Driving Change: Navigating Automotive Digital Transformation with eCommerce Solutions 

The automotive and transportation industry traditionally relied on close personal relationships and brick-and-mortar showrooms to drive B2C and B2B sales, and it is the one that can benefit from ecommerce-fueled digital transformation the most. As the role of aftermarket and electric vehicles grows, customer expectations towards convenience and speed of operations rise as well. Adopting digital channels and advanced functionality will help cross-integrate the entire automotive workflow and meet the demands of both market players and consumers. 

With recent US government tariff measures affecting supply chains and influencing market dynamics among global players, EV vehicles biting off the market shares with projected growth by US $784 billion worldwide, changing B2B customer expectations, and pressure from local regulators – the industry is forced to undergo fundamental transformations to survive and thrive in the current climate. 

These challenges present an excellent opportunity to seek alternative, zeitgeisty approaches to familiar workflows and processes with one of the biggest industry shifts being automotive digital transformation.  

B2C has long adapted ecommerce, digital platforms, and the mobile-first approach, and B2B is following suit. Automotive ecommerce sales are projected to reach US $267 billion by 2032, indicating a growing internal and external pressure to evolve. 

As developers of flexible B2B ecommerce and marketplace solutions, Virto Commerce partners with global brands across auto parts, OEM, distribution, and aftermarket sectors, including industry leaders like Cadillac and KW Parts. This gives us a front-row seat to the transformative impact of new technology in the automotive space. 

Today we will dive into the industry trends, look at the core challenges and identify solutions, explore the opportunities that digitalization in automotive industry presents, and showcase how digital transformation can improve operational resilience, help businesses maintain control, and scale rapidly while ensuring robust performance at top quality levels.   

The year 2025 is a turning point for many industries. Economic turmoil, logistical challenges, regulatory pressure, and technological advancements all play an active role in reshaping what the automotive and transportation sector looks like.  

Amplified by ecommerce solutions, AI is transforming how automotive parts businesses analyze customer behavior, purchase history, and preferences. Machine Learning (ML) models actively help cross-sell complementary products or provide relevant alternative items and suggestions, as well as forecasting stock demand and managing inventory more efficiently. Virto’s Commerce Innovation Platform and Marketplace are utilizing AI to help users scan handwritten and complex order request details and convert them into a user-friendly format to expedite order processing. 

While AI is a powerful instrument in revolutionizing the automotive sector, it highlights the industry’s pressing need for skilled talent to navigate the digital transformation of legacy systems, maximize the potential benefits, align with regulatory complexities, and eliminate data silos. 

Today, approximately 40% of automotive afterpart revenue in the US goes through digital channels, and the trend is growing around the world. Mechanics, repair shops, distributors, and other B2B buyers are championing a digital-first approach and expect their partners to provide a seamless online experience, making auto parts ecommerce essential to business.  

This includes intuitive storefronts, real-time inventory updates, order status tracking, detailed digital catalogs (including filtering by vehicle models and spare parts, photos, and other specifications), VIN checks, and cross-comparisons. OEMs, OESs, ARs, and other market players that fail to adapt to digital transformation automotive trends and insist on complex and dated standards of doing business face market share and revenue loss.  

The aftermarket segment is on track to reach US $360 billion by 2032, establishing itself as one of the major industry sectors. The combination of regulatory and customer-driven initiatives for eco-friendlier vehicles, along with current economic hardship and ongoing urbanization that fuels higher demand for commercial vehicles, all shift the focus from new vehicles’ purchase to maintenance and repairs of the existing fleet, thus driving the growth of aftermarket. 

Despite being a large opportunity for OEMs and distributors, the focus on automotive parts, accessories, and lifestyle presents a significant operational challenge. Maintaining the stock and managing sales requires significant investments given the nature of the afterpart business, with notoriously complex configuration options and lower average order value.   

With aftermarket growth, OEM, OES, and AR businesses must adapt to new demands and look for ways to meet ever-growing customer expectations. Utilizing automotive ecommerce platforms helps support complex catalogs with detailed information, use predictive analytics to optimize inventory, offer easy ways to look up parts and track orders, and provide an omnichannel experience to increase customer satisfaction.  

