BMW of West Chester
A BMW Parts Manager’s Journey to Becoming a King of Volume
From car washer to parts sales leader, Anthony Blubello, the Parts Manager at BMW of West Chester, embodies the journey of passion and perseverance in the automotive industry. Raised in a household steeped in a love for classic cars, Anthony’s early days washing cars in 2003 were just the modest beginning of his great impact in the automotive world. “I’m a car guy through and through. My dad was a classic car guy; he had ten cars when he passed away when I was 15,” Anthony shared. His and his father’s shared connection to cars has fueled his drive to build an impressive parts selling machine at BMW of West Chester. Over two decades later, he now oversees the wholesale, retail, and eCommerce sides of the dealership’s parts department.
In an effort to take his parts department to new heights, Anthony decided to start selling parts online in partnership with RevolutionParts. He had already dabbled in online parts sales with a small eBay store, which he started to help move more volume and clear some aging parts. Eight years later, Anthony now reports nearly a quarter million in online parts sales every month. Anthony’s impressive transition to selling parts online has allowed him to unlock a huge volume of parts sales, manufacturer incentives, and record-breaking revenue goals.
“We literally started from the bottom with RevolutionParts,” Anthony reminisced, noting that he’s already generated more than $687,000 in online parts revenue this year (January – April 2024). Since then, he’s led a complete shift in how the dealership does parts sales. “We had a little bit of an eBay store years before, but all our online success has come from RevolutionParts,” Anthony continued. This is Anthony’s harrowing story of achievement in online OEM parts sales.
Revolutionizing Sales with RevolutionParts
The decision to implement RevolutionParts was a no-brainer for Anthony. Between pressure from the manufacturer to increase his parts volume and his natural hunger to grow revenue, Anthony knew taking his parts store online was the only path forward. He needed a way to level up his department’s efficiency and productivity, and this was it. He found what he was looking for in RevolutionParts—the platform offered a comprehensive solution that promised to expand his market presence, streamline operations, and increase sales volume. The platform’s user-friendly interface, coupled with powerful tools for inventory management and customer engagement, made it an ideal choice for the parts department’s needs.
Once Anthony was set up with his very own parts web store, the rest was history. Since starting, he has increased his initial monthly revenue more than twentyfold! “The sales numbers we’re putting up now weren’t instant, but $10,000 turned into 20; that 20 turned into 25 and so on and so forth.”
BMW of West Chester Online Parts Sales Snapshot
$2M
Annual Revenue
$687K
Year-to-Date Revenue
$337
Average Order Value
The Transformative Impact of Selling Parts Online
Anthony’s courageous move to partner with RevolutionParts has completely changed the way his parts department does business. The revenue metrics speak for themselves: “We started out doing $10,000 a month and here we are doing a quarter million dollars a month,” Anthony proudly reported. This isn’t just a huge win for the parts department. Anthony’s online sales strategy also helps drive the entire dealership towards its goals, “Online sales has helped us reach our BMW purchase goals,” he explained. “We get that 3 – 8% bump every year.”
One of the standout benefits that RevolutionParts has brought to the parts department is the dramatic improvement in inventory management. “It’s nice having that online presence,” Anthony explained. “When people search for BMW parts on Google, we pop up.” This enhanced visibility has significantly boosted his sales volume, especially in obsolete parts, which were previously a challenge to move. Selling online helps Anthony clear aging inventory and maintain a healthy stock rotation. Now, Anthony is empowered to keep his obsolete inventory under 3%. “Selling online has been a great way to move some volume and get some obsolescent parts out of your hair,” he elaborated. But it’s not just a volume game for Anthony. He’s been able to pull an average 20% profit margin on his online parts sales—even more on accessories.
Anthony loves to see the revenue growth that’s come from selling parts online, but the impact of RevolutionParts goes even deeper than that.
“The platform’s ability to handle various aspects of online sales seamlessly—from web functionality to customer service to logistics—has made it a key tool for our dealership,” Anthony beams.
Accessing a wider customer base has been another decisive advantage. The parts department’s online presence has extended far beyond local geographical limits, attracting customers nationwide. Selling online with RevolutionParts has been completely transformative for Anthony’s parts department. The significant increase in monthly revenue, enhanced inventory management, expanded customer reach, and improved handling of obsolete parts have launched him to a new level of operational excellence. As Anthony put it, “If it wasn’t for RevolutionParts, I really would not have a job because right now that’s my livelihood. It’s selling the parts online.”
Marketing Prowess and Commitment to Customer Service Excellence
It’s not enough to simply get your parts online; you have to let people know about it. That’s why Anthony has adopted a comprehensive approach to marketing and sales, using a variety of strategies to maximize the impact of their online presence. “You have to get creative,” Anthony explained. “Our business model has always been just best pricing for the volume, so we can promote [the] 24-hour turnaround time, we can market the best pricing, [and] we can market the factory quality.” Anthony’s openness to test different pricing models and strategies has allowed him to meet modern customer needs and keep them coming back.
