How One Hyundai Parts Manager Quadrupled Sales and Transformed a Department

When Ryan Meachem took the reins as Parts Manager at Hyundai of the Shoals, he found himself staring down the barrel of a challenge: a parts department struggling to find its footing. The dealership had never had a parts manager, and with a mountain of obsolete inventory weighing down operations, it was clear Ryan had his work cut out for him. In just a matter of months, Ryan had transformed the department with a strategy that combined airtight processes, expert inventory management, and online parts sales.

But, how did he manage to take a department in desperate need of strong leadership to a pinnacle of efficiency and profitability? This is Ryan’s story of grit, innovation, and the strategic use of modern selling tools that has quadrupled sales in Hyundai of the Shoals’ parts department in under a year.

The Challenge:
A Department on the Brink of Change

When Ryan joined Hyundai of the Shoals in October 2024, the sales volume in his first month hovered just around $15,000. Ryan saw an opportunity for change. 

His first order of business was to stabilize the department’s daily operations. “I knew I had to break bad habits for my employees and create good ones,” Ryan recalled. He started with the basics: inventory management. The team before him didn’t have a process for returning unsold parts, which led to a stockpile of unnecessary inventory collecting dust. So, Ryan added a new system for tracking special orders and keeping a healthy stock rotation. 

Ryan isn’t the type to settle for simply keeping things running. He knew there was more potential in the department, which led him to propose taking the department online. His GM and directors were skeptical because this was new territory, but Ryan was confident. “They trusted my idea and ambition, even though they weren’t sure about the whole online thing at first,” he said. And it paid off—the results were almost immediate.

The Profitable Shift:
Online Sales for Explosive Growth

Ryan had been considering parts eCommerce in previous roles for years and finally found the right moment to pursue it. “I wanted to find a way to generate more revenue without relying on wholesale relationships, which were limited in our area,” he explained. After only eight weeks of experimenting with online part sales, Ryan quickly saw eCommerce was outpacing wholesale revenue at the dealership. 

In his second month of selling online, his parts department grossed over $63,000, shattering previous records. “We’ve exceeded our expectations, and my GM and directors couldn’t be happier,” Ryan said. This instant success proved there was a huge market for Hyundai parts beyond local boundaries.

One of the biggest wins Ryan saw from selling online was the ability to move obsolete parts. “I can’t stress enough how important it is to clear out old inventory,” he said. Selling online has allowed him to offload parts that were just sitting around, turning them into cash. In two months, he knocked his 20% obsolescence down to an impressive 0%. “It’s crazy how quickly things move online,” Ryan admitted. “What was sitting on the shelf for months is now out the door.”

Selling online also made the department more profitable. Ryan managed to recover his upfront investment costs in the first month alone. “By October, we netted around $5,000 after covering all expenses,” he said. What Ryan once thought was an uncertain gamble turned into a calculated success that has the department running at full throttle.

Ryan’s Parts Department Pro-Tips

Ryan’s success offers invaluable lessons to any parts manager or other dealership leader looking to maximize the earning potential of their parts department. If you’re thinking about making the leap to online part sales, here are some of his tips that could help a beginner start on the right foot:

Ryan’s Aspirations for 2025

Ryan is optimistic about where online parts sales can take him and the Hyundai of the Shoals team. He plans to turn the parts department into a six-figure grossing operation by the end of 2025. “We’ve grown our part sales by 400% within a year, so I know we can reach that target,” he said confidently. “With the right strategies in place and a focus on online sales, the sky’s the limit,” he remarked. 

For parts managers and dealership leaders looking to level up, Ryan’s story serves as a roadmap to success. Shifting to online sales has created a new profitable revenue stream and the success has empowered his parts team. As the automotive industry continues to change, bringing in digital tools will be the big difference for teams committed to staying competitive and driving sustainable growth.

Turning Parts Employees into Online Sales Leaders

Bommarito Ford has achieved amazing results with its parts department, reporting 407 orders and $82,462.52 in sales in just 30 days. These numbers highlight the growing power of parts eCommerce. At the heart of this success is Fixed Ops Director Scott Lindwall’s philosophy: “Your bottom line is your front line, and your people are your front line.” 

Bommarito Ford Rolling 30-Day Online Part Sales

Grow Your Own High-Impact Parts Employees 

Scott Lindwall’s journey to becoming Fixed Ops Director for the Bommarito Group began on the ground floor as a parts manager. Over the years, he worked his way up, gaining firsthand experience and a deep understanding of what it takes to build a successful team. 

