Multi-Channel Parts Aggregator: Boosting Efficiency in Automotive Procurement

Context

In automotive procurement, workshops often rely on a trusted network of vendors on marketplaces like eBay or Amazon. The challenge: To check the availability of a specific spare part, buyers must manually search each vendor's shop individually. This fragmented process is time-consuming and often leads to incorrect orders due to a lack of direct comparability.

Approach

The objective was to develop a "Single Point of Truth" for procurement. Instead of searching the entire marketplace, the application focuses specifically on the user’s curated contacts.

• Centralized Contact Management: Workshops can save their preferred vendors from various platforms as "digital contacts."
• Aggregated Search: Development of a custom middleware that sends search queries in parallel to the APIs of various platforms, consolidating the results into a unified UI.
• Next.js Architecture: Leveraging Server-side Rendering and API Routes to handle complex background queries while ensuring the frontend remains highly responsive for the user.

Zoom

Features

• Merchant Sourcing: Easy onboarding of eBay shop IDs or Amazon seller profiles. The app automatically detects and maps available inventory data.
• Real-Time Filtering: Users can filter by OE part numbers, manufacturers, or categories across all platform boundaries simultaneously.
• Direct Checkout: Integration of deep links that lead the user directly to the shopping cart of the respective vendor on the original platform.

Results

• Significant Time Savings: The parts search process was reduced from an average of 15 minutes (manual individual checks) to under 2 minutes.
• Error Prevention: The consolidated view allows for an immediate comparison of prices and delivery times among "core suppliers," significantly reducing the error rate in procurement.
• Digital Transformation: The workshop achieves a higher level of digitalization and optimizes internal operations through a modern, scalable software infrastructure.

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"The solution transforms the traditional, manual procurement process into a modern, data-driven structure without compromising long-standing supplier relationships."