Motorway is an excellent example of winning by adopting digitalization in the automotive industry early on. The company launched in 2017 as an online marketplace that connected private car sellers with a network of verified car dealers. Owners would sell their vehicles for free, while dealers purchased used cars through online auctions and paid commissions to Motorway.  

Making the selling process extremely easy for car owners and offering extra services, such as free car valuation secured Motorway’s leading position on the market with countless awards and a steamy income. Reported total sales through the platform in 2023 reached GBP 2.2 billion with a revenue portion of it totaling GBP 60.9 million, a big jump from GBP 41.2 million in 2022. 

Technology is reshaping every aspect of how vehicles are designed, manufactured, delivered, purchased, and operated. Adapting automotive ecommerce solutions and leading digital trends rather than playing catch-up has become a requirement for anyone willing to compete in the current automotive landscape.

While an automative ecommerce platform alone is unable to tackle all the challenges and opportunities of the industry, it is designed to optimize, ensure control, and integrate different elements of the global system, becoming an integral part and a facilitator of the new wave of automotive digital transformation.  

Electric vehicles have been riding the momentum wave for years. The global EV market was valued at US $500 billion in 2023 and is projected to reach over US $784 billion in 2025.

Despite positive forecasts, the US automotive market is experiencing a number of constraints including persistent battery supply issues, intensifying competition from China and other leading EV markets, and regulatory pressures and policy changes.  

Trump’s act to revoke Biden’s 50% EV target marked a significant policy shift, as the current US president stated that this change would support local automakers. Although no drastic changes have been made yet, this signals that the positive growth projections might have to be readjusted. Outside of the US, the EV segment of the market continues to thrive as the world shifts towards sustainability, moving away from gasoline, and stringent emission requirements continue to be among the top regulator priorities.   

Being digital-forward by design, the sector is already utilizing automotive ecommerce solutions and other tools that facilitate personalized and transparent D2C sales processes. Over-the-air (OTA) updates become even more prominent as manufacturers are looking for ways to streamline the vehicle ownership experience for customers and eliminate the need to visit service stations to maintain the vehicle’s agility.  

Demanding environmental regulations and requirements, the ongoing driver shortage and unstable market dynamics add pressure to manufacturers, truck parts and accessories resellers. Digital transformation in automotive industry is a common go-to strategy for offsetting rising operational costs and complying with both regulatory standards and consumer demands.  

The importance of TMSs continues to grow as businesses look for ways to automate and scale the workflows, and digital marketplaces become an important sales channel and a convenient format to showcase vast inventory, automotive ecommerce solutions turn into a vital business element that enable and enhance efficient operations.   

Digital freight matching platforms utilize both AI and ML to optimize load capacity by connecting shippers and carriers in real life and reducing empty miles. Virto's Commerce Innovation Platform implements AI-driven purchase order capture that scans and interprets purchase orders, reducing manual work, time spent on each order, and error rate. 

Traditionally reliant on manual labor, the forklift and material handling segment of the industry is heavily hit by labor shortages and push for electrification, causing it to adapt automation principles at record speed and explore new ways to increase efficiency and sustainability.  

Electric forklifts are now championed for quieter operations, reduced maintenance needs, and lower emissions, outperforming traditional forklifts with impressive operational cycles powered by longer-lasting batteries.  

The wide adoption of fully and semi-autonomous forklifts that are equipped with sensors, cameras, and AI enables deeper integration with WMS which minimizes human error factor and helps address labor shortage.  

Telematics tools offer real-time data on operational efficiency through insights into equipment usage and maintenance. This allows fleet managers to track the fleet state and schedule preventative maintenance to avoid larger expenses and downtime caused by accidents and breakdowns. Immersive training powered by VR and AR helps train staff in realistic yet risk-free environments, boosting their efficiency and qualifications.  

Ecommerce solutions tie all these digital transformation automotive trends and tendencies together by allowing manufacturers and distributors to sell equipment, parts, subscriptions to telematics, and other recurring services via B2B or D2C models online through advanced and detailed catalogs and streamlined procurement. It also integrates with logistics providers, enables parts order placement based on real-time diagnostics and reports, and API-based integrations with WMS, ERP, and other crucial systems for synchronized inventory, order fulfillment, and shipment. 

