ACPN Review – Hanging with the Founders

I remember months ago when Ron Larson, our Director of Sales and long-time industry veteran, said, “We should go to ACPN.” I said, “What is it?”

Well, now I know. It’s the data, the industry standards, the categorization, and ACES/PIES, and all the great men and women that make automotive, commercial, and heavy-duty parts possible to even have information about. It’s really more than an automotive content professionals network, it’s the backbone of parts data.

I was blessed to be introduced to so many important industry folks, people that have really dedicated their professional careers to ensuring data standards enable business. Both B2B and B2C are affected by these data standards. One of my favorite sessions was when someone actually pulled up ACES code to denote the country of origin of parts. That was some geeky fun.

E-commerce trends continue to grow, with Fitment Data being one of the most important pieces. And everyone is grappling with the Electric Vehicle market. The actual VIO – vehicles in operation, is smaller than you’d think, about 3-4% now, 12% by 2025, and forecasted 28% by 2030, but the scramble to have good parts data, categorizations, syntax, and general catalog is a strong effort.

One thing I noticed and appreciated about the folks at ACPN is their dedication to the industry. Some of the people I met have been in automotive data content work for 30-plus years. I even made a funny suggestion that we all not speak of things more than 25 years in the past, just to preserve our aging dignity.

I had the pleasure of hanging with some of the founders. Had a great dinner and time with (clockwise from me) Nick Porrini, Joe Zucchero, and Scott Luckett. All guys have made major contributions to the automotive industry. I might not be young enough to be the “next generation” but Sound Press will continue to help distributors, manufacturers, and online sellers in automotive with e-commerce and marketing to pursue improvements, optimizations, excellence, and business growth.

Find Out More About eCommerce  Contact Us

What Manufacturers Are Doing Right

What’s in the box? – The Value of Detailed Specifications in Product Packaging

Automotive manufacturers hold the key to empowering their customers with knowledge and confidence through detailed product specifications. While most consumers are familiar with the glossy exterior of a vehicle, they often lack insights into the intricate engineering and technical aspects that shape its performance. Product packaging and “what’s in the box” can be the same way. By including comprehensive specifications within their product packaging, automotive manufacturers can create informed and satisfied customers.

Sell Sheets are a great way to ensure the highest level of communication of product specs. Sell Sheets can cover everything from recommended usage to installation instructions. Additionally, specification sheets are a great way to communicate in-depth and technical information about your products. CLICK HERE to see an example of one automotive distributor’s sell sheet info pages. If a user doesn’t know what’s in the box, they may purchase a product that they do not need or doesn’t work for them. This can affect a customer’s overall experience negatively which may diminish future sales opportunities.

Incorporating detailed specifications within automotive product packaging is a powerful tool for empowering consumers and transforming the automotive industry. By providing transparent and comprehensive information, manufacturers enhance customer understanding, boost confidence, and facilitate comparisons. Empowered customers lead to stronger brand loyalty, positive reviews, and a more sustainable approach to vehicle ownership.