Buying car parts yourself is a great way to save some serious money on car repairs. Dealerships and mechanics alike sell spare parts after adding their own margins.
While buying the right car parts was a pain in the past, with the rise of online car parts stores, it has become easier than ever before.
In fact, it has become so easy that the online spare parts industry is predicted to grow over $19 billion in the next two years!
However, looking at this lucrative number, there are a lot of players entering the industry. As a result, customers have an overwhelming number of online stores to choose from.
This expansive choice is especially difficult because the online spare parts industry is plagued by people with ill intent running scams. Be that as it may, informed customers normally don’t fall for scams.
In this article, we will share the things you must keep in mind to avoid these scams and unpleasant experiences while shopping for car spare parts online.
Know Who You Are Buying From
When selecting an online car spare parts store, it is important to pick one that has a track record of delivering excellent experiences.
For this reason, it is important to evaluate car parts websites on the basis of their experience, their online reviews, and their customer service responses.
Dealers like the PartsGeek online store have been in the game for over a decade and are known for great offers and reliable service. It is advisable to stick with such experienced dealers.
Know Your Car
In most cases, someone buying spare parts online encounters a bad experience because they accidentally ordered a product that is not meant for their car. Other times, inexperienced car owners may misdiagnose the problem of their car and may order a part that does not address their issue.
To avoid such a situation, it is important to study and conduct research about your car and understand how the different parts work. If you don’t want to go through the trouble of doing this, it is advisable to depend on the advice of professionals.
Learn To Identify Original Parts
If you are shopping for spare parts online and run into a deal that is simply too good to be true, it just might be the case. As with everything else, the rule of thumb regarding “you get what you pay for” applies to online shopping of car spare parts as well.
This is not to say that you can’t find great discounts and deals on spare parts online. To verify if the product you are purchasing is genuine, try finding out the OEM number of the part.
The OEM or Original Equipment Manufacturer number is present on all car parts regardless of their place of origin and is a great way to identify genuine parts.
Enquire And Returns, Refund Policy, and Warranty
A genuine seller of spare parts will stand by their service and the quality of the parts that they offer. This confidence is reflected on the website in the form of a transparent return and refund guidelines, along with a clear warranty policy attached with each product.
If you find the refund or return policy of a store a bit too stingy, it pays to remember that there are plenty of other options available and move on. Similarly, if a seller does not provide any warranty on the products they sell, it is better to steer clear of them.
Conclusion
Being an informed customer only takes a little bit of effort from your side. Understanding the precautions mentioned in this article, you can rest assured about the quality of the spare parts you purchase online.