In the auto parts and aftermarket segment, subscription-based parts services are on the rise, and customers are growing more in favor of auto parts ecommerce and online sales for speed and convenience.   

Even though auto parts and aftermarket are expected to do well with projected growth of US $211 billion by 2029, it’s not without its complications. Rapid expansion coupled with global supply chain disruptions and political conflicts being in the way, handling the high demand and scaling sustainably remains the key challenge for the industry’s favorite.  

As businesses navigate these transformations, many turn to auto parts ecommerce software that handles detailed inventory and catalogs, provides extensive data needed for decision-making, and more precise and powerful search engines.  

Advanced demand forecasting becomes the center of attention as consumers are looking to purchase anything between ADAS, ergonomic seating, floor mats, LED lighting kits, phone mounts and holders, air filters, and emergency tool kits, and expect to be able to place a single order through one seller. In the growing auto parts ecommerce market, maintaining such a wide inventory is crucial to securing profitability and avoiding missed opportunities.   

Ensuring the quality and authenticity of parts along with offering tailored product recommendations not only boosts customer satisfaction but serves as gateways to upsell and cross-sell, driving additional revenue.    

Integrating B2B ecommerce software with the existing supply chain is one of the most crucial steps for long-term success in the digital transformation in automotive industry. 

The automotive industry is heavily reliant on every step of the supply chain being completed in full and on time. Any disruption to the process, however minor, can trigger dramatic complications, delays, and financial and reputational losses.  

Properly integrating automotive ecommerce solutions into the supply chain management systems unlocks real-time inventory visibility, improved order accuracy through automation, optimized demand planning and forecasting, and streamlining the entire logistics process.  

When kickstarting digital transformation in the automotive industry, several key elements of the existing infrastructure have to be prioritized, including: 

• ERP integration for real-time reports, automated order fulfillment, and status updates, reduced manual data entry and thus human error, sync of product pricing, data, and inventory across the entire system, automated invoicing and payment processing, and synced financial data for accurate reporting.  
• CRM integration for demand and sales forecasting, keeping better track of customer preferences, and providing a personalized customer experience with role-based access, custom catalogs, dynamic and personalized pricing, unique product recommendations, automated reordering, and tailored promotions.  
• WMS systems to improve order fulfillment accuracy and, therefore, reduce operational costs, generate real-time inventory updates, and automate picking and packing processes. 
• PIM integration to centralize product data management, ensure consistent and accurate product data across all channels, and streamline complex digital product catalog maintenance.  
• TMS integration supports optimized route planning and shipment tracking, as well as providing real-time shipping rates and carrier selection.  

The key goals of automotive ecommerce software and supply chain integration are automation, deepened insight into data, and increased transparency.  

Every element of the supply chain needs to be enhanced with technology to provide better insights into current automotive business performance and practices, help identify trends and potential shortfalls, empower scaling without dips in performance and quality of the end product, optimize business spending, and improve customer service.  

Tip: Running a health check on the supply chain prior to launching automotive ecommerce solutions’ integration will help identify potential redundancies, duplications, and other unoptimized workflows that can be dealt with first to ensure a smooth transition and an even more efficient supply chain.  

Digital transformation in automotive industry sectors is a complex process that is best implemented gradually with the help of a number of key principles and technologies. 

When companies evaluate automotive ecommerce solutions, they often go straight to top-of-mind features, such as real-time inventory, multi-vendor marketplace support, or complex contract discounts. The software architecture’s flexibility, however, is a far more telling indicator of how smooth the experience with the platform is going to be.

The Virto’s Commerce Innovation Platform is fundamentally built on atomic architecture.

Atomic architecture goes beyond MACH principles (microservices, API-first, cloud-native, headless). It is flexible and scalable by design and ensures the company is only running the functionality and modules it needs. Should requirements change – new modules can be added or removed on demand.  

In ecommerce solutions, the atomic architecture supports gradual implementation without disrupting the existing systems. This allows OEMs, OESs, and other distributor types to ease their way into digitalization without locking themselves in with a rigid vendor that refuses to collaborate, resulting in inevitable and costly replatforming. Instead, it gives organizations more confidence in taking risks and experimenting, responding to market changes, and running A/B tests to find out what works best for the business. 

