ATLANTA — Website developer CarCareCONNECT has developed an e-commerce selling platform that will allow local auto repair shops to build their online presence in order to stay competitive with big online retailers such as Amazon.com and Groupon.
CarCareCONNECT said its new e-commerce offering will give auto repair shops the ability to align their product and service offerings with how consumers are shopping today — by combining marketing, engagement and a full online transaction.
"Similar situations have happened in other industries," CarCareCONNECT CEO Vu Hoang said, noting that consumers today prefer not to visit a brick-and-mortar business before making a buying decision.
"Airbnb took market share from the hospitality industry, Uber from the transportation industry, and now companies like Amazon and Groupon are targeting the auto repair industry," he said.
"In the end, the people that hurt the most are the small business owners. We want to give independent shop owners the best chance to succeed by developing tools and technology that will keep them competitive."
The new e-commerce platform will allow auto repair shops to connect their merchant account to the platform and receive 100% of the sale profits instead of paying a percentage to a third-party platform, like Groupon, CarCareCONNECT said.
This is a strategy that has been implemented by many other industries, the Atlanta-based company said, and has been credited with improving overall customer loyalty in the long run.
In addition to auto repair product inventory, CarCareCONNECT's e-commerce offering includes pre-built subscription plans that auto shops can sell directly on their websites and in-person.
The subscription plans offer multi-packs of auto repair services at a discount. For example, a three- or six-pack of oil changes can be bought at a discount to ensure customers will come back for a year or more.
Employing CarCareCONNECT's new online store capabilities will provide subscribers access to a full library of assets to distribute and promote their store across the internet, including items such as pre-built email and text campaigns, Facebook and Google ads, cart abandonment-retargeting ads, landing pages and more.
The library of distribution assets are included as part of an all-in-one growth marketing platform that also includes a customizable website, CRM, landing pages, paid advertising, and text and email automation. These features will allow shops to better connect, engage and win more customers.
Angie King, director of marketing and communications for Killian Automotive of Canton, Ga. — an early adopter of the CarCareCONNECT e-commerce feature — said, "We strive to remain innovative, and we believe e-commerce integration will enhance our customer experience by giving them the convenience to purchase automotive services on our website."
CarCareCONNECT said it already has more than 1,000 customers using the platform.