Turn 14 Distribution is a company riding a fast growth curve in the automotive parts industry.

Dan Ziegler, Business Partner Integration Manager, Turn 14 Distribution

In March, Horsham, Pennsylvania-based Turn 14 Distribution opened in Indiana its fourth and largest distribution center, enabling it to promise 1-day shipping to 60% of the U.S. population and 2-day service to 100%. It also ships globally.

The company — whose name comes from the fourteenth and last turn on the 4.05-mile Road America racetrack in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, where professional and amateur drivers push their driving skills and high-performance motor vehicles to their limits — is focused on expediting fulfillment and deliveries to online and physical retailers.

To keep Turn 14 Distribution’s growing network of merchant clients fed with the most recent product data and images for its 580,000 available products from more than 400 suppliers, the distributor has integrated its product catalog and related applications with merchants’ ecommerce software platforms. In addition to auto parts and accessories, Turn 14 also handles parts for powersports vehicles including all-terrain vehicles and motorcycles.

Last fall, the distributor integrated its technology with X-Cart, an ecommerce platform that caters to the automotive parts aftermarket. The X-Cart integration provides Turn 14 Distribution’s client merchants with product pricing automation, inventory updates, drop-shipping services and product catalogs.

Up-to-the-minute inventory feeds

“We’re excited to bring on more ecommerce platforms, especially those committed to the aftermarket industry like X-Cart, to be directly and fully integrated with Turn 14 Distribution,” says Dan Ziegler, Turn 14 Distribution’s Business Partner Integration manager. “With up-to-the-minute inventory feeds, real-time order processing, live shipping rates, and 7 day-a-week operations, our aftermarket dealers can thrive with our robust distribution services and proprietary technologies within their X-Cart website.”

Jordan Checketts, chief operating officer of X-Cart, said the integration with Turn 14 Distribution is a key part of the ecommerce technology company’s strategy of supporting merchants with the product information and images they need to attract buyers, boost conversion rates and grow sales.

“We are providing automotive businesses with a comprehensive ecommerce solution, so having Turn 14 Distribution as a reliable parts distributor will empower our customers to thrive in the competitive market,” Checketts says. “This integration allows us to provide a full cycle, complete infrastructure of synched automotive services on our platform that will ultimately help increase distribution.”

More online upgrades to come

Ziegler says Turn 14 Distribution will continue to upgrade its internet connections to merchants “so that it’s easier for them to find the products they need and have the data they need to able to sell our products because it’s mutually beneficial.”

He adds that when the merchants’ customers buy through an ecommerce platform like X-Cart that’s integrated with Turn 14 Distribution, “they’re more likely to come back and buy more.”

X-Cart notes the integration with Turn 14 Distribution provides auto parts merchants with “precise order-routing and comprehensive product information” that enhances supply chain processes to improve customers’ online purchasing experience and grow ecommerce sales.

X-Cart recently integrated its ecommerce technology with Amazon.com, letting online sellers extend their X-Cart product listings to an Amazon storefront. X-Cart also integrates with industry data organizations.

Last year, the ecommerce software vendor integrated its technology with SEMA Data automotive industry catalogs, which are produced by SEMA, the Specialty Equipment Market Association.

At last fall’s SEMA Show, the association’s annual automotive industry conference and exhibition, X-Cart announced that it had also  integrated its technology with the ASAP Network and AutoSync Corp.

The ASAP Network is an automotive aftermarket products organization that works with manufacturers, distributors and dealers to distribute “ecommerce-optimized” product load sheets that comply with the Auto Care Association’s data standards for distributors and dealers selling online. ASAP stands for Advanced Solutions for Aftermarket Products.

AutoSync provides automotive industry product images and a “visualizer” tool to let online buyers view images of vehicles from multiple angles and with added items like special wheels or window film.

Paul Demery is a Digital Commerce 360 contributing editor covering B2B digital commerce technology and strategy. [email protected].

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