An isolated auto parts ecommerce solution will not make a dramatic difference to a manufacturer, wholesaler, or distributor. Integrations with ERP, PLM, PIM, WMS, and CAD systems are critical for managing inventory, vehicle components, and customer data, and achieving the full benefits of automotive digital transformation.  

Syncing real-time inventory data from multiple warehouses and showcasing engineering specs from CAD tools to technical B2B buyers is only possible with full integration and compatibility. API-first principle ensures that the auto parts ecommerce platform can integrate with any third-party software even if the vendor doesn’t have an official integration listed. 

Another key requirement to consider is the scalability of the solution that will be integrated into the rest of the IT infrastructure. The industry is famously complex and boasts an impressive variability of products, especially parts. The ecommerce system has to comfortably manage growing volumes of data without drops in performance to fully support the digital transformation in automotive industry, be it EV, parts distribution, or AR.  

Scalability is a must for digitalization in automotive industry, and it can be achieved through multiple routes. The core prerequisite for smooth growth at the businesses’ pace is a headless framework that supports independent updates and scaling of the solution’s individual components. This means that an expansion of one element of the system does not affect the rest of the automotive ecommerce platform and business functions. 

Headless framework and atomic architecture together allow organizations to test, experiment, and deploy new tools with smart resource allocation based on the demands of particular business units or functionalities.  

Implementing PaaS and composable solutions is vital to complex industries, such as automotive and transportation that require flexibility to innovate without limits or compromises. OEMs, Tier 1-3 suppliers, and other aftermarket players thrive with scalable PaaS platforms that enable them to serve multiple business units, brands, and channels. 

SaaS solutions are services that companies subscribe for access to without power over what new functionality is being introduced and in what order, or where the solution is hosted and how it is maintained. Essentially, with SaaS, for instance, an auto parts ecommerce solution, businesses rely on the vendor to make educated choices and have little to no ability to influence the setup, configuration, data protection policies, or feature stack. 

Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) ecommerce platform, in turn, provides much more breathing room while still being as accessible as SaaS. With PaaS, automotive organizations maintain full control over where the system is rolled out and how serviced, maintaining strategic autonomy and making the solution fit their particular needs.  

A composable framework coupled with a PaaS model ensures companies can swap, upgrade, or replace functionality on their own terms without costly and time-consuming replatforming of the entire automotive ecommerce software.    

Automotive enterprises often operate under several brands, jurisdictions, and markets. As they embrace localization and legal separation, they also require centralized control. 

Multi-tenant architecture is designed to support that with complex multi-brand, multi-vendor, and multi-organization scenarios.  

In Virto Commerce’s multi-tenant core, multiple organizations can operate independently within a single marketplace instance. Each tenant is allocated its own fully isolated environment where it gets separate data storage, unique branding, independent configurations, and customizations.   

At the same time, all tenants share common infrastructure resources, services (for instance, caching), and core marketplace features to reduce IT-related costs and optimize resource utilization.  

Despite the multi-tenant core being a more complex structure that requires heightened security and compliance measures, ultimately it supports and encourages digitization in automotive industry. 

Multi-tenant core facilitates scaling, business unit-level experiments, and agility, all of which is a must for enterprises looking to onboard and integrate new brands or enter new markets without complicated replatforming or having to adopt a separate platform. 

Any solution the automotive sector works with must comply with regulations and local standards.

Virto Commerce is a PaaS product which means an OEM or any other automotive business can choose where the software is installed and data is stored, helping meet data residency requirements. Built-in role-based access levels and multiple authentication options prevent unauthorized access to sensitive data. Regular updates and patches help spot and mitigate any potential vulnerabilities, and the API-first approach ensures the business can integrate any third-party tools that are required by local regulators.  

A simple online storefront is not good enough for digital transformation in automotive. 

Acquiring and implementing an automotive ecommerce solution is a huge step in the right direction toward creating a solid base for flexible and scalable operations. Yet, it’s important to choose a platform that enables and supports those goals with a wide range of instruments and tools. 

