DealersEdge Professional Forums

Why doesn't anyone try to sell parts to retail customers on line?

Seems like it would be a good idea.

If you look under the parts managers' forum there are a couple of discussion threads on this topic. This is one of those things that you either have to be in it whole hog; or stay out. Dabbling in it is rarely successful. It pretty much takes a body devoted just to that to keep up with it and be responsive enough.

A number of dealers have tried it and backed away; usually due to returns or payment problems. The most common scenario I have heard is a customer ordering something, then deciding they do not like it or they found it a few pennies cheaper on another site and they put a stop-payment on the credit card transaction. You are then out both the merchandise AND the money if you cannot get the customer to return the item. The credit card companies almost always will rule in favor of the customer in such disputes.

There are success stories, but those seem to be limited to the carlines that do not have as many competitors of the same franchise out there. I know of one BMW / LandRover dealer who does quite well at it. But then again, he is only competing with a handful of other BMW dealers selling online; as opposed to say a GM dealer competing with 8000 other GM dealers.

Scot Strong

Check out http://www.trademotion.com/ Very inexpensive way to get started.

hould I go with an OEM site, or do you guys think I should find a template, and work from there? Or even have the dealership go out and have someone design it?

Its helpfull..........so good.

Some dealers do sell parts online. Nothing new there

Hmm nice source to sale it. I know this is a good idea but not people avail this opportunity to sell their stuff online. It can give them a huge amount of profit and they can sell their items 3 times faster than the ordinary method and click here for more info. So I appreciate you Dauntless for presenting such great idea for everyone, Thanks.

Is that bad marketplace? I know a lot of dealerships who are involved in it.

At that time it was not unusual for us to see 4 to 5 leads a day off of our own site. The SFE Target for Action team somehow got it in their heads that the website needed to be revamped and upgraded. Which the dealership did after I left. I am back and we now have a website that is supplied by our DMS and has all the bells and whistles...