As the Parts Manager of a new car dealership, one of your goals is to go into every new year with a plan to make improvements to support a more profitable future. This means driving more parts sales and improving operations in the department.
If you are not sure what you should be prioritizing in 2023, don’t worry. We’ve created a list of six opportunities for your parts department to seize this year.
#1 – Tighten Operations in the Department
Finding ways for your parts department to run more efficiently will lead to a more productive parts team and more parts sales. Help your employees find ways to work smarter, not harder.
By improving operations in the parts department, your parts team will be able to be more productive. This is especially important for parts departments that are short-staffed and overwhelmed with parts orders. By leading a more efficient team, your department can do more with less staff–including expanding your parts business.
#2 – Get Rid of Your Parts Form
Let’s face it–in 2023, the parts form on your dealership website is dead. Your customers hate it and rarely fill it out. It is outdated and confusing to the modern buyer. Today, consumers are used to instant gratification. When they want to know something, they’re used to being able to look it up; when they want to purchase something, they’re used to picking up their mobile device and hitting the ‘buy now’ button. With the parts form, the consumer has to spend time filling out form details and then wait for a response. This creates more work for the customer and the parts advisors.
It’s no surprise the average parts form only has an average 5% conversion rate. Instead, add your parts inventory directly to your dealership website. This will allow your customers to see what parts you have in stock instantly, get a quote, and even purchase the part for pick-up or delivery.
#3 – Use Online Marketplaces to Offload Obsolescence
Obsolescence is often a high priority for parts departments, and the goal is to get that rate as low as possible. Today, the average parts department has an average obsolescence rate of 30%, despite the ideal goal being under 2%.
2023 is the year your parts department should say bye-bye to obsolescence. One of the best ways to eliminate aging and obsolete parts is to sell them on eBay Motors, today’s biggest online marketplace for automotive parts. With three parts sold every second, obsolete parts are considered hot commodities on eBay Motors.
#4 – Expand Your Parts Business by Selling Online
Driving more local business to your parts department is a great way to generate more revenue. Still, if you want to expand your business and maximize your sales, you should consider selling online to sell nationally.
By selling parts and accessories online, you open your parts department to millions of buyers across the country. Fortunately, there are also several selling channels you can choose to sell from, including your dealership website, a dedicated parts web store, or online marketplaces like eBay and Amazon.
RevolutionParts can get your parts department selling online with its own branded web store. With a web store, you can implement more SEO tools and marketing strategies, making it easier for national buyers to find you and shop directly from your store. Additionally, through marketplaces, you can access an already-acquired customer base and built-in buyer confidence.
#5 – Market Your Parts Department
Whether you are selling online or over the counter, you should be doing some marketing to drive more consumers to purchase from your parts department. Digital marketing can give your parts department the boost it needs to generate more sales. Unfortunately, 23% of parts departments do not use any marketing.
The online retail market is full of competition, and marketing can help consumers find your parts business. If your department sells online without incorporating marketing, it misses out on a big piece of the market. To drive more awareness, engagement, and sales, your marketing strategies should be focused on search engine optimization (SEO), paid ads (PPC), and email marketing.
Incorporating marketing into your strategy for 2023 can help you turn your parts department into a revenue-generating machine. For example, dealers that invest in marketing services with RevolutionParts saw an 8.75X return on ad spend (ROAS), and a 10X return on marketing spend (ROMS) in 2022.
Make 2023 the Best Year for Parts!
It’s a new year, which means new opportunities for your parts department. To make 2023 the best year for the parts department, find ways to update how your department operates and sells parts.
The best way to do this is with RevolutionParts. With our all-in-one platform, you can streamline operations, offload more obsolescence, expand your business, and generate new revenue streams. Schedule a demo today to learn how we can get your parts department off to the right start!
