Is ACES PIES data a necessary evil? Do you really need to invest in ACES PIES data? Why is it so cumbersome?
The fact of the matter is, the positive impacts of ACES and PIES far out weights the negative.
Is it worth it?
Yes! We have seen time and time again companies that embrace the full spirit of ACES PIES data increase their sales. Simply put, good data sells more parts. Great data sells even more parts. Great data reduces returns. Great data simplifies the sales process with a consumer. Great data enables technicians to install parts quicker. Great data empowers retailers to market products more efficiently. Great data allows manufacturers to bring products to market faster.
With the growth of Automotive eCommerce consumers unknowingly benefit from ACES PIES. When consumers benefit, satisfaction goes up, returns go down, more parts are sold, and the automotive industry as a whole thrives.
The ability to quickly lookup a part that fits a certain year, make, model is a direct result of the Automotive industry embracing ACES PIES data standards. By using a uniform standard, manufacturers, retailers, and wholesale distributors alike are able to display part fitment information in a readily available format, while providing accurate part descriptions and details.
Content is king
We are in the digital age. We are not in the age where only auto parts counter people or dealership service managers have access to automotive product data. Consumers have it at their fingertips on their laptops, ipads, or smart phones. Product data is everywhere – because it is everywhere, your product data needs to be accurate.
With unprecedented access to automotive product data, consumers are demanding more data and more content. They want to read, they want to learn, they want to buy! By establishing a foundation of accurate product information via ACES PIES data, manufacturers and retailers alike can build captivating content. Manufacturers can expand content through added information in PIES, then retailers can consume this information to their website for an more engaging customer interaction.
Gone are the days of throwing up a simple WordPress website with basic company information. Now, don’t get me wrong, we love WordPress, but it is not an Enterprise E-Commerce website that will give you the backbone you need to display ACES PIES data and sell directly to the consumer.
You need Year, Make, Model (and possibly advanced fitment) look-up on your website. The information driving these searches needs to accurate, fast, and up-to-date. It should be driven by ACES PIES data. No matter if you are B2B or B2C, the foundation of your product information on your website needs to be ACES PIES data. If it is not, it will not be uniform with other sources and will not be easily updated.
When crafting your product information, specifically in PIES, keeping in mind E-Commerce, Ebay, and Amazon. Each sales channel should contain unique content to allow for the complete value proposition to be conveyed to the consumer.
Keywords matter in PIES content
By providing unique content in the product descriptions using SEO friendly keywords, it will help improve customer engagement and sales. Do the research to understand what search engine keywords rank for your product and use those keywords in your product descriptions.
Keywords simply put are the words or phases people searching for your parts use in search engines such as Google, Yahoo, and Bing. Despite what some automotive content experts think, using search engine friendly keywords in PIES content is essential.
While most people rely on Google’s Keyword planner, often it is not accurate. Keyword planner used to be very relevant, however, Google has not maintained the accuracy of the search terms and keywords as of late. Therefore, using other third party tools are an expert secret. Some alternative keyword research tools are Moz’s Keyword Exploer, SEMrush, and Wordstream.
Other ways to research relevant keywords and content is to keeping an eye on what is trending and is the latest news. This means taking a look at other articles or topics that are trending or top in search results. Research can easily be done by searching online an individual part specifically or researching a part type or part family. Or if your part fitment is only relevant for a certain brand or model, do some research about that brand or model. Researching trending topics can be as easy as using Google. Some other expert secret tools are Buzzsumo, Medium, and Reddit.
Steal their thunder and get involved
Companies large and small have paved the way for ACES PIES to drive accurate product data. Learn from them. Not sure, just reach out. You would be surprise how your industry peers will help you. Don’t reinvent the wheel. Don’t be scared of ACES PIES. Leverage what other companies have done to slingshot your efforts. Other organizations like the SEMA Data Co-Op are eager to help too. The more companies that embrace ACES PIES data, the more streamlined the industry will become.
ACES PIES is an industry standard, driven by you, for you. If you do not like it, help change it, get involved. There are multiple opportunities throughout the year to join in shaping the future of ACES PIES. The Spring and Fall Leadership Days hosted by the AutoCare Association is where you can get involved. The Spring and Fall Leadership Days events are in-person events hosted by industry leaders who are shaping ACES PIES, they welcome feedback. Information about the Spring and Fall Leadership days can be found directly on the Auto Care Association website.
The Auto Care Association also manages and facilitates multiple work streams that are on-going throughout the year as well. They work on all aspects of ACES PIES data, structure, features, and formats. Get involved today to learn more. The work streams are driven around topics that are direct suggestions from ACES PIES users just like you.
Are you still struggling with the value of ACES PIES data? Perhaps you are seeking a modern and effective automotive e-commerce website? Yes! Cellacore has solutions to help you. Do not be intimidated by ACES PIES data. Contact us today for a no obligation review of your requirements. Contact us now by clicking here. Call us today (813) 775-4109.