Virto’s Commerce Innovation Platform processes over 1 million SKUs in the catalog without affecting performance. Find out how Standaard Boekhandel replatformed to Virto and currently manages 25 million SKUs across 207 operations centers. 

According to McKinsey & Company report, 29% of respondents are willing to buy a vehicle entirely online, 23% prefer to have some form of in-person contact first, and only 3% purchased the vehicle 100% digitally in the past.

Many B2B customers expect a combination of online, mobile, and in-store interactions before they make a purchasing decision. Systems that automotive businesses implement must support real-time sync and update of inventory and order status across all channels. 

Automotive catalogs can easily reach millions of SKUs with all variations and customization options available for vehicles, parts, and accessories. On top of that, there are manuals, certifications, and videos that vendors upload to help customers make the decision, especially in the D2C sector. 

To support such massive catalogs fully and efficiently, the automotive ecommerce platform must provide a number of instruments.  

• SKU hierarchies that support parent-child relationships, bundles, and fitment rules. 
• Dynamic product filtering by compatibility (model, year, VIN).  
• Rule-based product visibility (e.g., only showing the parts or vehicles that are compliant with EU standards).  
• Tagging products to improve discoverability or categorization. 
• Cross-linking products to related and complementary items (e.g., suggesting brake fluid or wear sensors to anyone ordering brake pads).  

Cadillac and KW Parts integrated Virto Commerce to manage and streamline multiple customized webshops with over 4 million products across catalogs. Find out more about their automotive digital transformation journey with Virto Commerce in a detailed case study that outlines how they were able to upgrade architecture without sacrificing performance, enhance the shopping experience, and accelerate the launch of new storefronts with highly scalable headless framework and seamless third-party integrations.  

From multi-language support to typo tolerance and faceted and full-text search options, the search engine must be robust and precise. Real-time indexing is non-negotiable for B2B customers, and search query analytics is required for businesses looking to understand customer thought processes and behavior patterns.   

Aftermarket, electric vehicles, fleet management, and OEMs all operate differently and use unique business models that meet different customer expectations and data needs.  

Customization by segments guarantees that each customer type will have the best experience with the ecommerce solution. An automotive company can sell EV parts via a minimalist D2C website but use the same auto parts ecommerce platform to set up a data-heavy B2B site for mechanics and resellers looking for aftermarket components. 

Virto’s Commerce Innovation Platform recognizes those differences and offers segment-specific customizations that include: 

• Custom workflows, content, catalogs, pricing, and UX are all available through a single backend.  
• Segment-specific storefronts, for instance, one for commercial truck accessories and one for forklifts.  
• Role-based access to preserve security and streamline each user group’s experience. Fleet managers, service technicians, and retail buyers will all have access to the system but will be able to view different sets of tools and content.  

As the industry embraces digital sales channels and all companies are looking for ways to expand their reach, marketplaces become an inevitable solution. They offer a simple, user-friendly way to showcase large product selections with vast data and help businesses reach new customers beyond their usual locations and audiences.

Tip: Even if the organization is not yet ready to roll out the marketplace, it needs to consider the solutions that are capable of supporting it when the need arises.  

Marketplaces are universal and can be utilized by automotive manufacturers, and wholesalers to cater to dealers, service centers, and fleet managers. These systems require advanced vendor management functionality, such as automated onboarding, contract support, and autonomy for each seller to manage their own listings. Configurable commission models, flexible pricing, and personalization (tiered, bulk, multi-currency) allow the support of different types of business models. 

Flexible B2B-oriented marketplace solutions are able not only to support complex multi-level catalogs and process orders but also to streamline vendor collaboration and optimize procurement workflows.  

While major B2C marketplace solutions are excelling in their niches, they struggle to provide the necessary functionality and logic to meet the needs of B2B automotive enterprises.  

An OEM or OES needing to grant regional dealers rights to place bulk orders under contract terms, with pricing, delivery, and payment rules enforced automatically will not be able to execute it through a B2C platform. 

Marketplace solutions, such as Virto Commerce Marketplace are built specifically for enterprise-grade B2B companies.  

