Published: December 1, 2023

Updated: September 12, 2024

The automotive aftermarket eCommerce keeps growing. The online sales of auto parts and accessories in the U.S. are projected to be $44.1 billion in 2024. However, automotive business owners are increasingly concerned about their own growth potential.

If you want to increase your customer base and market share, you must optimize your business processes and ensure the scalability of your eCommerce platform. This is where automation will help.

Native integrations with catalog providers like SEMA Data, ASAP, and AutoSync relieve manual routines. You can basically automate anything from what products to import to when to request price and stock updates. So, you won’t need people to spend hours on data entry.

In this blog post, we’ll see how automation will help you focus on your business growth. But first, take some time to assess how your business operates without automation.

Are You Satisfied With Your Operational Efficiency?

Automotive online store owners spend much time and resources on manual operations. For example, optimizing and syncing their business processes.

Do you also spend much time and effort on:

• accessing various channels to modify inventory levels?
• downloading the files from suppliers to keep stock or pricing up to date?
• dispatching orders, verifying data, and updating channels?
• inputting data into internal systems and channels?

Managing product catalogs and inventory manually also increases the risk of human error. Besides, it can make data inconsistent. It affects the reliability of product information, especially for automotive aftermarket e-retailers. Such catalogs usually have complex auto parts data to store and structure.

The solution: Automotive eCommerce software automates error-prone repetitive tasks. It also sets up your critical online store workflow automation. The software integrates natively with auto parts catalog providers like SEMA Data, ASAP Network, and AutoSync.It simplifies the entire catalog management process.

7 Reasons to Embrace Automation for Your Auto Parts Online Store

1. Efficiency and productivity: Focus on strategic, creative, and value-added activities. Forget about error-prone and time-consuming manual tasks.

2. Cost reduction: Automation reduces the need for manual labor. It leads to cost savings in labor, training, and error correction. Ultimately, it will improve the bottom line.

3. Data accuracy and consistency: Automated systems are precise and consistent. They minimize the risk of errors in tasks like data entry and calculations.

4. Scalability: Automation makes it easier to scale operations as your business grows.  

5. Time savings: Automation streamlines tasks. It reduces the time and effort required to perform repetitive manual operations.

6. Improved customer experiences: Automation enhances customer interactions through personalized communication, faster response times, and efficient order processing. This, in turn, leads customers and marketing teams to greater satisfaction.
7. Competitive advantage: Businesses that automate their operations respond to market changes faster. They provide better services and gain an edge over competitors.

Main Types of eCommerce Automation for Auto Parts Businesses

Automation resolves many eCommerce challenges. An automated eCommerce store can easily adapt to meet customers’ needs for quick product searches and fast deliveries. With well-organized and up-to-date catalogs, your customers will get instant search results and accurate orders.

That’s why we’ll focus on automating two key areas to make the shopping experience smooth and satisfying for your car parts buyers.

Automated Catalog Management and Data Import 

Automation for catalog management is a strategic investment into your online store’s scalability. 

It includes:

• integration of your online store with auto parts data networks;
• acceleration of data import and export processes;
• easy mapping of the product categories and subcategories.

Integrations with auto parts data providers

An auto parts eCommerce catalog can have more than a million car parts with different SKUs. It means much complex fitment data. Automotive eCommerce platforms, like X-Cart, offer integrations with trusted aftermarket data networks. They are SEMA Data, ASAP Network, and AutoSync. These integrations are native and undergo regular upgrades.

With these, you can automatically upload standardized data that you used to import and update manually: 

• Product titles

• Descriptions
• Fitment information
• Images

Bulk updates and accelerated import

Each integration gives timely updates of information for several products. It’s key for any online retailer that wants to keep their customers informed.

Regular updates help maintain inventory across multiple sales channels. Bulk adjustment tools also make it possible. They allow for the simultaneous launch and management of discount campaigns in numerous channels.

Like bulk editing, a robust import tool saves merchants time and effort. It minimizes upload time while transferring your online store data. This is critical for the large number of SKUs in most car parts catalogs.

Main benefits of the automated catalog management for sellers: 

• accurate and standardized product data;
• data synchronization across sales channels; 
• larger catalogs with thousands of items;
• regular auto parts data updates; 
• higher page website performance due to smart data organization;
• lower risk of refunds from inaccurate orders; 
• focus on business growth rather than updating catalogs.

Mapping product categories and subcategories

An easy mapping process is crucial for an online auto parts retailer, especially when dealing with catalog providers like SEMA Data, ASAP Network, and AutoSync. These providers often have their own way of naming categories and subcategories. They use standardized ACES and PIES fitting systems, so it’s important to map subcategories in your catalog accordingly. This makes it easier to update information, keep it updated and brings more other benefits.

Main benefits of product mapping for sellers:

• ACES and PIES ensure customers get the right parts, boosting sales.
• They help keep product info organized and easy to manage.
• These standards simplify adding product details to online stores.
• ACES and PIES reduce warehouse mistakes by maintaining accurate data keeping data accurate.

With a simple mapping process, auto parts from your catalog provider go into the correct categories on your website. This makes it easier for customers to find what they need in your appropriately structured product catalog.

Automated Order Management and Fulfillment 

The eCommerce fulfillment process is split into three stages:

1. Order processing
2. Inventory management
3. Product shipping

You need to keep these essential operations synchronized. Automated customer order processing and fulfillment help you with that. It is much more reliable and less time-consuming than your manual efforts.

