When you think about shopping for car parts online, which of these questions come to mind?
- Is it smart to buy auto parts online?
- Would it save you or cost you money to buy your car parts online?
- Do you get what you see?
I know several people who won't dare to buy anything online—not groceries, not clothing, and most certainly not auto parts.
If you're one of the folks I've just described, rest assured, I understand your situation. I've found that bad experiences—either personal or third party ones— and lack of knowledge in this space has contributed significantly to this e-commerce paranoia. You have misgivings about buying auto parts online, and that’s understandable. In this post, we'll provide answers to some of those lingering doubts. Let's jump right in!
Should You Buy Auto Parts Online In Australia?
The answer to this question is a resounding yes. Let's kick things off by talking about what I’ve found out in response to the customers' biggest concern—quality-related concerns.
1. Online car auto part stores are not unsafe.
Quality-related issues are probably the most significant concern that buyers have when shopping online. And that makes sense: caveat emptor, after all! Thankfully, online retailers have set up several layers of checks to help you make better buying decisions.
Let me tell you a short story. I wanted to buy a power bank some time ago, so I surfed the net to search for one. After a short while, I found one that looked amazing: it was a 10,000MAh capacity bank with a solar charge feature. To top it all up, it was relatively cheap. I loved it! All of a sudden, my eyes fell on the reviews section. There, I found terrible reviews upon terrible reviews that had been left by previous buyers. I thought, ‘Thank God I read the reviews!’
The point is that you can do a few things to help ensure you purchase top-quality products when shopping online. More on this later in the post.
2. Online stores offer a wider range of parts.
With the exclusive range of auto brands available now, it can sometimes be challenging to find needed car parts in a bricks and mortar shop. Business models, such as dropshipping and ‘buyer meet sellers’ are now en vogue, thus inventory is not as big a problem for online shops as it is for traditional shops. Shopping online, therefore, offers you a more diverse auto part shopping experience.
Why go through the stress of hopping from one shop to another, searching for a specific car part when you can simply pick your phone, swipe, swipe again, type, type some more, click a few, and have your part delivered to you? Your call!
3. Online stores are less expensive, more often than not.
Online stores have lower overhead. As a result, they can offer lower prices to their clients. It gets better. The growing saturation of the Australian online auto part market works in your favour. Not only does the competition mean that you’ll have access to a wider variety of parts, but it also means you get better pricing too.
Where Is The Best Place To Buy Auto Parts Online?
This is a slightly complicated question to answer since there are no hard and fast rules guiding where to buy a car part. With that said, here’s a simple 6-point guide that you’ll find incredibly helpful. It will help you significantly limit your risks when making your auto part purchase decisions.
1. Know your supplier.
Take time to check out the website well. The website should be frequently updated, contain all vital information about the company, and have previous clients and feedback. If a website has got all of that, it’s a good sign.
2. Understand the auto market.
Compare prices from various websites to understand what the part should cost on an average. Understand fundamental differences between the choices available and their reliability; OE (Original Equipment or Genuine), OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer), Aftermarket, and Used. The more you know, the likelier you are to get the right product and the best deals. Don’t compare the price of an EO with a used part. In other words, compare apples to apples.
3. Choose websites with return policy and warranty.
A return policy is an agreement that allows you to return products with defects or those that vary significantly from what was displayed. This enables you to return the product if it malfunctions or is not satisfied after a few delivery days.
The warranty is the duration provided as a guarantee with which the product is to remain functional. Within this period, it is expected that if the product stops functioning without intentional damage, it could be returned for replacement.
4. Look deeper into the websites’ reviews and feedback from previous customers.
When you are looking to buy from a website, especially one you know little about, check for reviews. Have it in mind that even the best websites have bad reviews on them. Don't try to find a flawless online shop. They may not exist. What you should do, instead, is look at how the business responds to negative feedback. That should give you a hint of whether or not you want to do business with them.
5. Rely on websites with a proven reputation.
This goes right along with customer feedback. It is crucial to regard qualities like integrity, reputation, and knowledge over cost when searching where to buy auto parts online. In essence, look for websites with a track record of delivering on client needs. Third-party review sites such as Yelp, or Google reviews, may be helpful here.
6. Make use of websites with OEM number search.
The Original Equipment Manufacturer number is what determines replacement compatibility. The OEM number eliminates every form of guesswork on the compatibility of the part to be purchased. Therefore, it is essential to use an online vendor that allows the OEM number, brand, year, and model to reference the search.
How Do You Find Car Part Sellers In Australia Fast?
Is it okay to toot our horns? Carpart.com.au is one of the best places to locate car part sellers online in Australia. It has a FREE-to-use auto parts finder, which connects buyers to a network of 500 certified part sellers located across Australia and New Zealand, making your shopping experience easy and convenient. Whatever carpart you need, we can find it for you speedily, conveniently, and affordably. Just request a part by filling out an online form, and Carpart will be at your rescue.
By Damilare Olasinde