropshipping profits and grow your business.

Wheel Pros offers a wide selection of vehicle enhancements, including wheels, tires, suspension, powersports, and more. It also has a global network of over 40+ distribution centers spanning North America, Australia, and Europe.

Dix Performance North is a leading wholesale distributor of high-performance parts and accessories in western Canada, offering a wide range of products for gas and diesel trucks, car audio systems, remote starters, and more.

Premier Performance is a top distributor in the automotive sector, focusing on diesel performance and off-road parts and accessories, with eight warehouses nationwide.

After you install the add-on, link your dealer account using the API key.

Step 3: Upload your first products

Delete demo products and upload the new items. You can do it manually, or enjoy the power of eCommerce automation and seamlessly import product titles, descriptions, fitments, tags, categories, etc. In fact, automation is one of the seven components to manage the auto parts catalog as effortlessly as possible.

Step 4: Work on website navigation

The dropshipping business model doesn’t limit the seller to a particular number of products or categories, so you need to present them in a user-friendly way. Make website navigation simple and clear with the three-clicks system. To reach a specific product page, the visitor should optimally click the three times: select a category → subcategory → product page. Anything beyond this number makes a product page hard to find.

Here is an example of the auto parts catalog based on the three-clicks system:

Step 5: Set up payment methods

This is essential to building an eCommerce store. In addition to online credit card payments, consider enabling some integrations with  Buy Now Pay Later services to offer you car parts buyers personalized and flexible payment plans.

Step 6: Choose a design template

X-Cart offers a variety of built-in themes, including templates explicitly created for automotive parts niches. The professional designers developed a variety of appealing, responsive, and user-friendly templates compatible with the automotive fitment search tools (also available in X-Cart by default!).

Step 7: Start marketing your online business

Using proper marketing tools from the beginning is essential to any dropshipping business. Take advantage of opportunities to upsell and crosssell automotive parts and accessories to generate more sales (turbo kits, seat covers + seat back organizer and others).

Frequently Asked Questions

Summing Up

When starting a business, it’s crucial to thoroughly consider all aspects and potential risks before making final decisions; dropshipping is no exception.

To thrive and get ahead of other aftermarket dropshippers, you carefully price your products, seamlessly manage your auto parts catalog, provide clear shipping information and top-notch customer support. And X-Cart is here to help you unlock your eCommerce potential.

Plus, we provide additional onboarding training for our automotive clients, offering six hours of onboarding calls with a customer success manager and a technical support engineer absolutely for free.