Best eCommerce Platform for Auto Parts: Automotive eCommerce Solutions

Fitment’s role in the best eCommerce platform for auto parts

In the market for automotive eCommerce solutions? This next point is important. Any automotive eCommerce platform should let a consumer search by keyword or by fitment.

“Fitment” in this case is the obvious year/make/model. Or it also includes transmission, engine displacement, drivetrain, truck bed length, or any number of fitment requirements.

ACES auto parts data defines parts fitment for websites.

Three website solutions to know

An auto parts eCommerce website, or auto parts shopping cart, generally falls into one of two categories. It can be a proprietary platform, like Web Shop Manager for example, or it can be an open source platform, like Drupal or WordPress. A third category, software as a service (SaaS) can be somewhere in the middle.

Any aftermarket auto parts eCommerce website builder using a proprietary platform should understand automotive data and fitment requirements. The benefit of using proprietary automotive eCommerce solutions is that understanding auto parts and fitment is “built-in.”

Any auto parts platform that is open source will require development work by a developer that understands data and fitment. That can be in-house development if you’re blessed with an awesome IT team, or that can be done by hiring a outside web developer either an individual or a company. When screening website builders, ask about the ability to provide fitment data, what the source for the data is and if fitment data is included in their price or if it is an extra fee.

An eCommerce platform that is SaaS will need to be developed by the host, or by a developer that works with the SaaS platform. Either option requires knowledge of aftermarket data and fitment.

“Open source” for your auto parts eCommerce platform

Open source platforms include platforms like WordPress (and generally, WooCommerce, the auto parts shopping cart that plugs into WordPress), Drupal or Joomla. These platforms are sometimes described as “free” because they’re free to download, but that’s misleading because you can easily invest tens of thousands of dollars in development work to make your website functional.

Open source software lets you choose the developer you want to work with. There are typically hundreds or thousands of website builders that specialize in any open source platform. Plugins that add website functionality are typically available for free or for a nominal cost.

A proprietary platform for your auto parts site

Proprietary platforms are usually hosted by the website builder/developer. Due to their proprietary nature, custom or advanced programming usually must be done by the builder or by “official” affiliated developers only. This is neither good or bad, you just don’t have as much freedom to pick the website builder you want to work with. However, if this seems like one of the best automotive eCommerce solutions for your business, here’s an important question to ask. Find out if the proprietary platform uses a Distributed Content Network (CDN) for images. It’s a technology that improves site speed.

SaaS, a third option that is open source or proprietary

Some platforms are marketed as open source Software as a Service (SaaS), like Miva, Shopify, PartsPal or Veloxigo, which are hosted services with a monthly “rental” or subscription fee. Some SaaS eCommerce platforms don’t describe their software as open source, because they are a proprietary platform and hosted by the developer.

Some platforms can be either. ASPDotNetStoreFront is available for outright purchase, or as a monthly hosted and managed storefront. Magento Open Source (formerly Magento Community Edition) is open source, while Magento Commerce is sold as a SaaS platform. Magento is owned by Adobe.

A high-end Magento 2 website (the current Magento platform) can run over $100,000.

Some SaaS platforms, like open source platforms, let you choose the website developer you want to work with.

Website speed and mobile experience

When building a new auto parts site make sure you have a clear understanding of how fast the site will load, and what the shoppers’ experience will be on a mobile phone. Both are critical to improving your site’s conversion rate and building sales.

Questions to ask about automotive eCommerce solutions

Getting a new auto parts website is complex. Here are popular questions.

How do I start an online parts store?
If you don’t already have an online parts store, then first determine your market niche. Successful online auto parts retailers sell into defined market niches. Then you can review this list and get in touch with these web developers.

Where can I sell auto parts?
With an online parts store you can sell auto parts in your state, region, country or anywhere in the world.

Is it possible how to find what eCommerce platform a website uses?
Yes, two popular ways are to use Wappalyzer or BuiltWith.

Here are just a few questions to ask your auto parts website builder:

Platform functionality including checkout and navigation:

What will the website navigation look like? How many clicks will it take to get to a product page?
How many clicks does it take to check out and complete an order? Does the platform have one-page checkout?
How does a customer verify fitment for an auto part to make a purchase on the website?
How does the site work with vehicle selection (year/make/model)?
What is the average website page load time?
How does site search work? How is it maintained and managed? Is there an additional charge for third party search platforms?
Do your websites use a CDN to speed up image load times?

Website technical support:

What technical support for the website is included? Is there an additional charge for technical support?
How reliable is your hosting platform and what is your uptime?
How long does it take to respond to technical support issues? How is the technical support team reached?

Website customization and content:

How much control do I have over the auto parts website’s “look and feel” and branding?
How easily can the auto parts website design be updated?
Is a blog included or integrated with your eCommerce platform?

Automotive parts data and automotive brands:

How is automotive product data added to the website?
How is fitment for products maintained and what is the source for that data? Is it compatible with ACES?
Is automotive data automatically updated on my website and what is the update frequency?
What brands of auto parts do you work with, and am I limited to those brands or are there options for custom data? Can I create/upload my own product data?
How are product prices managed? Are there automated pricing rules for parts, or do parts prices need to be uploaded?

Integration to your own car parts eCommerce business:

What are my options to integrate my website with my parts inventory levels?
Do you work directly with aftermarket drop shipper warehouses?
How is customer credit card information managed and is the website compliant with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS, usually just called “PCI-compliant”)?
What payment gateways do you support?
How are fraud orders prevented and managed? Is fraud detection included in the price?

Help keep this web developer list updated

What do you think about this list? Did we leave any website provider out or is there an error? Please contact us so we can keep this list of automotive eCommerce solutions current.

See more on auto parts website design here.