Now overseeing operations at multiple dealerships—Ford, Nissan, Honda, VW, and Toyota—Lindwall has led the charge in embracing online sales, being the first in the group to adopt RevolutionParts seven years ago.

“I spend money with folks who I trust,” said Lindwall, and that trust starts within his own team. 

Hiring a new parts manager, Ben Hannock, was a turning point. Within 30 days of Hannock’s arrival, the department experienced 100% growth. 

Lindwall emphasized, “When you invest in your people and set them up to win, they deliver.”  

Leadership continually invests in the parts department by encouraging them to discuss and share ideas internally, sending them to seminars and other industry events, and providing educational reading materials.

Taking on Aftermarket Retailers with RevolutionParts

Traditionally, the success of a parts department was tied to the sales floor and service drive. Today, the competition extends beyond local markets to 24/7 aftermarket retailers. 

Lindwall said, “Our competition is the aftermarket—they’re working 24/7, and we have the ability to do the same thing and even better.”

Using RevolutionParts, Bommarito Ford turned its parts department into a strong online business that customers can shop from anytime, anywhere. Selling parts online has helped the dealership reach beyond local customers and compete across the whole country.

RevolutionParts has played a big role in helping Bommarito Ford succeed with selling parts online. The platform handles the background tasks, allowing the dealership to focus on sales and taking care of customers. 

Lindwall had simple advice for other dealers: “It’s a trust fall, but it’s the best thing you’ll ever do.”

He also gives credit to RevolutionParts’ consulting services, especially Mike King, for sharing tips and strategies that really work. Lindwall recommended, “Follow their recommendations.”

Turning Inventory Into Cash, One Sale at a Time

For Bommarito Ford, keeping inventory clean and moving isn’t a challenge—it’s a way of doing business. Lindwall believes in treating inventory like “piles of money.” He explained, “The more you can move it, the cleaner you keep it, and the more money you can earn.”  

RevolutionParts helps Bommarito Ford stay on top of this process by making it easy to sell parts online. The platform turns slow-moving inventory into profit by connecting the dealership with customers all over the country. By staying focused on quick sales and avoiding stockpile issues, the parts department operates more efficiently and keeps profits growing. 

Making It Easy for Customers to Keep Coming Back  

Lindwall knows how important it is to make things simple for customers. “It’s not what you like, it’s the consumer,” he chuckled, quoting the movie Joe Dirt.  

Selling parts online fits perfectly with this idea. It lets customers shop whenever they want, on their own time. This convenience helps Bommarito Ford stand out and keeps customers coming back.  

Lindwall had a big goal: “One day, my parts department is going to outgross our service department.” With hard work and the help of eCommerce, that’s exactly what happened. Selling parts online played a big role in reaching that milestone and making the department a leader in the dealership.  

Advice for Dealerships Not Yet Selling Parts Online  

For dealerships unsure about selling parts online, Lindwall has some simple advice: go for it. “It’s totally doable,” he said. While it may require some extra work, having the right tools and support makes it much easier—and the rewards are worth it.  

Lindwall encouraged General Managers to trust their operators and consider new programs and tools. “General Managers need to listen to their operators about the programs and tools that are out there,” he explained. “In the dealership, you have to use every revenue opportunity available to you.”  

With RevolutionParts, Bommarito Ford has done just that. The platform has been a game-changer, turning online parts sales into a powerful way to boost revenue and reach more customers. For Lindwall, selling parts online isn’t just a good idea—it’s essential for staying competitive and growing the business.  

Invest in People, Embrace Technology, Achieve Big Goals

Bommarito Ford’s story shows how focusing on people and using the right technology can turn a parts department into a strong and profitable business. By supporting employees, focusing on customer experience, and using RevolutionParts for online sales, the dealership has created a model for success.  

Lindwall summed it up perfectly: “Taking risks is part of being great.” For dealerships ready to invest in their team and embrace online sales, Bommarito Ford offers a clear path to reaching big goals.

