We all know the vibe of the local car parts shop. Stark, practical fixtures, motor-head employees, and rows upon rows of tires and gadgets and metal parts.

The old-school car shop has its charms, but it isn’t necessarily accessible--particularly to the casual car owner. That’s why auto parts retailers are reimagining their stores to draw in customers--and keep them coming back.

Check out these two innovative auto parts shops, and their imaginative in-store experience:

Roll by Goodyear
With bright pastel colors and flexible customer options, Goodyear’s new line of millennial-friendly stores is forging a new path for auto parts retailers. The concept stores feature bright colors, simple fixtures, and comfortable furnishing to create an auto parts experience that leaves behind the impersonal, sterile car parts shops of the past.

Catered to the busy lives of today’s shoppers, Roll features an integrated omnichannel retail strategy that makes for an uber-convenient shopping experience. Browse online or in-store, choose the parts you need, and then leave your keys and car at the shop for quick hands-off service--or schedule a visit from the mobile van which will handle the tire installation wherever is most convenient.

Advance Auto Parts
Taking a more ostentatious approach, Advance Auto Parts hits the road annually with a car show that offers excitement for every customer. Vintage vehicles, puppy mascot Tuxlee, and video games played for discounts are all a part of Advance Auto Parts’s Mobile Tour, designed to bring in customers and build brand loyalty.

The tour features car restoration events, videos, and carnival games like a spinning wheel that can be spun in exchange for signing up for the Advance Auto Parts loyalty program.

While some events take place at Advance Auto Parts stores, the Mobile Tour also makes stops at events that might attract a motor-loving crowd, like Daytona Bike Week and NASCAR races. The primary motivation? Increase store visits and build lasting relationships with non-traditional customers.

AutoZone
This car parts retailer is upping the ante when it comes to retail tech and convenience-based shopping. AutoZone has long been focused on an efficient brick-and-mortar strategy, first experimenting with a regional distribution hub inventory strategy in 2002.

Now, almost two decades later, AutoZone is leading the pack when it comes to stocking brick-and-mortar locations, with mega hubs that hold over 50,000 items ready to be sent to nearby stores at any time.

Their hub strategy means for a stellar omnichannel retail experience--most any item found online can be bought in a brick-and-mortar store. Buy online, pickup in-store has never been easier, and in fact, BOPIS outperformed ship-to-home sales in 2017.

The Takeaway
Traditional auto parts shops may seem like a tried-and-true retail strategy, but innovation is always possible. These auto parts retailers are forging a new path into a youth-friendly, comfortable, convenient auto parts retail experience, building brand loyalty and boosting sales in the process.

Have questions about how we can help with your retail showroom buyers? Give us a call at 203-221-4777 ext. 100 or drop us a line below and an In-Store Experience representative will contact you shortly.

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