B2B-first logic ensures that the platform can fully support digital transformation automotive tools, such as complex contracts, quote requests, volume-based discounts, multi-level account structures that replicate customers’ internal organization, large purchase volumes, and shopping cards with thousands of SKUs, personalized pricing and catalogs, and other vital B2B functionality.  

The sales channel, contractual agreements, and even the type of customer (e.g. a dealer, an OEM, or a fleet manager), all define how the product is priced and configured.

On top of that, truck cabs, lighting kits, telematics, lift systems, tire inflators, and thousands of other products all have to be fully customizable and provide exhaustive data to help buyers make a purchasing decision. 

Advanced pricing engines dynamically accommodate the industry’s complex pricing structures and support flexibility and scalability instead of hindering growth. They support tiered pricing, multiple currencies, bulk orders, and time-based and volume-based discounts, catering to different customer groups and maximizing margins. 

In the automotive industry, AI-powered modules simplify and speed up the selection and decision-making process through smart search functionality that offers accurate and relevant results. AI understands user intent for every query. It also instantly matches parts by VIN, recommends compatible products based on the vehicle model or previous orders, and reduces the percentage of returns.  

Wrong parts order was considered a US $1.7 billion problem annually back in 2020 with as many as 25-30% rates of returns for new part purchases. Given the market growth and expansion of ecommerce, the numbers are even higher today.  

While AI-powered fitment engines in the auto parts ecommerce platform won’t eradicate this issue completely, being able to rely on technology to cross-check and verify compatibility is drastically cutting down the number of wrongly placed orders and losses associated with the return and refund processes. 

Global industry is dealing with serious challenges, but its future is bright. The push towards wider EV adoption and aftermarket boom highlights the need for automotive digital transformation and disruption to the current status quo.  

B2B consumers are expecting equally seamless and transparent purchasing processes as the B2C sector demonstrates, and the major way to ensure convenience, high quality, and speed for OEMs, fleet managers, dealers, distributors, and other market players is through incorporating digital solutions and embracing the ecommerce route.  

The commercial vehicle accessories market alone is projected to reach US $142 billion by 2029, and the old ways of managing operations are not going to be scalable or flexible enough to sustain this growth and remain competitive.  

Advanced catalog management, flexible and complex pricing structures, and real-time updates to inventory and delivery statuses are only a few things that are nearly impossible to manage effectively and with low costs unless there is a sophisticated system in place that is reliable and powerful, but also versatile and flexible.  

Cadillac and KW Parts together with the Mardi Gras implementation partner chose the Virto Commerce Innovation Platform to:  

• Boost multi-regional sales 
• Upgrade their architecture 
• Enhance the shopping experience on the website 
• Launch new localized storefronts faster 
• Support GM’s EV portfolio launch in Europe 

Virto Commerce met key requirements by: 

• Leveraging headless approach and atomic architecture to provide scalable and highly customizable interfaces.  
• Supporting seamless third-party integrations to fully merge the solution with the rest of the infrastructure.  
• Secured fast time-to-market across several regions with multilingual and multi-currency and a vast catalog, allowing the B2C webstore project to launch in only three months.  

The results achieved included: 

• B2B webstores launched in 30 countries 
• Four million products covered across catalogs  
• One-second average indexing and search speed 

Along with powerful partner integrations, Virto Commerce and Mardi Gras modernized the existing infrastructures and put Cadillac & KW Parts ahead of the digital transformation automotive curve. New technologies introduced facilitate the business’s expansion plans and provide a scalable and future-proof platform that stimulates further growth.  

Ready to join the path of digital transformation in the automotive industry, replace, or modernize your legacy platforms with robust ecommerce solutions? 

Virto Commerce Innovation Platform is a modern automotive ecommerce solution that is not adapted to B2B needs but is specifically engineered for industrial-grade and complex B2B and D2C commerce.  

From Atomic Architecture™ that enables granular scaling to advanced contract handling and digital catalogs that process hundreds of thousands of SKUs at top-level speeds, this is a solution that ticks all the boxes of automotive manufacturers, parts suppliers, equipment vendors, and aftermarket operators. 

Schedule a demo call with Virto expert to get all your questions answered, learn more about your options, and all digital transformation automotive best practices, and identify your next steps and growth opportunities.