Still Not Marketing Your Parts?

You Might Be Falling for One of These 7 Myths

Your service department is probably running promotions. And sales is shouting from the rooftops, no doubt. So why is the parts department, one of the biggest levers for improving your dealership’s gross profit, still flying under the radar?

Your GM is watching fixed ops like a hawk, and the OEM wants you moving as much metal as possible. Parts are a core piece of both. So why aren’t you doing everything possible to drive more parts sales?

You’re no stranger to marketing, but something is probably holding you back when it comes to applying it to the parts department. Odds are, it’s one of the 7 myths we’re about to bust wide open. By the end of this post, you’ll have a clear, practical path forward to start marketing your parts the right way.

Myth #1:
Automotive Marketing Covers Parts Too

Think your dealership’s general marketing team has you covered? Not quite.

The same strategies used to sell cars like limited-time offers, lifestyle imagery, big event pushes don’t translate to a customer looking for a timing chain tensioner or a set of brake pads.

Parts buyers think and shop differently. They care about fitment, availability, and trust. And they want fast, accurate information.

Top dealers are turning to marketers who specialize in parts because they know how to:

• Speak the buyer’s language
• Highlight the most important product details
• Optimize listings for Google Shopping and SEO

Take it from Kelly Marsden at River City Ford:

“We didn’t want to mess around trying to market this ourselves. We’re parts people, not marketing people. The Marketing Agency (we hired) lives and breathes this stuff.”

Kelly now runs a six-figure-a-month online parts business with a 20X return on ad spend, all without adding headcount.

Myth #2:
Marketing Only Matters for Finding New Customers

Sure, marketing helps you attract new buyers… but that’s only half of the story.

If you’re selling online, repeat customers are the real moneymaker. 

For parts departments that invest in marketing, an average of 52% of their revenue comes from repeat buyers.

Here’s how top-performing parts departments build loyalty:

• Personalize email campaigns based on purchase history.
• Educate with installation guides and part usage tips.
• Reward loyalty with exclusive deals or reorder discounts.
• Deliver fast, helpful customer service that keeps buyers coming back.

You don’t have to guess your way through it. The right strategy keeps customers coming back and keeps your GM happy with consistent gross profit.

Myth #3:
One Marketing Channel Is Enough

If you’re only using one channel, like email or Facebook ads, you’re missing out on sales.

Shoppers don’t all use the same path to find parts. Some Google their way in. Others click on a shopping ad. And some are just checking their inbox for a promo code.

The most successful parts departments use a multi-channel marketing strategy, including:

• Email campaigns
• Google Shopping & PPC ads
• Retargeting and display ads
• SEO-optimized product listings
  

Myth #4:
Marketing Isn’t That Important for Parts

This one might be the most damaging myth of all.

Some Parts Managers still believe marketing is just for selling vehicles, but… 

FixedOps makes up at least half of dealership gross profit, and the parts department is a huge part of that.

Marketing helps you:

• Clear obsolete inventory faster
• Sell overstocked items before they collect dust
• Hit OEM incentive thresholds
• Boost overall dealership profit (and get noticed for it)

Don’t believe it’s worth it? 

Dealers using a marketing agency to market their parts  see an average 10X return on marketing spend and they’re doing it with lean teams and simple tools (that’s $10 back for every $1 they spend on marketing).

Myth #5:
You Need a Big Budget to Market Parts

A lot of Parts Managers hear the word “marketing” and picture giant ad budgets, complicated software, or needing to hire extra staff. But the truth is, you don’t need a six-figure budget to make a six-figure impact.

Dealers of all sizes are scaling parts sales with smart, targeted campaigns, often starting with modest investments.

Take Kelly Marsden at River City Ford, for example:

“We started small, just to see if it would work,” Kelly said. “But the return was so strong, we kept increasing our ad budget. If I’m spending a dollar and making twenty, why wouldn’t I keep going?”

Marketing done right isn’t a gamble. It’s a growth engine. Even a small budget can drive measurable ROI (return on investment) and grow your department’s volume and gross profit.

Myth #6:
Marketing to My Local Market Is Enough

Many Parts Managers focus their efforts on meeting the needs of service lane traffic, walk-in customers, and local wholesale accounts. And sure, that’s where parts sales have traditionally lived…

But if your sales stop at your zip code, you’re leaving a massive opportunity on the table.

You know what’s cool about the parts department? It’s the only department that isn’t limited by the four walls of your dealership.

Your parts department can go national, even global. Marketing outside of your local market unlocks the cage around your parts counter and puts your inventory in front of thousands (or if you’re selling online, millions) of buyers who never step foot in your dealership.

That’s the real power of parts marketing.

“Once we started advertising what we had in stock, orders started rolling in,” said Kelly Marsden of River City Ford. “We’re selling across Canada and the U.S. every day. Marketing made that happen.”

Myth #7:
You Don’t Need a Web Store to Maximize Your Marketing

Running ads without a dedicated parts web store is like handing out flyers to a building with no entrance.

Sure, you can technically promote your parts using your dealership’s main website, but if that’s all you’re doing, you’re missing out on the core advantage of digital marketing: frictionless buying.

Marketing is what brings traffic. But your web store is what converts that traffic into revenue.

When customers see your ad, their next step should be easy: browse your catalog, trust the details, and buy in a few clicks. Without that flow, your marketing efforts are sending people nowhere, or worse, to your competitors.

Here’s what a dedicated web store unlocks:

• 24/7 Sales Channel: Make sales even when your parts counter is closed.
• Full Catalog Visibility: Showcase every part you sell, not just what fits on the shelf.
• Reach Beyond Your Zip Code: Attract retail customers across the country.
• Better Google Rankings: Get found more often when people search for parts you sell.
• Built-In Buying Experience: Let customers browse, add to cart, and check out without having to pick up the phone. 
• Smarter Marketing Results: Use targeted digital ads to convert more shoppers into buyers.
• Fewer Manual Tasks: Automate online selling, pricing, and promotions so your team stays focused on fulfillment.

“RevolutionParts built our site, and the day they turned on the marketing, we had orders coming in,” said Kelly Marsden of River City Ford. “You can’t just tell people you sell parts. You need to show them, and make it easy to buy.”

Ditch the myths and get serious about selling more parts

Parts marketing isn’t optional anymore… not if you want to meet your OEM targets, make your GM happy, offload obsolete inventory, and actually grow.

Don’t let outdated myths cost your parts department sales—or your dealership its competitive advantage.