February 22, 2024

Rev Up Your Automotive Aftermarket Online Sales: Unleashing the Power of HawkSearch

The automotive aftermarket remains a powerhouse in the global economy, with its online footprint steadily growing. The market is expected to grow in the coming years, surpassing the size of 400 billion U.S. dollars in 2025. Despite this, only 5% of sales currently transpire online, although approximately half of all aftermarket purchases are influenced by digital research.

In today's automotive aftermarket, product databases are not just vast but also intricately structured. This underscores the essential role of AI-driven site search in the industry. Advanced on-site search platforms such as HawkSearch are pivotal in streamlining the presentation of data within complex catalogs, enabling swift and efficient part identification. Securing a competitive advantage hinges on being the first among aftermarket distributors to adopt cutting-edge site search technology.

The Automotive Aftermarket

In this industry, the focus lies in supplying vehicle maintenance parts post-sale, necessitating a comprehensive inventory spanning every make, model, and recent year in the automotive landscape. With this perspective, managing the multitude of SKUs associated with 20,000 product types becomes staggering. Retailers and distributors face the daunting task of organizing their product databases to maintain operational efficiency and competitiveness.

Moreover, the industry grapples with unique customer purchasing behaviors. Buyers extensively research online to locate the ideal part, often culminating in an in-person purchase. Aftermarket retailers and distributors can leverage this by enhancing the customer's research journey. Offering pertinent, transparent, and informative product details in a user-friendly manner not only bolsters buyer confidence in the part's fitment but also positions the retailer as a trusted resource for future online purchases. This approach amplifies the competitive edge, driving increased sales and conversions for aftermarket businesses.

The Ultimate Solution for Automotive Retailers

HawkSearch stands out as the ultimate site search solution for retailers seeking to elevate traffic, conversions, and their customers’ average order value. While numerous out-of-the-box solutions exist, HawkSearch distinguishes itself with extensive automotive expertise and over 12 years of service in the eCommerce sector. For retailers aiming to enhance online sales and customer satisfaction, HawkSearch emerges as the premier choice.

With seamless integrations across a wide array of eCommerce platforms, HawkSearch offers intelligent site search capabilities and data normalization features driven by cutting-edge machine learning technology. Catering to customers with varying search intents, HawkSearch simplifies information gathering and delivers relevant results effortlessly. Tailored features like the Universal Search Bar and Search Information Manager are specifically crafted to empower automotive aftermarket retailers, driving not only increased traffic and conversions but also elevating the overall customer experience beyond competitors' capabilities.

Fully Automated Measurement Conversion

Enter HawkSearch's Measurement Conversion feature, a game-changer in its league, offering unmatched capabilities that set it apart from the competition. With a suite of features including in-depth unit of measure conversion, data normalization, and SKU catalog support, this out-of-the-box feature redefines search sophistication.

Measurement conversion feature revolutionizes the search experience, enabling customers to search in their preferred terms without compromising result accuracy. It intelligently discerns the relationships between measurements, effortlessly returning precise results regardless of search input variation. Whether it's "6in," "6 inches," "6”," or "0.5 feet," the conversion technology seamlessly interprets these queries as equivalent measurements, ensuring consistent and relevant search outcomes.

Moreover, HawkSearch’s data normalization prowess streamlines product data indexing and reindexing processes, ensuring the seamless organization and maintenance of expansive SKU databases. By connecting product information to pertinent search terms, this feature optimizes data indexing, simplifying product databases for both buyers and sellers alike. With HawkSearch's data normalization abilities, search sophistication reaches new heights, transforming the online shopping experience for all.

Drive Online Success

In the realm of mechanics and automotive enthusiasts, having the right tool is crucial for solving any problem. The same principle applies to navigating websites: if visitors can't easily find what they're looking for, they'll quickly seek alternatives. For aftermarket retailers, leveraging HawkSearch is key to driving online success, ensuring customers fully access their product catalog's value.

HawkSearch offers multifaceted benefits, enhancing average order value with autocompleted product recommendations in the search bar, employing machine-learned personalization to recall returning customer orders, and addressing data inconsistencies across various platforms like PIM, ERP, and commerce systems.

By enhancing the customer search journey and delivering personalized experiences, automotive aftermarket retailers can boost sales both online and in-person. Establishing themselves as e-commerce frontrunners, they guarantee revenue growth by offering a service that entices buyers to return eagerly.

To explore how HawkSearch uniquely benefits automotive aftermarket distributors, download our infographic or schedule a call with our sales team today.

by Nick Zerbst

Latest blog posts