Promotions have also played a key role in their strategy. “A lot of customers love promo codes with obsolescence. Hey, buy my part, give me a review, and here’s another promo code for your future purchase, whatever you gotta do to get rid of parts and incentivize the customer,” Anthony detailed. Anthony’s keen marketing sense and creativity encourages sales and fosters customer loyalty and repeat business, strengthening his growth potential.
Customer engagement is yet another cornerstone of Anthony’s strategy. Anthony discussed the importance of connecting with customers: “If you treat everybody like you want to be treated and treat every order like it’s your own and triple check it and make sure the vin’s on there and check the fitment you’re going to make the customer happy,” he explained. “Make a phone call, check an email, send an email, or send a text. Whatever the case may be. But that’s what really sets you apart is the customer service.” No wonder his web store holds a 4.7-star rating on Google!
“I think what really sets us apart is the customer service… We strive to communicate to the customers, we strive to get every order right the first time,” Anthony emphasized.
Anthony’s Solutions to Online Parts Sales Roadblocks
Success with online parts sales doesn’t come without its challenges. However, Anthony’s proactive approach to problem-solving, coupled with strong support from RevolutionParts, has enabled the parts department to turn potential setbacks into opportunities for improvement.
Anthony described one of the ongoing challenges as managing customer expectations. “In this Amazon world we live in where everyone wants things now, managing shipping times and keeping up with customer expectations is always a battle,” he points out. He has tackled this issue head-on with RevolutionParts’ streamlined shipping integrations, ensuring that parts are delivered as promptly as possible. “When somebody places an order, we’re placing that order from the warehouse, the part comes in, we pack it up, and in 24 hours it goes out to the customer,” Anthony said. “This way he can cater to customer expectations for speedy delivery and avoid sitting on parts that take up shelf-space.”
Another challenge is maintaining accurate inventory levels online, which is important for avoiding costly order cancellations and maintaining customer satisfaction. “Keeping our online inventory accurate is big; mistakes can lead to backorders and unhappy customers,” Anthony stated. To address this, Anthony uses RevolutionParts’ comprehensive parts catalog and inventory management tools.
Anthony also discussed the challenge of marketplace competition and price pressures from other online sellers. “It’s tough when you have so many other competitors out there. We’re all selling the same stuff,” he mentioned. He sets himself apart from the competition with exceptional customer service and by providing detailed product information that helps customers feel confident in their purchase.
The collaboration with RevolutionParts has been instrumental in addressing these challenges.
“RevolutionParts isn’t just a tool for us; it’s a partner in staying at the forefront of the online marketplace,” Anthony emphasized. “With them, we’ve been able to start live chat and quick response features that really make a difference in how customers perceive us.”
These tools allow them to respond instantly to inquiries and issues, which wins sales. “We’ve made some very high price sales just through text messaging, without even one phone call involved,” Anthony beamed.
Anthony’s Bright Outlook on the Future
Anthony’s perspective on the future of online auto parts sales is very optimistic, shaped by years of experience and success with RevolutionParts. He believes the industry is on the cusp of significant changes, driven by technology and evolving consumer behaviors, and he’s preparing his parts department to maintain its foothold as a leader in these trends.
“The future is online, there’s no doubt about it,” Anthony asserted. “What we’ve seen in the past few years is just the beginning. The growth for online parts sales is steep, and we’re just climbing up.” Anthony anticipates further expansion in his parts department as more and more consumers shift to online shopping.
Anthony discusses specific trends that he believes will shape the future of the industry, particularly the increasing role of mobile commerce. “Every single person out there has got one of these,” he said as he held up his smartphone, “and our RevolutionParts sales data shows more and more sales are happening on mobile. So we’re improving our sales channels for mobile shopping experiences,” he elaborated.
Harness Success Like Anthony
Anthony’s strategic approach to customer service, inventory management, and online marketing is exemplary for any dealership that wants to start dominating the parts market. With upwards of $250,000 a month in parts revenue, this growth is not just in revenue but also in customer reach and operational efficiency, which are key in the competitive OEM parts market.
Anthony’s experience with RevolutionParts has reshaped his dealership and offers a beacon to other dealers looking to strengthen their fixed ops.
“Dealerships not yet on the eCommerce platform RevolutionParts are missing out,” Anthony said, “It’s like sitting at a bus stop without ever getting on the bus. Brick-and-mortar dealerships have to adapt to online sales; it’s never too late to jump in the pool and learn how to swim. Show up, play the game, and embrace the shift towards online sales.”
Anthony’s approach to growing sales shines a light on the opportunity for parts departments to come out of the shadows of the dealership and make their mark as a revenue-generating force in the evolving automotive industry.
Do you want to 20x your parts department’s sales? Your dealership can start on the path to Anthony’s level of success with RevolutionParts. Revenue growth, enhanced efficiency, streamlined productivity, and a whole world of parts shoppers are within reach, and RevolutionParts can help. Embrace the change and take your fixed ops to new heights with online parts sales.
