If you want to sell car parts, you don’t need to attend trade shows or roam salvage yards. The world is going digital, and this includes the automotive industry. The auto aftermarket industry will continue to grow at 3% per year until 2030.
There’s never been a better time to sell car parts—as long as you know how to scale your online operations efficiently. The good news is that several online platforms can help you easily connect with more shoppers to meet demand.
But these sales channels have their pros and cons. Each platform has a different reputation, fees, and features. You must choose a car parts platform that fits your business model and goals to succeed as an all-star automotive parts seller.
Let’s look at several top online marketplaces for selling car parts quickly. We’ll dig into the pros and cons of each platform, as well as offer tips and tricks to help you rake in more online sales.
Amazon Marketplace
If you want to be top-of-mind for online shoppers, Amazon is a good platform to add to your mix. This eCommerce site gets over 197 million visitors a month in 2023.
That’s an impressive number, but Amazon Marketplace's 15% year-over-year growth in the auto parts category makes it even more of a contender.
Amazon offers auto parts sellers a lot
Amazon is one of the best platforms to sell your auto parts and accessories online because it makes it easy for buyers and sellers.
Finding the right part is a simple process, thanks to Amazon’s Part Finders. It uses advanced technology to list millions of parts. Plus, with Amazon, you can add detailed fitment data to your product images and descriptions to ensure customers find precisely what they need.
Understanding Amazon's selling plans
While there are great benefits, Amazon isn’t a free platform. To start selling auto parts and accessories on Amazon, you must buy an individual or professional selling plan.
The individual selling plan costs $0.99 per unit, and the professional selling plan costs $39.99/mo. regardless of how many units you sell.
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💡Expert insight The Automotive & Powersports product category is a gated category available only to Professional sellers, and it falls under the list of categories on Amazon that require approval before you can sell. To sell automotive and Powersports parts, tools, equipment, and accessories, you must either be a seller on the Professional selling plan with an account in good standing or have an independent auto parts eCommerce website that Amazon can review. |
Amazon Marketplace sellers are also required to pay Amazon a percentage of the total price, which includes the item’s price, shipping cost, and any gift-wrapping charges.
Pricing plans and functionality aside, we have listed the pros and cons of choosing Amazon to sell auto parts below.
Pros of Amazon Marketplace
✅Large customer base: Amazon Marketplace has a vast customer base. It’s the largest marketplace for auto parts and accessories, which allows you to earn a decent living by selling on the platform.
✅Credibility and trust: Amazon is a household name backed by guarantees that protect buyers from scams. Every retailer that lists their items on Amazon gains credibility and trust.
✅Ship globally: Amazon’s global shipping program ships over 100 million products to over 100 countries worldwide.
✅Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA): If you aren’t dropshipping, Amazon’s fulfillment centers can help you manage your inventory. Ship your car parts to a fulfillment center, and Amazon will take care of storage, packing, and shipping—for a fee, of course.
Cons of Amazon Marketplace
❌High costs: Amazon doesn’t offer free or sample listings, so you must spend money to test-drive the platform. The fees can add up long-term, especially when you opt for FBA.
❌Lack of brand control: Amazon has strict rules and regulations for auto part listings. This could inhibit your ability to brand your products.
❌High competition: Unsurprisingly, competition is fierce on Amazon. There are over 2 million active sellers on Amazon, so you’ll have to fight to gain a top spot in the search listings.
❌Lenient returns: Amazon offers a 30-day no-questions-asked return policy. That’s good news for shoppers but bad news for sellers. Amazon expects you to issue refunds ASAP, which can be overwhelming and time-consuming.
Amazon's auto parts selling guidelines
If you are ready to start selling, keep in mind that Amazon also has strict rules in place for all auto parts sellers, such as:
⚠️No selling of safety parts (e.g. seat belts, airbags)
⚠️No selling of used auto parts; you can only sell OE or OEM parts
⚠️No selling of used tires
⚠️New tires must meet the standards outlined in the Compliance Checklist for Tires on Amazon.
All products must come with a warranty from the original equipment manufacturer or the remanufacturer.
