The eBay platform has driven business. Perhaps the highest grossing of all -and even Netflix turned it into a miniseries- is Nasty Gal by Sophia Amoruso, a young Californian who in 2006 began selling second-hand clothes from the e-commerce platform. Although this category is one of the three that generates the most transactions for eBay in Mexico, in addition to collectible items, there is another that has recently caught the attention of platform managers due to the growing number of searches recorded in recent months: that of auto parts and accessories .
Last year this category had a growth of almost 30% in the region called ‘Emerging Markets’, of which Mexico is a part. “The auto parts and accessories category has seen tremendous growth across multiple markets as buyers from around the world have found the auto parts they need on our platform,” said Jenny Hui, general manager for Emerging Markets at eBay, in a statement. .
As the shortage of new cars continues, which in turn has caused prices to rise, many owners are choosing to keep their current units. “This phenomenon has led many consumers to make improvements or maintain their unit. This has triggered the Internet search for spare parts and accessories to repair vehicles,” says Raúl Bustamante, communication and marketing manager for eBay in Latin America, in an interview.
eBay saw an opportunity to serve this segment and recently launched a support program for auto parts and accessories sellers interested in exporting to the 190 countries where the platform has a presence.
Bustamante details that the program will allow aftermarket dealers to receive the help of a personal manager during the first year, a free subscription to an eBay store for three months, as well as the automated ad publication service.
To participate in the program it is necessary to have at least 50 different items for sale within the category and fill out an online form.
The platform ensures that Mexican sellers in the segment manage to export to two different countries in their first year of sales on eBay, while in the second, they reach five countries or more. The main countries to which Mexicans who sell auto parts and accessories through the platform export are the United States, Puerto Rico, Canada, Germany and the United Kingdom.
A window to export to the United States
The value of the aftermarket in the United States grew 4%, to approximately $48 billion, in 2021, according to SEMA Market Research. According to eBay figures, three parts are purchased every second in the United States , while in the United Kingdom and Germany one part is purchased every second.
The best-selling brands of auto parts and accessories by Mexicans on eBay are Standard Motor Products, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Toyota and Volkswagen; while the items that are most exported are consoles or parts thereof, gear levers, exterior trim, switches and controls, motors and motor parts.
“With the demand for auto parts growing, it is a key moment for more sellers in the segment to explore new marketing channels,” said Bustamante. “Selling through online platforms will allow them to meet new global customers and continue to expand their business,” he concluded.