Estimated read time: 3 minutes
“Dealers shouldn’t be hoping for results. They should be engineering them.” — David Spisak, CEO of Disruptive Growth Solutions
In the latest episode of the Parts Pros Podcast, automotive legend David Spisak shares the story of a small Texas dealership that transformed its underperforming parts department into a 3X growth engine, not by hiring more staff or getting more local customers, but by going online.
With 45+ years of experience, including leading the nation’s largest fixed ops operation and now advising top-performing dealerships and tech providers, Spisak doesn’t waste words. He cuts to the truth: parts eCommerce isn’t optional anymore. It’s the dealership’s next major profit lever.
Suffice to say, David knows his stuff.
Inside the episode:
1. Dealers are leaving money on the table daily.
Spisak shared how most dealers obsess over car margins (often under $1,000), while parts orders, especially wholesale and accessories, can deliver equal or greater profit per transaction.
“Accessories can generate more profit than the car itself, and yet we let that opportunity walk out the door.”
2. eCommerce is the biggest growth lever in the parts department.
Spisak shared a story of a small dealership in rural Texas that had been underperforming in wholesale parts for years. Month after month, he told them they should be doing at least three times the volume they were hitting. But nothing changed, until they made one move.
“They signed up with RevolutionParts,” Spisak said. “That was it.”
That dealership tripled their wholesale sales almost instantly.
3. Wholesale isn’t a margin problem. It’s a scale solution.
Spisak challenged the common thinking around wholesale: too many parts managers focus on margin percentages instead of total profit. With eCommerce, scale becomes achievable and sustainable.
“Don’t focus on the margin. Focus on the money.”
4. Customers want to buy online and if you’re not there, someone else is.
Today’s buyers expect digital convenience. Spisak emphasized that customers are already customizing vehicles, they’re just doing it somewhere else. Why? Because too few dealerships are set up to sell parts online effectively. In fact, fewer than 20% of U.S. new car dealerships are selling their inventory online
Takeaways for dealership leaders:
- Parts eCommerce is the lowest-hanging fruit in your dealership (and most are still walking right past it.)
You already have the inventory. You already have the expertise. What you’re missing is visibility. Without a digital shelf, buyers can’t find you and that means you’re invisible to the customers who are ready to buy right now.
That was exactly the case for a Texas dealer Spisak worked with. They had great people and great product, but no online presence. For months, Spisak told them they were capable of triple the wholesale volume. The results didn’t come until they put their parts business online.
“You can sell all the cars you want. Fixed Ops is what brings customers back.”
- Wholesale growth = reliable revenue. But only if people can find you online.
Whether it’s a local repair shop placing dozens of orders a week or a DIY customer trying to fix their own vehicle, the first stop is often the same: online search. If your parts department doesn’t show up you’re out of the running before the customer even knows your name.
eCommerce isn’t just a tool. It’s your digital front counter. And it’s open 24/7 to wholesale buyers, body shops, DIYers, and everyday drivers who are actively looking to spend.
- Profit culture starts in parts.
Every department in a dealership should contribute to the bottom line—but few offer a clearer path to consistent, scalable profit than the parts department. Why? Because the building blocks are already in place. You’re stocked with inventory. You’ve got demand from both wholesale buyers and consumers. And you’re not fighting the shrinking margins that plague new car sales.
“If you want to engineer profitability, not just hope for it, start where the margins are stronger and the wins are more repeatable. Start with parts.”
Creating a profit-first mindset doesn’t have to mean starting from scratch. It just means giving more visibility to the department that’s been quietly driving results all along.
