Customers are shopping differently, but they’re not abandoning local dealerships — they’re just starting online. Stark Street Lawn & Garden, a six-location Oregon dealer serving customers since 1965, saw that shift early and decided to make buying as easy as researching.
Known for assembling and testing every unit before it leaves the store — and backing each one with full-service support — Stark Street wanted to keep that personal reputation while offering a faster, modern way to buy.
The Problem with Redirects
Before adopting Whole Goods eCommerce, Stark Street’s “buy online” buttons sent shoppers to OEM checkout pages — one for each brand. The result: inconsistent experiences, abandoned carts, and extra work managing multiple systems.
Customers research across multiple brands and narrow to a short list,” said Chad Wheeler, Inventory and Online Specialist at Stark Street Lawn & Garden. “As eCommerce giants chip away at small-business market share, adapting has become essential. We want to show up where they shop and capture as much visibility as possible
Like many OPE dealerships, Stark Street’s team wears many hats. They needed a tool that kept shoppers on their website — not another platform to maintain. Managing multiple brand sites was taking time away from customers, and it was clear they needed a better way.
The Solution: Dealer-Hosted Checkout that Fits OPE
When Dealer Spike introduced Whole Goods eCommerce — a “buy online, pick up in-store” solution designed for OPE dealers — Stark Street jumped at the chance to pilot it. The goal: a consistent checkout right on their own site.
The impact was immediate. New customers discovered Stark Street online, and for the first time, big-ticket units, like riding mowers, were sold directly through their website. Hosting checkout on Stark Street’s site also kept ad dollars local — instead of sending shoppers to OEM pages.
“Tailoring that buying experience and making it easier for customers to add something to a cart and check out in a continuous experience,” Wheeler said, “one hundred percent will result in recapturing some of those advertising dollars.”
Keeping It Local, Not Logistical
Instead of managing shipping logistics or battery regulations, Stark Street leaned on what already worked — in-store pickup and local delivery. Their drivers drop off equipment within about 15 miles, offering a personal handoff and eliminating the headaches of shipping carriers.
It’s a model that fits naturally with how outdoor power dealers already do business. Whole Goods eCommerce doesn’t turn dealerships into online warehouses; it makes buying simple for customers while keeping service and relationships local.
Real Results Dealers Can Measure
Since implementing Whole Goods eCommerce, Stark Street has sold more than $20,000 in whole goods online, accounting for roughly 10% of their online business. They’ve also sold riding mowers online for the first time, with ticket sizes reaching $4,600.
More than half of their online buyers are brand-new customers, proving that online selling doesn’t just serve existing walk-ins — it also attracts new local business. Repeat buyers are coming back too, with “buy online, pick up in-store” becoming part of their routine.
One customer who purchased a log splitter summed up their experience:
“Simple and easy. I bought it online, got an email that it was ready the next day, and when I showed up, they hitched it up to my truck. They’d already assembled and tested it. Awesome interaction from beginning to end.”
That feedback captures the goal perfectly — online convenience with the same trusted, face-to-face service.
Advice from a Dealer Who’s Been There
Wheeler’s advice to other dealers is simple: you don’t have to overhaul your business to start selling online.
Get started — pick one brand, get it listed, and you’ll see how easy it is. It’s like having a 24/7 salesperson for your store.”
For Stark Street, Whole Goods eCommerce fit naturally into their existing process — expanding visibility while allowing their staff to stay focused on what matters most: providing knowledgeable expert service and ready-to-work equipment.
The Takeaway
Stark Street’s story proves that online selling isn’t extra work — it’s how local dealerships stay competitive.
By pairing convenience with trusted, service-first values, Whole Goods eCommerce helps OPE dealers capture more buyers online while keeping fulfillment and relationships local.
See How Stark Street Did It
Learn how a six-location OPE dealership simplified checkout, kept shoppers on their site, and sold high-value units online for the first time.