For years, automotive and powersports dealerships have worried about the same giant: Amazon. Many assume Amazon would eventually “take over” parts sales in the same the way that it transformed books, electronics, and household goods.
But the reality is very different.
Amazon is not an online automotive or powersports parts store – and never will be.
Not in structure. Not in strategy. And definitely not in customer experience.
And this gap — the difference between what Amazon is and what your dealership can be — is exactly where your opportunity sits.
This is part one of a two-part series. Here, we focus on why Amazon isn’t built for automotive or powersports parts. In part two, we will take the next step and show you how to build an e-commerce system that lets your dealership win online.
Below is why dealerships need to invest in their own e-commerce; the historical roadblocks that slowed progress, and the practical steps dealers should prioritize to compete and win online.
Your customers have changed more in the last five years than in the previous twenty. Today they:
And most importantly: they want to buy from a specialist, not from a marketplace that treats brake pads, phone cases, and cat food the same way.
You already have what Amazon cannot replicate:
Your dealership is a destination for parts. Amazon is a general marketplace.
If you don’t build an online version of that specialist experience — real data, real fitment logic, real availability, and real support — customers simply move to the dealer who does.
There’s another important reason dealers should avoid relying too heavily on Amazon or any other marketplace. Several investigations and legal filings have shown that Amazon’s pricing system works against sellers who try to offer better deals elsewhere.
In plain terms: if you sell something for less on your own dealership site, Amazon can punish the listing on its platform.
This pushes sellers into matching Amazon’s pricing everywhere — including on their own e-commerce store.
And that’s exactly why your dealership website needs to be the primary channel. It’s the only place where you have full control over:
Marketplaces make their own rules.
Your website is the one place where you operate on your own terms.
| Category | Your Dealership E-Commerce Site | Amazon Marketplace |
| Control Over Pricing | Full control. Set your own margins, promotions, and bundles. | Limited. Amazon suppresses visibility if prices are lower elsewhere. |
| Customer Data Ownership | You own all customer data (email, purchase history, preferences). | Amazon keeps the customer relationship and limits data access. |
| Fitment Accuracy | High accuracy with dealer-managed or integrated fitment systems. | Often unreliable or incomplete, leading to returns. |
| Branding | Full brand control across the entire shopping experience. | Amazon branding dominates; dealer identity is minimized. |
| Product Curation | Curated catalog of trusted brands, staff picks, and region-specific needs. | Oversaturated listings with mixed quality products. |
| Installation + Service Options | Can offer installation, service bundles, and scheduling. | No installation or service integration. |
| Customer Trust | Built through expert support and local presence. | Based on marketplace ratings, not expertise. |
| Long-Term Loyalty | High. Customers return to the dealer they know. | Low. Customers shop whoever wins the Buy Box. |
| Fees | No commissions; predictable operating costs. | High seller fees, advertising costs, and fulfillment fees. |
| Algorithm Control | None needed — your site, your rules. | Amazon controls search ranking, Buy Box, and visibility. |
Visual Table: Dealership E-Commerce Site vs Selling on Amazon Marketplace
Your dealership has clear advantages Amazon simply can’t match: expertise, accuracy, service, trust, and full control over customer relationships. The comparison is not even close. But recognizing that opportunity is only the first step. To compete online and win consistently, dealerships need the right digital foundation.
Part 2 continues from here and walks through how to build that foundation: one that combines the speed of modern e-commerce with the specialist experience customers expect from a dealership.
Amazon is a competitor, but not a specialist. They lack fitment accuracy, installation support, and technical expertise. Dealers win by offering the knowledgeable, service-backed experience Amazon cannot provide.
Your own site gives you full control over pricing, margins, branding, customer data, and long-term loyalty. Marketplaces impose their own rules and do not protect dealer margins.
Yes. Multiple seller reports show Amazon may suppress visibility or remove the Buy Box if the same product is sold cheaper outside Amazon. This essentially forces sellers into matching Amazon’s pricing platform-wide.
Real-time pricing and inventory prevent the dreaded “call for availability” problem. Customers are far more likely to buy when they see that the part is actually in stock and ready to ship or pick up.
Trying to compete only on price. The winning strategy is to combine expert knowledge, service options, and curated products — things Amazon simply can’t replicate.
Local pickup, predictable shipping, installation scheduling, and proactive communication all outperform Amazon for dealership customers.
No. The right e-commerce platform handles catalog updates, category structures, inventory connections, and integrations so your team can focus on customers.
