You’re probably wondering why ACES and PIES software is so important in the automotive aftermarket industry. ACES and PIES are both standards that retailers use to facilitate communication between suppliers of automotive parts, accessories, tools, equipment, and related components.
Many automobile component shops will exceed the capabilities of most general retail sales contracts. This is because an auto parts shop will have thousands of parts and accessories in stock for special orders. Customers are also divided into different groups based on their needs and interests. We can include repair shop owners, dealers, and individuals seeking to repair or improve their cars themselves. It should also go without saying that each of these clients will have their preferences and knowledge when placing orders for goods in their shopping cart.
Fitment data is one of the most significant distinctions between the automotive aftermarket sector and other industries. There are hundreds of different types of cars on the road and tens of thousands of parts and accessories for each one. These accessories and automobile components may be used on a variety of vehicles at the same time. The typical auto component will fit approximately 32 distinct automobiles. There are also numerous examples where parts and accessories work together and several where they don’t.
Many people frequently seek aftermarket goods based on brand rather than quality. Aftermarket equipment that fits your automobile might not come from the original manufacturer, and many customers are unaware of this. In this case, fitment data may connect these dots by bridging the information gap and establishing a link between specific vehicles and the many car components and accessories available on the market. This is where an ACES and PIES software solution will be beneficial.
ACES stands for Aftermarket Catalog Exchange Standard, while PIES stands for Product Information Exchange Standard. These two standards allow manufacturers to better understand their customer needs by providing them with all of the relevant information they need about an item or supplier in one place.
The Importance of ACES and PIES Software
The Auto Care Association (ACA), previously known as the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association (AAIA), established these standards in order to handle and communicate fitment information and part numbers between different partners and consumers. Sometimes known as “Fitment Standards” or “Fitment Rules,” ACES and PIES provide a unifying framework so that people working with fitment data may “speak the same language.”
Every automobile eCommerce firm that works with auto parts and accessories will need a comprehensive fitment data management system. Otherwise, their suppliers and clients would be unable to locate what they’re looking for. Customers in the automotive aftermarket sector will have to double-check that the components and accessories they’re viewing are compatible with their car, unlike when shopping for goods online in other industries where customers simply go online and search for a product.
Compatibility data, sometimes known as fitment data, include all important data such as the year, make, and model of the automobile and other relevant information for those components. If this fitment data is incorrect or incomplete, you risk selling the wrong parts to customers and the possibility that they won’t be able to find what they’re searching for in the first place.
This, in turn, can result in a slew of product returns, consumer complaints, a significant dent in your brand’s reputation, and missed sales possibilities. However, because both the aforementioned ACES data standard and the PIES data standard are adjusted frequently, managing this vast amount of compatibility information is ongoing. The Auto Care Association does not just keep track of new components and accessories that enter the market. It also updates its databases every month, adding new components and attachments as they emerge. The ACA also modifies or removes various vehicle characteristics and configurations. Aftermarket auto part businesses will also be required to maintain their records to comply with ACES and PIES standards.
Setting up an auto-part database isn’t as simple as it may appear. If the changes made by the ACA don’t match your fitment data, you’ll have gaps in your catalog. Customers will not be able to locate the components they were searching for when this occurs.
Both Amazon and eBay Motors maintain master vehicle lists that are updated regularly. The goods listed here are sorted by type and geographic location to allow consumers to see how any specific vehicle brand or model fitment data has changed over time. Rather than relying solely on the information stored in their databases, auto-part software, and inventory management systems, both eCommerce platforms currently employ manual procedures for importing fitment data and updating it regularly.
When dealing with a large number of listings, it may not be easy to keep track of each listing’s specific details. Not only is this time-consuming and difficult, but it will also be nearly impossible to keep up with all the changes that happen across all of your listings. It’s for these reasons why ACES and PIES software is so useful.
You will be able to improve the visibility of your whole vehicle parts catalog by using such a software solution. Instead of having to add or edit each item, one at a time, you’ll be able to automate bulk fitting importing. And that’s not all that a comprehensive ACES and PIES solution can do.
What Can ACES and PIES Software Do?
Every system has its own set of characteristics. When it comes to Illumaware’s Evokat Premier, several features distinguish it from the competition. This is an online access solution based on the cloud that allows users to create highly configurable authoring and reporting tools while managing all disparate requests from a single location. It also has enhanced catalog data security measures, including antivirus and malware protection, multi-factor authentication, access control lists, VPN, HIPAA and PCI DSS compliance, and more.
The Evokat Premier platform will deliver you with the most up-to-date versions of the Auto Care Association databases, as well as a real-time vehicle mapping interface. This user interface gives immediate feedback on all available vehicle options that fit your target criteria. It can also conduct comprehensive health checks on your app and product data and offer solutions to any problems that may develop.
Evokat Premier will connect you to all vehicles in the VCdb database, regardless of the type of extra accessories. You’ll also have access to all product information available in the PCdb and PAdb databases without having to pay additional fees for them.
The most crucial aspect is that Evokat Premier will constantly check your database against the new criteria as they are updated every month, ensuring that there are no gaps in your catalog’s fitment data. In most situations, Evokat Premier will also provide clear and easy-to-follow solutions to these issues.
You’ll also have complete control over the mapping process by adding as many specifications to your car components and accessories as you need. You may keep it basic with just year, make, and model or be specific with things like gasoline types, engine types, body styles, and more.
You will be able to decrease the incidence of catalog data entry errors, the danger of product returns, miscommunication with partners and clients, and the risk of missing sales chances by using a software solution like Evokat Premier. You can embed your PIES data brand-specific overrides and certain ACES fitment note targeting into this management system. You have plenty of leeway when it comes to customizing your product data, depending on your channel partner’s specific demands or requirements for personal branding.
To summarize, an auto parts database software can help your automobile aftermarket business succeed in today’s highly competitive market. If you want to learn more about what Illumaware LLC Evokat Premier has to offer to your vehicle parts catalog, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us right away.
