E-commerce is the Auto Parts Aftermarket’s New Growth Power

If your company doesn’t have a significant online presence, you’re missing an important growth opportunity. The auto parts aftermarket ’s fastest growing sales channel, e-commerce, is expanding so briskly that some industry experts anticipate aftermarket e-tailing revenue will double by 2018.
This online growth is expected to dramatically outperform brick-and-mortar auto parts aftermarket sales , which are projected to remain flat for the foreseeable future. That means automotive aftermarket companies must immediately invest in the e-commerce part of their businesses to stay competitive and grow.

Of course, establishing an online presence must be done wisely. In the general retail space, e-commerce has become very sophisticated since retailers started emphasizing that sales channel in the late 1990’s. After experiencing double digit growth for several years, e-commerce now accounts for 7% of all retail transactions and is showing no signs of slowing down.
The auto parts aftermarket’s overall online sales have quickly caught up with that of general retail. And to some extent, these customers bring perceptions from their experience with general online retailing with them. However, research shows that auto parts aftermarket customers look for different things in their online experience. These include: uniform parts reference; detailed product information: the touch-and-feel dynamic; and a learning component which makes the face to face customer experience more significant. It’s these customer expectations that make the online auto parts shopping experience unique, and keeps brick-and-mortar stores a relevant part of the buying experience.
The auto parts market is rapidly changing, and in order to stay competitive companies must evolve to provide an excellent e-tailing experience as part of their normal business offering. This includes detailed product descriptions with good photography, shipping options with opportunities to pick up items at a brick-and-mortar store, a calculator that tallies all transactional costs, online package tracking and visibility, and a competitive returns policy.