Offering an eCommerce Feature on Your Website
In the rapidly evolving retail landscape, the demand for online shopping and digital transactions has seeped into every niche, including the traditionally brick-and-mortar stronghold of dealerships. With the rise of eCommerce giants and the colossal shift in consumer behavior, having an online sales platform is no longer just a trend—it's a necessity.
Launching an eCommerce function on your website can seem like a considerable undertaking. A notable challenge is crafting an online customer experience that mirrors the personalized service customers receive in-store. From creating an attractive and seamless shopping layout to offering secure payment portals and streamlined order fulfillment, you may be wondering how you can successfully manage an eCommerce feature.
This in-depth guide is crafted for dealers who are considering taking the digital plunge. It will offer a blueprint to take your website to a new level and transform it into a digital storefront by integrating an eCommerce feature. The strategies provided here will help you set sail on this exciting digital transformation, ensuring that your dealership is well-equipped to offer an online buying process that meets consumers’ expectations.
- Key Considerations for Implementing eCommerce
- Select Your eCommerce Platform
- Integrate eCommerce with Your DMS
- Provide After-Sale Support
- Getting Started with eCommerce
Key Considerations for Implementing eCommerce
For dealers venturing into the world of online commerce, a robust digital toolkit is essential. Here are the fundamental tools required to set up and manage a successful eCommerce platform.
Select Your eCommerce Platform
The backbone of your online store is the eCommerce platform you choose. Key considerations of an efficient eCommerce solution include:
Ease of Use
Prioritize user-friendliness and efficiency, ensuring that the platform is effortless for you to manage and intuitively navigable for your shoppers. You should be able to go into the back end of your eCommerce platform and update your inventory offerings with ease or be able to automate this process by integrating your DMS. Furthermore, should you need it, you will want to confirm whether you’ll have access to a responsive support team who can answer your questions and provide troubleshooting services. Your shoppers should also be able to easily navigate the platform, find the product they want to purchase and proceed through the buying process without hassle.
Complete Buying Experience
eCommerce goes beyond simply providing the information your shoppers need to solidify their purchase decisions (such as detailed unit information, inventory images, customer reviews and pricing information) by allowing shoppers to fully complete a purchase right on your website.
Your eCommerce tool should enable your shoppers to complete the full buying process on your website, including applying for financing, calculating their monthly payments and submitting their payment information. Following the payment submission, they should receive a confirmation of their purchase and, if you offer shipping services, information on how to track their delivery.
Payment Gateways & Secure Transactions
Digital payment methods are increasing in popularity, with a 23% predicted increase in the coming year, according to a 2023 study by PYMNTS. With the increasing risk of data breaches, your online store needs to offer airtight security. Consider popular and trusted payment gateways like PayPal, Stripe and Authorize.net. These gateways not only offer secure transaction processing, but also instill trust in your customers.
Easy Order Tracking & Fulfillment
Make sure that your eCommerce platform includes real-time order tracking to monitor the status of orders. From placement through to delivery, this will ensure timely updates and transparency throughout the process.
In addition, mobile compatibility will ensure that you can manage orders on-the-go, enhancing flexibility and responsiveness. Automated alerts for new orders, shipment statuses and inventory changes will reduce manual monitoring efforts and improves operational efficiency.
If you’re a Dealer Spike customer and have added our Ecommerce tool to your website, you can view and manage your online orders within the Ecommerce platform. Click here to learn how.
Scalability
As consumer demand fluctuates (or your business expands), your eCommerce platform should be able to manage increased traffic without compromising the shopping experience. If you’re in the market to purchase an eCommerce add-on for your website, consider whether the brand is known for innovation and staying on top of market trends. Is their product likely to evolve as consumer behaviors and expectations change over time?
SEO-Friendly
Ensuring your eCommerce platform is built with search engines and online shoppers in mind will have a significant impact on your organic traffic. Visibility is key in the digital world. Implementing robust SEO strategies can help your eCommerce site rank higher in search engine results, drawing more traffic to your website.
Mobile Optimization
A considerable portion of online traffic is generated from mobile devices. According to Similarweb, more than half of traffic is generated by mobile devices. Your eCommerce platform must be mobile optimized to capitalize on this traffic and provide a rich, user-friendly experience.
Integrate eCommerce with Your DMS
One of the main concerns dealers have when considering implementing eCommerce on their website is the time and effort it will take to maintain. However, integrating your DMS with your eCommerce results in a fairly low-effort solution for your dealership.
When a unit, part or accessory is sold or restocked, the system automatically adjusts the inventory levels on your website, preventing overselling and stockouts. This synergy between inventory management and eCommerce allows for a seamless customer experience, where buyers can see available products, variations and quantities in real-time.
For a seamless customer experience, real-time inventory management is non-negotiable. Integrating a system that updates stock levels as purchases are made (both in-store and online) prevents frustrating scenarios where a customer thinks they've secured an item, only to find out it's not available.
It also empowers you to analyze sales data more effectively, identifying trends and making informed decisions about stock levels and product offerings. Ultimately, this integration with your DMS leads to improved operational efficiency, reduced manual labor and increased sales opportunities.
Provide After-Sale Support
eCommerce is not just about selling products; it's also about the service provided after the sale. Offering excellent after-sale support, including clear return policies, effective customer service channels and engaging loyalty programs, can encourage repeat business and build a loyal customer base.
Ensure that your customers understand how they will receive their purchase from your dealership. Will you package and ship the unit or item for them? Do customers have the option to buy online and pick up the item at your dealership? If you offer in-store pickup, be sure to provide your customers with instructions to procure their purchase, as well as contact information if they have any questions.
No matter how your customers receive their purchase, you have the opportunity to upsell or cross-sell customers by ensuring they’re aware of genuine parts and accessories that they may need for maintenance or customization. You can do this by featuring these items on your website or connecting with customers when they arrive at your dealership to pick up their purchase.
Getting Started with eCommerce
Implementing eCommerce features on your website is not just about staying competitive—it's about meeting the expectations of modern consumers in the digital age. By choosing the right tools and adhering to best practices, you can turn your online store into a powerful platform that complements the exhilarating experience of powersports.
If you’re in the market for an eCommerce solution, learn how Dealer Spike's eCommerce tool can deliver a streamlined buying process for your online shoppers. Available directly on the front end of Dealer Spike websites, our platform is designed to seamlessly integrate inventory management with a robust eCommerce system that delivers the inventory categories to support your sales goals.