How Stillwell Ford Achieved $200k+ in Sales and $23k+ Profit in One Month with Selling Parts Online

Parts managers like Bill Green at Stillwell Ford are forever changing how dealerships do business. A little more than three years ago, Bill started at Stillwell Ford and right away leveled up his department from a support function for service and sales to a totally new profit maker for the dealership. Using RevolutionParts, he has driven rolling 30-day sales of 800+ orders and $200,000+ in revenue. There are benefits beyond the profitable revenue boost, too: trust from his general manager, steady growth, and lots of manufacturer kickbacks.

Rolling 30-day sales volume

A Vision for Big Growth

In the past—and at many dealerships still today—parts departments relied on vehicle sales and service volume to meet their revenue goals, making growth difficult without a huge budget and dealership expansion. But Bill, a manager with 40+ years of automotive industry experience, knew that online selling could provide the parts department with a scalable source of income. With RevolutionParts, Stillwell Ford entered the digital parts market, allowing them to bypass the geographic limits of a small-town dealership and open up a new nationwide customer base.

Bill says: “I tried to make it work at a few places before, but I didn’t have any support from the owners. Then I went to my current boss. At first, he said no. Later, I came back with more info, plus there was a discount program for Ford dealers. I also got advice from our IT guy, who thought it was a good idea. With better details and a lower price, we finally went for it.”

Overcoming Skepticism & Training His Team

Bill’s parts team was skeptical at first—many of his employees were uncomfortable with the idea of the technology, especially those who had worked in traditional parts roles for decades. However, Bill is a very capable and convincing leader, and with RevolutionParts’ help and easy-to-use tools, he quickly trained his team to manage and fulfill online orders.

Now, Stillwell Ford’s parts department is doing so much business online that they have multiple new full-time team members managing online order processing, customer calls, emails, and outbound packaging.

The Financial Impact: Volume, Kickbacks, & Profit

Unlike over-the-counter sales, where profit margins are typically higher, online sales often come with smaller margins. However, online sales is a volume game which has helped Stillwell Ford tap into a new source of profit, a cleaner inventory, and manufacturer kickbacks from Ford. 

“I’m not just stocking parts randomly—we use Ford’s RIM program, so parts get added automatically and are protected from going obsolete. Plus, we make money on shipping, and our higher purchase volume moved us to a better discount category with Ford. It all adds up to bigger profits. It also lets me stock parts I wouldn’t usually carry,” says Bill.

Success Has No Limit

For Bill, selling parts online was an exciting challenge that renewed his enthusiasm for his career. Having started in the dealership business in the 1980s, Bill has seen firsthand how the industry has evolved. His journey has included roles at a Jeep, Buick, and GMC dealership, time with BMW Corporate, and now his position at Stillwell Ford. 

“Adding the internet side of things gets me excited, even though it was a lot to learn at first. But now I really enjoy this work and think I’m good at it. We’re still improving every day, solving customer issues and getting better at what we do,” Bill says.  

For seasoned managers, taking up online retailing might seem scary at first, but as Bill’s story shows, it’s totally doable—and can even make your job more rewarding (and definitely more lucrative). By stepping into online parts sales, Bill found a scalable revenue source and a way to simplify the day-to-day pressures of managing a parts department.

The steady flow of online orders eases the stress of hitting traditional monthly sales targets, allowing Bill to focus on long-term growth and customer satisfaction.  

Key Takeaways for Dealerships

Considering the move into online parts retailing? Bill’s message is clear: take the leap. As Bill puts it, “It’s a huge market out there, and it continues to grow. If you don’t get in now, you’re going to be left behind or playing catch-up later.”  

The opportunity is great, with billions of dollars circulating in the online parts market and even more growth projected. For dealerships that hesitate, Bill offers a candid reminder:

Bill also emphasizes that dealerships don’t have to dive in at full speed right away: “You don’t have to do eBay and Amazon or buy superstore orders from the start. You can take it slower.”  

He also wants to remind you that while the work may feel challenging at first, it’s manageable. “Do some research, understand it’ll take effort, and know you don’t need to hire more people right away—but you’ll eventually need to as your business grows.”  

Finally, Bill reflects on his own journey, saying, “I wish I’d have been in the store 10 years ago and started it 10 years ago.”

A Future-Forward Approach with RevolutionParts

For dealerships not yet online, Bill’s success story serves as both inspiration and a clear roadmap. Selling parts online has been a game-changer for Stillwell Ford, offering both stability and expansion opportunities for the dealership. With RevolutionParts, both traditionally-seasoned and tech-savvy parts managers alike can drive huge growth in a dealership’s parts department.