Estimated read time: 5 minutes
Turning a Spare Time Project into Real Revenue
Let’s get one thing straight: Dan Berardinelli didn’t ask to be the face of Dover Dodge’s online parts empire. He didn’t walk in the door with a 10-year business plan and a marketing deck. He wasn’t hired to run an eCommerce operation. He was hired to do what a lot of dealership guys do—wear a bunch of hats, keep things moving, and somehow stay sane while doing it.
But what started as a side-of-the-desk responsibility—something he “fell into” when someone else left—has turned into something much bigger: a fully functioning, revenue-generating online parts store that runs like a well-oiled machine. And Dan is the guy that makes it work.
From wholesale to web sales
Dan cut his teeth in wholesale, not web strategy, and it shows in the best way. He skips the fluff, focuses on the process, and makes sure every customer interaction is handled like it actually matters. Because to him, it does.
“When I first started in 2021, we were barely getting one or two orders a week. There really wasn’t a process. But I took it over, cleaned it up, and just made it my own,” said Dan.
Dan isn’t the kind of guy to toss around buzzwords or sugarcoat the work. Selling parts online is real, unglamorous work. Stuffed envelopes, VIN number follow-ups, restocking headaches, fraud prevention, shipping labels, customer emails. Rinse, repeat.
But when it’s done right, it works. And the numbers back it up. In just 30 days, Dan processed 103 orders totaling $20,431 in sales. Not bad for a “side hustle.” That’s more than proof of demand—it’s proof that one person with the right process (and the right platform) can deliver big results.
The secret to online parts success?
Process and personality
What separates Dan from the other dealers trying to make eCommerce work is that he didn’t wing it. He built a system.
“I’ve got all my paperwork hanging up to the right of me. There’s a method. I do one order at a time. Check the VIN, print the order, go get the part. No chaos. Just structure,” he explained.
That’s not to say it’s always zen and quiet in the parts department. Weekends bring in the bulk of orders, sometimes 10 or 15 at once. It can be hectic. But Dan keeps things moving.
His favorite tool lately is the “In Progress” status on the RevolutionParts dashboard.
“For the longest time I was scared to use it because I didn’t want to forget anything. But now that I’ve started using it, it’s cleaned up my process a ton. Mentally too. I’m not second-guessing myself all day,” said Dan.
When it comes to customers Dan gets it. He knows they want their stuff fast. He knows they don’t always understand why he needs their VIN number, but after all, he’s there to help.
He said: “I try to treat people how I’d want to be treated. If there’s a mistake and it’s my fault, I don’t charge the restocking fee. I own it. But if someone’s trying to send a part back because they didn’t read the description, that’s a different story.”
One printer, zero robots
In a world where same-day shipping is the new normal, customers don’t always understand that dealerships aren’t Amazon. Dan’s seen it all. People ordering a bumper on a Sunday night with “next-day shipping” selected like it’s Prime. But instead of getting frustrated, he gets real.
“We’re not a trillion-dollar company with robots packing boxes. It’s just me and a label printer,” he laughed.
Still, Dan makes it work. And thanks to tools like fraud flagging and automatic shipping label generation through RevolutionParts, he doesn’t spend all day putting out fires. He spends it fulfilling orders.
“Honestly, I like it better than traditional wholesale. You get paid instantly. No chasing people down. No accounts receivable drama. Just click a button, collect the money, and move on,” said Dan.
Growing the store with ads and guts
After building the bones of the store, Dan and his manager decided to throw some gas on the fire. They launched an ad campaign. It wasn’t a massive marketing blitz, but it worked.
“In March and April, we got 25 orders just from that campaign. It proved the store could grow. It was trending up. We needed that,” he expressed.
And that’s when the lightbulb went off. This was a real business.
“Some of those success stories I saw on the RevolutionParts site? Man, they were shipping thousands of orders. I showed my boss like, look, there’s serious potential here.”
No micromanagement. No nonsense.
The best part about the whole thing is Dan runs it without anyone breathing down his neck. His boss trusts him because the job gets done, and gets done right.
“No one’s coming in here telling me I messed up or need to fix anything. I take pride in that. I keep it organized, I keep it running, and that’s the win for me,” he said.
That said, Dan did recently train a backup to cover for him when he’s out, because yes, even eCommerce kings need the occasional vacation.
What’s next? Keep building on a solid foundation
With a clear process, the right tools, and someone fully invested in its success, Dover’s online parts operation has grown from a side task into a reliable revenue stream with serious momentum, and it’s only getting stronger.
Dan’s story proves what’s possible when real-world experience meets the right platform. He built a system that works, stuck with it, and let the results do the talking.
Looking to do the same?
Start with a clear plan and a platform built for dealerships. RevolutionParts helps dealers turn online sales into scalable profit. Dan’s success is living proof.
Fill out the form on the right to speak with a RevolutionParts Expert today!