Partnerships with warehouse distributors 

Manual fulfillment of purchase orders is no longer effective. You can connect your online store with warehouse distribution tools:

• Turn 14 Distribution: Automatically add new parts and remove discontinued ones. Select brands and import titles, descriptions, tags, categories, pricing, and other details. Provide fitment data for year, make, and model searches. Filter products by fitment, category, and other criteria. Include estimated shipping costs for ‘free shipping’ offers. Drop ship auto parts directly from your eCommerce store.
• Keystone Automotive Operations: Add products automatically and remove discontinued ones. Select brands, import titles, pricing, and other details into your store. Drop ship auto parts directly from your eCommerce store.
• American Tire Distributors: Simply upload your stock data. The system handles product updates, sends orders directly to ATD, and provides order tracking for your customers.

The synchronization with warehouse distributors will make order processing faster due to accurate and effective data exchange. Automation of order and inventory data management will help you get a unified view of all your product data and access it from a single place — your online store’s admin panel. It will also free up time and resources for expanding your business.

Drop Shipping 

Alternatively, you can opt for dropshipping car parts. It’s a relatively new business strategy. It lets you run your online store without storing vehicle parts and accessories inventory. U.S. car retailers are adopting this fulfillment approach to increase distribution, reach new markets, and save time and effort when shipping orders to customers.

Summing up: Automated systems improve order management’s speed and efficiency. This leads to faster delivery times and higher customer satisfaction.

Main benefits of automated order fulfillment are: 

• reduced business expenses on shipping services;
• elimination of human error;
• high-quality products;
• accelerated delivery times and customer loyalty.

Does Headless eCommerce Make Automation Easier? 

Absolutely!

An API-driven eCommerce platform integrates multiple eCommerce systems into a single ecosystem. It ensures seamless data exchange between various software applications. You can easily connect your eCommerce solutions to other:

• Apps
• Data sources
• ERP or CRM systems

It’s possible thanks to open APIs, which are readily accessible to software developers.

Connect your store to eCommerce solutions essential to your business:

• Auto parts data networks
• Shipping carriers
• Payment processors
• Warehouse distribution software
• Tax management tools
• Inventory management software
• Marketing tools, such as live chats, email automation software, etc.

The main benefit of headless eCommerce solutions is their flexibility. It allows you to combine eCommerce tools of your choice. Thus, you facilitate and automate online store management. 

Here are four more reasons to choose a headless eCommerce platform for your automotive website.

1. Standardized data: Synchronize online store inventory with such standards as ACES and PIES. It will ease your headaches of auto parts fitment. The standardization is vital for automotive eCommerce because it works with multiple systems. They are inventory management, order processing, and pricing. All of them need to be consistent.

2. Real-time data flow: API-driven solutions enable real-time data updates and information exchange between the systems. This is essential for the automotive industry, where prices, inventory levels, and product availability are changing all the time.

3. Advanced customization: A cookie-cutter approach doesn’t work well for auto parts eCommerce stores. But headless solutions let companies customize their systems and processes to meet their business needs. This customization can range from specific pricing algorithms to highly individualized customer service.
4. Connectivity with CRM systems: Customer relationship management (CRM) systems are central to automotive e-commerce. They help take advantage of essential customer data. Connect these systems to other parts of the business. It will give sales, marketing, and customer support teams real-time access to customer data, purchase history, and buyer preferences. So, teams will get actionable insights and enhance customer’s journeys.

How X-Cart Helps You Automate Your Automotive Business

X-Cart is a shopping cart solution designed for the automotive parts market. It helps businesses tackle automation challenges, increase auto part sales, and scale automotive business profitably.

Native automotive features that X-Cart offers to auto parts online businesses: 

• Customizable API-driven architecture 
• Automotive-specific integrations (SEMA Data, AutoSync, ASAP Network, Turn 14 Distribution, and more)
• Easy mapping of categories and subcategories
• Complex catalogs with limitless SKUs
• Native Year/Make/Model filtering with VIN lookup and ‘My Garage’ feature
• CloudSearch eCommerce engine and CloudFilters 
• Mobile-first automotive design themes
• Product Visualization tools by AutoSync
• Dedicated web hosting
• In-house developer team
• Custom storefront for personalized
  user experiences (via X-Cart Storefront API)
• 24/7 personalized customer support

Check out the recent webinar on the main challenges of automotive businesses. It’s a dynamic discussion with our key partner, Integreat Commerce. There, we shed more light on how to boost the performance of your automotive e-commerce business through automation.

The questions we answer: 

• How does real-time inventory sync help avoid overselling and stockouts?
• How does order automation streamline fulfillment and reduce errors?
• How can I deliver personalized, seamless customer experiences?
• How can I efficiently scale my business to meet growing demand?

Key Takeaway: Choose Your Long-Term Technology Partner 

Automation in automotive eCommerce is a powerful engine. It makes your business run smoother and customers happier. Even more, it keeps you ahead of the competition. That’s why sellers choose a customizable and flexible eCommerce solution. It fuels automation in the automotive aftermarket sector. Remember, your eCommerce platform should be scalable to accommodate your rapid business growth. 

At X-Cart, we always listen to the needs of our customers. We provide our clients with native catalog provider integrations to increase your auto parts sales and maintain profitability. X-Cart automates and scales your automotive business. Contact us to discuss your business needs, and we’ll find the solution for your long-term goals.