The supplier of car batteries, spark plugs and other parts that keep cars and trucks in operation, recently relaunched CONNECTION, an online parts-ordering tool that business customers access via ACDelco.com/connection to place orders with more than 120 of ACDelco’s main distributors.

ACDelco, an auto parts division of General Motors Corp., is motoring full-speed into business-to-business e-commerce.

The supplier of car batteries, spark plugs and other parts that keep cars and trucks in operation, recently relaunched CONNECTION, an online parts-ordering tool that business customers access via ACDelco.com/connection to place orders with more than 120 of ACDelco’s main distributors. CONNECTION part sellers are the distributors and retail auto parts stores, or “jobbers,” that sell ACDelco products as well as other auto parts brands to professional mechanics, repair shops and corporate fleet operations. ACDelco also operates ACDelcoShop.com, where individual mechanics, repair shops and company fleet operations can purchase professional tools for installing auto parts.

ACDelco’s CONNECTION ordering tool was designed to go beyond what might be expected in a typical online auto parts store or marketplace. In addition to providing several ways for buyers to quickly find what they need among countless SKU combinations for virtually any GM motor vehicle by make, model and year, CONNECTION provides tons of data related to such trends as how specific auto parts are being replaced in particular types of vehicles, by the geographic location of where repairs were made. With that kind of information, says Kelli Abbott, global e-commerce development manager for GM’s Customer Care and Aftersales division, or CCA, technicians can be proactive in recommending work while the customer’s car is in for service, Abbott says. CCA worked with WHI Solutions, an eBay Inc. company, to relaunch CONNECTION on WHI’s Nexpart e-commerce technology platform.

When deciding what to purchase, CONNECTION customers can view various types of market and product information from a list of data reports:

Service trends—This tool for technicians shows the top 40 repairs completed in their region of the country in the last six months on the vehicle they selected. They can then be more proactive in recommending and making appropriate repairs, and keep a watch repair trends of certain part types, Abbott says.

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Favorite jobs—Repair shops and individual service technicians can develop “favorite job” profiles containing parts they typically order for certain types of jobs—such as combining an order for a timing chain with a retractor arm—to quickly order everything they need to properly service a vehicle. When they select a favorite job while searching for parts, a list of multiple parts for that job will appear, saving them an extensive amount of time finding the right parts.

Multiple search methods—Customers can view recent searches to return to prior search criteria, view products by multiple groups and subgroups, and use natural language search for products, by entering commonly used terms to find products. When customers complained about having to enter “O2 oxygen sensor” for a device they commonly refer to as simply an “O2,” ACDelco modified the search function to respond to the abbreviated version. They can also use a mobile app to scan a vehicle identification number to get an accurate list of parts for a vehicle’s year, make, model and engine.

Other business supply tools—ACDelco offers GM Service Information (GMSi) and TIS2Web earn-back opportunities when qualifying ACDelco products are acquired via CONNECTION (not applicable in Massachusetts).

ACDelco’s distribution partners provide same-day shipping for online orders. CONNECTION enables customers to review placed orders, and some can view delivery status, Abbott says.

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ACDelco’s e-commerce technology is based on the Nexpart platform from WHI Solutions, an eBay Inc. company.

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