You’ll also need to follow all applicable state and federal laws for the car parts or accessories you sell.
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eBay Motors
The automotive industry is so big that it warranted an entire platform segment dedicated to auto parts and accessories. eBay Motors has over 110 million auto part listings at any given time. The platform sells three parts or accessories every second, so it’s clearly a popular option for selling auto parts online.
eBay Motors specializes in auto parts, so you get tools, services, and enhancements dedicated to your eCommerce niche. This makes it easier to manage your store and give shoppers the personalized online experience they crave.
eBay makes selling parts simple with fitment information
One of the best features this platform offers for people looking to sell auto parts online is its eBay Parts Compatibility feature. This tool allows sellers to find fitment data and specify which vehicles a particular part or accessory fits. This feature is great for categories like auto parts, where a single part might be compatible with multiple makes, models, or years of vehicles.
It’s fairly easy to get started
The good news is that eBay Motors allows you to test-drive the platform. You can create 250 eBay Motors listings for free. The catch is that eBay Motors will charge you a 10% final sale fee on every transaction. Even so, it’s still cheaper than Amazon, especially if you want to test the platform.
We discuss the pros and cons of eBay below, to help you decide if eBay is a good option for you.
Pros of eBay Motors
✅Better for casual sellers: eBay sellers who list 250 or fewer listings don’t pay additional fees. But if you list more than 250 products, you pay extra fees. For that reason, smaller sellers can preserve more of their profits on eBay Motors. With a Spark Shipping integration, eBay sellers can automate most of the running of their eBay store, which makes it great for a side hustle.
✅User-friendly interface: eBay is a simple site, so you don’t have to worry about learning how to use complicated software.
✅Reputation: People might not know you, but they know eBay. eBay Motors is a good platform with a solid reputation, so you stand to make more sales under the eBay name.
✅Large customer base: eBay has a large customer base of over 159 million active transactions and 2 billion daily transactions. It would take ages to generate that kind of traffic on your own website, so eBay Motors can significantly increase your sales.
✅Global shipping options: eBay Motors’ international standard delivery enables sellers to ship their items to buyers in 210 countries. You only need to print out eBay’s international label; the platform handles the rest.
✅Built-in feedback system: If you take care of your customers, you’ll build a solid reputation for yourself on eBay Motors. Set your feedback to “public” to prove that you offer an outstanding customer experience.
Cons of eBay Motors
❌Fees: Listing fees, upgrades, and final value fee can affect your profits. These fees can increase quickly, especially if you sell high-value auto parts and accessories.
❌High competition: Chances are, a seller on eBay Motors is already selling the exact same part you’re about to offer. eBay Motors is a highly competitive platform, so you’ll have to fight tooth and nail to stand out from the competition.
❌Lenient returns: eBay Motors has a liberal return policy. This makes it easy for buyers to return auto parts, which, unfortunately, can make your job more difficult.
Walmart Marketplace
Walmart Marketplace isn’t as big as Amazon or eBay Motors, but it’s still a good option for selling car parts. Walmart Marketplace has more than 150,000 sellers and about 220 million customers visiting the site weekly.
Like Amazon and eBay, Walmart also offers a platform tailored to the needs of car parts sellers.
There’s just one wrinkle. To sell auto parts and accessories on Walmart, you must be an established online seller with a physical store or have an existing auto parts website. In essence, you need a proven online sales track record, whether that's on your website, Amazon, or eBay.
Walmart needs to approve you before you can start selling. You need to sign up for a Walmart Sellers account and go through the two- to three-week onboarding process before you can sell a single car part.
Pros of Walmart Marketplace
✅Less competition: Walmart has less competition than Amazon and eBay because fewer sellers are on the platform. This makes it easier to tap into the car parts niche.
✅High-intent buyers: The average Walmart Marketplace buyer is a middle-class homeowner. They tend to have more disposable income, which means they’re more likely to buy high-value car parts and accessories.
✅No hidden fees: Walmart won’t charge you any setup, monthly, or hidden fees. However, it does charge a final sales fee on each product sold on the platform.
