You’re probably aware that there’s a lot of Dealer interest to get their Parts inventory online. If you’re interested in making available Commercial Truck, Trailer and Equipment Parts online to consumers for purchase, read on to learn about the Pros and Cons of an E-Commerce Parts store.
THE PROS AND CONS OF E-COMMERCE
Given E-Commerce is a game changer for most industries, it doesn’t come without some issues. Here are some Pros and Cons of running a Parts E-Commerce online store.
PROS
1. Low Overhead – Gone are the days of expensive building leases and physical stores. With E-Commerce, the only physical space you’ll be paying for is disk space.
2. 24hr Sales – Let the website sell for you. It doesn’t replace a knowledgeable Parts Counter-person but if done right, you can retain customer service and profit from automated sales.
3. Sell Anywhere – Sell to customers anywhere in the world. Really.
4. Metrics – Track your sales, best sellers, best costumers, etc. Reports can be customized and generated however and whenever you like.
5. Personalized Online Experience – Enhance the returning customer experience by showing them parts they’ve shown interest in or bought before.
6. Re-target & Re-market – Track people who browsed particular parts and market to them elsewhere such as Facebook or LinkedIn.
7. Search Engine Optimization – All your parts data gets indexed and searchable on Google and Bing. Want a way to bring more traffic to your website? Here you go.
CONS
1. Site Crash – Your business is dependent on your E-Commerce Site. If it’s down, so is this part of your business.
2. Refunds – Issuing refunds can be a little more tricky due to return shipping needs.
3. Shipping – If you’re going to fulfill your own orders, you still have to ship the parts.
As you can see, the Pros out-weigh the Cons but there’s always more in the details. Contact Us to learn more about E-Commerce and if an E-Commerce solution is right for you.
