Twenty years ago, it was simply a vision...to make it a reality for tire and automotive service centers to quickly and easily source tires and parts from suppliers from within their point-of-sale solution.
Through a close partnership with Michelin North America and one of its regional wholesalers, US Autoforce (US Tire & Exhaust, as they were called then), Kerridge Commercial Systems (KCS) created the first e-commerce platform for the tire and automotive industry to make this dream a reality. Today, thousands of shops order tires and parts over the OpenWebs network, representing a total of over 200,000 inquiries and 20,000 transactions, resulting in over $2,000,000 in orders each day.
With the proliferation of tire SKUs over the years, dealers relied more heavily on distributors to fulfill customer orders through multiple deliveries per day. Today, over 100 distributors support a direct connection with OpenWebs; including AutoZone, Napa, Advance, Mighty AutoParts, Eastern Warehouse Distributors, TireHub, ATD, K&M, Capital, and Max Finkelstein.
Pete Lombardo of Blain Farm & Fleet, based in Janesville, WI, recalls, “Before VAST and OpenWebs, we would have multiple vendor’s B2B websites open and needed to check inventory separately on each of our tire distributors sites.”
OpenWebs and its point-of-sale integration have allowed dealers to be more efficient, reduce costs, and increase revenues in addition to an overall improved consumer experience.
OpenWebs is built to connect customers, suppliers, and partners online, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and 365 days a year. Whether your business is looking for a B2B or B2C solution - OpenWebs can help. Fully integrated with KCS’s business management solutions, OpenWebs provides users with real-time inventory and prices.
Embracing change is never easy, but KCS is there to help. Contact us today to find out what we can do for your business and how OpenWebs can help navigate these challenging times.
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