✅Reputation for quality: Since only approved sellers appear on Walmart’s marketplace, it upholds a higher quality standard than other platforms.
✅Dedicated support: It's harder to get in with Walmart, but if you do, you’ll have access to a dedicated support team to help you succeed on the platform.
Cons of Walmart Marketplace
❌Smaller customer base: Walmart Marketplace’s buyer base is only a fraction of what you’ll see on eBay or Amazon.
❌Limited product categories: Walmart Marketplace currently offers limited product categories, which could restrict your selling options.
❌Not accessible for beginners: Walmart Marketplace wants to partner with sellers with a track record. If you don’t have experience selling auto parts, Walmart won’t approve you as a seller.
❌No individual plan: You must have a business license to sell on Walmart Marketplace.
| 💎 Ready to start selling car parts on Walmart Marketplace? Check out our guide How To Build A Walmart Dropshipping Business and Successfully Selling On Walmart Marketplace! |
Custom eCommerce Store
Online marketplaces are not your only option to sell car parts online. You can also create a custom website for your online automotive parts store.
This has several advantages, as it gives you complete control over your online store. This means you can decide exactly which car parts you want to sell and it lets you set your own prices.
You can customize your website exactly how you want and tailor it to your brand and customers.
However, running your website comes with challenges, as you will have to ensure that your potential customers can find you and trust your site enough to buy from it.
Of course, having your own website doesn’t mean you can’t sell via online marketplaces like eBay or Facebook Marketplace, too. Selling across multiple platforms, including your website, is a very good strategy.
Pros of your store
✅Your customers are your own: When customers buy directly from you, they are your customers and not a marketplace's users, which means you have complete access to their data.
✅No restriction on prices: You can set your own prices across unlimited product categories.
✅Customizable shopping experience: You can customize and tailor your online store to your customers.
✅Targeted marketing: You can use your customer data for personalized marketing.
Cons of your own store
❌Need to build your own customer base: You need to generate your own traffic via channels like paid ads and search engine optimization (SEO) to drive sales.
❌Cost: Some of the main challenges are that you must build and maintain your website and spend money on marketing.
❌Fulfillment & shipping: You are responsible for order fulfillment, so if you are not dropshipping, you will need to use a third-party logistics company to handle shipping.
Tips for Selling Car Parts Online
Regardless of whether you sell on Amazon Marketplace, eBay Motors, or Walmart Marketplace, you still need to optimize your listings to make the most sales possible.
Every platform has its quirks, but these tips will help you gain more visibility and fast-track your reputation as an auto parts seller:
🚀Find a niche
Unless you’re well-established as an auto parts seller, you should find an accessible niche when you're getting started. Instead of targeting generic products, opt for less popular items with a cult following. It might sound counterintuitive, but this will make boosting your SEO and building a following much easier. For example, decide whether you want to target car enthusiasts, DIYers, or car owners.
🚀Use high-quality images
This isn’t the time for grainy pictures. No matter where you’re selling, you must offer multiple high-quality images to grab buyers’ attention. Try to take photos of the products in use so shoppers can see your products in action.
🚀Start small
Don’t specialize in engines right out of the gate. Start by selling small yet popular auto parts accessories. These are cheaper to store and require less of a commitment. Buyers are likely to impulsively buy affordable accessories, which can help you generate more sales and build a reputation more quickly.
🚀Collect customer reviews
Online shoppers are wary of scams. Show you’re legitimate by displaying glowing customer reviews on your online car parts store.
🚀Set realistic prices
Everyone loves a good deal; competitive prices will bring buyers to your site. Keep a close eye on your margins to ensure you’re profitable enough to stay in the black.
Sell Auto Parts Online with Spark Shipping
Regardless of where you decide to sell auto parts online, you’ll need the right digital toolkit to tame the potential chaos. Spark Shipping integrates with Amazon Marketplace, eBay Motors, Walmart Marketplace, your website, and other platforms to run an auto parts eCommerce store for you.
Rely on Spark Shipping to automate your inventory management, price automation, fitment data, order fulfillment, tracking updates, and more. See how we can level up your auto parts operation: Get a Spark Shipping demo now.