If you think having a website doesn’t matter because you don’t sell online, you’re falling behind.
Your customers are online. Every single day. They’re searching for brands, products, and categories, and they expect to find local shops that carry and install those products, fast. If your store doesn’t show up in those searches, it doesn’t matter how good your prices are or how experienced your techs are. You’re invisible.
We know that shops rely on walk-in traffic and local installs. We’ve seen firsthand how the right online presence leads to more foot traffic, higher-dollar jobs, and fewer tire-kickers wasting your time. And no, you don’t need to sell parts through e-commerce to get those results.
Here are the top 3 reasons your store needs online visibility, even if you’re strictly brick-and-mortar.
1. Customers Are Googling Parts Before They Visit You
Today’s customer doesn’t start with a phone call; they start with a Google search. That includes your best buyers: the truck owners looking to drop $1,500–$2,500 on a lift kit, hard cover, or wheel-and-tire combo. They don’t walk into the first shop they see; they search for what they want, and Google tells them who to call.
Let’s say a customer wants a Fab Fours bumper for their Tacoma.
They type: “Fab Fours Tacoma Bumper [your town]”
If your shop doesn’t show up? You’ve already lost.
Even if you’re the only local shop that stocks it, they won’t know unless Google tells them. And Google can’t promote your store if you don’t have a website that’s built to show up in searches.
If your customers don’t find you when they search, they’ll find your competitor.
The Total Truck Centers website platform, Aftermarket Websites®, was made for this. It automatically tags your site content with the brands and part categories you carry, so you rank for those searches. You can upload hundreds of brands with just a few clicks.
This is how our dealers get found when customers search for things like:
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“CURT hitches near me”
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“Amp Research PowerSteps install [city]”
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“Bed covers for 2022 F-150”
Need help setting up your Google Business Profile? Check out our blog “How to Set Up a Google Business Profile“.
2. Your Website Either Confirms You’re a Pro or Makes You Look Outdated
The moment a potential customer lands on your website, they’re deciding whether or not to trust you with their truck.
It doesn’t matter if you’ve been in business for 20 years or have the most experienced techs in town. If your website looks like it was built in 2009, or worse, you don’t have one, most shoppers will assume you’re outdated, out of touch, or just out of business.
Put yourself in their shoes.
They’re dropping $2,000 on bed covers, toolboxes, etc. They’re not going ot walk into just any shop.
They want confidence:
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Can you do the job right?
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Do you carry the brands they trust?
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Have you worked on their type of truck before?
Your website needs to build credibility. Without it, you leave customers guessing, and guessing won’t get them in the door.
With Aftermarket Websites®, your shop will have the built-in tools that build your customers’ confidence, including:
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Year/Make/Model lookup
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Service pages
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Hundreds of trusted brands
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Accurate pricing
3. The Dealer Down the Road Is Already Online
There’s a good chance the shop down the road has already made the move online. Maybe they’ve got a clean site with brand logos, a vehicle fitment tool, and a quick “Request a Quote” form. Maybe they don’t install as well as you do, but they’re getting the call first.
Look up your zip code right now.
Google:
“Truck accessories near me”
“Jeep parts [your city]”
Do you show up? Does your competitor?
If they’ve got an Aftermarket Websites® site with fitment tools, accurate pricing, and current product data, and you’ve got a Facebook page from 2018, you’re going to lose the sale before the phone even rings.
This isn’t about being fancy. It’s about showing up where buyers are making decisions.
Total Truck Centers Authorized Dealers who switched to Aftermarket Websites® report:
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More walk-ins from Google Maps and local searches
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More phone calls like, “I saw these on your website, when can I get them installed?”
- Higher customer satisfaction because of guaranteed fitment
Even if you close every sale in person, it starts online.
Ready to Be Seen?
You install great parts. You carry top brands.
Don’t let your business stay hidden.
Let Total Truck Centers help you get online with a site that’s built for your shop and updated automatically with product data from the same suppliers you already buy from.
No need to learn web design. We’ve got it covered. Want a free demo? Visit www.aftermarketwebsites.com
