Optiseller helps online auto and motorcycle parts retailers get their data into gear

This article is brought to you by Retail Technology Review: Optiseller helps online auto and motorcycle parts retailers get their data into gear.

A key issue for sellers of automotive parts and accessories is ensuring that the parts being sold contain the correct product data and include which makes and models of vehicle they are compatible with. With millions of parts in circulation, managing this data can be a daunting task.

A new partnership between leading ecommerce software developer Optiseller, and TecDoc catalogue owner TecAlliance, offers a cost-effective and convenient solution that makes it much easier.

TecAlliance is a specialist in data for the independent automotive after-market. Twenty-five years ago, it established the TecDoc Standard which enables the quick and precise identification of spare parts and vehicles. Working in close collaboration with the after-market industry the TecDoc catalogue has become the authoritative source of replacement auto parts data globally. Historically the problem for many online retailers has been that the cost of securing this data may have been prohibitive if they only required a small portion of the catalogue data for their needs.

To overcome this TecAlliance and Optiseller are working together to provide the data in specific batches. For example, a retailer might only need fitment data for brake disks and previously they would be obliged to purchase the full Tec Doc catalogue to gain access to this subset of data, but now the seller can buy an annual license from Optiseller for just £600, which also covers the first 5,000 products worth of data, with incremental data sets available for purchase thereafter.

The new initiative is likely to be of particular interest to sellers who previously used the Optiseller Parts & Accessory Compatibility tool, a tool the company provided on behalf of eBay to help retailers boost sales by making sure buyers could find the right part and buy with confidence.

Optiseller will be hosting a series of webinars to explain to existing and prospective customers how this new solution will work, and attendees will have the opportunity to win an annual TecDoc license including data for 5,000 products worth £600. See Optiseller.com for further details.Optiseller offers other Parts & Accessories data finder tools, and these will also be covered in the webinars, or further detail can be requested directly.

Optiseller CEO Craig MacCallum said: "We are delighted that TecAlliance has trusted us as a partner to bring the parts data to a wide audience.  This will put many of the smaller online retailers on an even playing field with the larger providers." He added: "As ecommerce experts we are always looking for ways to make life easier for the online retailer. We have a whole suite of tools designed to help e-tailers get their data into great shape so they can optimise sales."