Allegro optimises replacement parts shopping experience
Interview about the particularities of e-commerce in the automotive aftermarket and what makes an online store for replacement parts successful.
Allegro.pl, the most popular shopping platform in Poland and one of the largest e-commerce websites in Europe, uses TecDoc data from TecAlliance to provide the best shopping experience for its customers. Przemysław Kasprzak, Business Unit Manager (Category Car Parts) at Allegro, talks about the particularities of e-commerce in the automotive aftermarket and what makes an online store for replacement parts successful.
The Polish company Allegro operates a marketplace where more than 117,000 merchants offer products in key categories including automotive, fashion, home & garden, electronics, books and collectibles, kids and health & beauty. Each month, 20 million customers visit allegro.pl; this is equivalent to 80 percent of all Internet users in Poland.
As a further step to optimise the shopping experience, the company has just launched a new feature for customers interested in purchasing replacement parts on their platform. Allegro is joining forces with TecAlliance, provider of the TecDoc Catalogue, one of the world's most comprehensive replacement parts catalogues for the independent automotive aftermarket.
“Shoppers expect convenience, time and money savings and easy shopping”
“We are currently observing a very high dynamic in online shopping. The younger generation is changing, new trends are emerging, and buyer awareness is rising,” explains Przemysław Kasprzak, Business Unit Manager (Category Car Parts) at Allegro. “Shoppers expect convenience, time and money savings and easy shopping. As long as cars break down, there will be a demand for repairs and spare parts. Over time, the importance of comprehensive solutions will increase. Customers increasingly want to not only buy parts online, but also to place repair orders,” Kasprzak adds.
Making the right choice based on high-quality data
The TecDoc data standard was introduced by TecAlliance more than 25 years ago to create a uniform data format for the collection, publication and distribution of high-quality spare part product information. The TecDoc database contains comprehensive, accurate information about products and vehicles to make it easy to quickly identify the correct spare part for a specific vehicle.
“The strength of our cooperation with TecAlliance lies in the quantity and quality of the data: Data on manufacturers, new vehicles, detailed product data. Thanks to the high quality of the data, we are able to provide our customers with offers on the Allegro website that include in-depth information. Because we respond to our customers' needs, this information helps them to make the right purchase decisions,” says Kasprzak.
No emotional buying but high time pressure
Allegro covers a wide range of industries. The trade with vehicle parts is special in many respects. “Vehicle parts are bought because cars wear out and break down. A statement that captures the simplicity of the industry. Otherwise it would not be necessary to buy car parts. There is a sober and causal connection so that the purchase is not at all emotionally driven. The lack of emotional buying makes the action plan very different from other segments,” explains Kasprzak and adds: “Time pressure for delivery and repair time is the biggest challenge in the online automotive market. It is not only the delivery time, but also the diagnosis, the purchase of components, the repair time and the communication during the whole process.”
A pleasant shopping experience as the key to success
User experience plays a key role in the development of Allegro’s strategy. “Ultimately, buyers evaluate the platform, make purchasing decisions and hopefully return to the platform. The buyers contribute to the successful spread of our platform, quite simply by recommending it or talking about their good experiences. Satisfied buyers can do more than advertising campaigns worth millions,” says Kasprzak.
There has been a noticeable increase in the demands made by mechanics and workshops in the automotive industry. “Their shopping experience when making private purchases of electronics, toys, food and clothing causes a change in behaviour. If I can easily and pleasantly buy a lamp for my home, why not car parts or oil,” explains Kasprzak.
Thanks to the integration of TecDoc data, Allegro’s customers can access detailed technical information for a product, such as dimensions, substitutes, a list of models in which it fits etc. They can check if the part fits their car and validate their purchase decision based on the data. “This leads to a much smoother shopping experience for every user group at allegro.pl,” Kasprzak sums up.
