How OE Wheels left SuiteCommerce for better customer operations on Shopify

<6 Months
Completion Time
250,000
Lines of fitment data imported
1
Connected Platform

About OE Wheels

The story of OE Wheels began not in a sleek office, but in the grime and endless treasures of late-’90s salvage yards. The founders started by scouring these troves, sourcing used wheels, cleaning them up, and selling them on eBay. This scrappy start quickly evolved; by 2001, OE Wheels incorporated and moved into efficient warehouse and office complexes, eventually becoming the largest distributor of replica wheels in the United States. Their unique commitment to creating bespoke, tailored wheel styles set them apart in the automotive aftermarket industry.

Their Challenges

As the business exploded, relying on eBay wasn't enough. They launched their own websites—one for wholesale and one for retail—powered by their NetSuite ERP system. But this dual-site setup, built on Oracle SuiteCommerce, soon became a massive operational bottleneck.

"Anytime we wanted to push an update to one or the other site, it would have to be done manually, which made it difficult to maintain consistency,” explained Chris Diaz, Operations Manager at OE Wheels.

Managing data manually across two front ends and NetSuite was a constant strain, prone to errors, and prevented them from creating the modern shopping experience they envisioned.

The most critical flaw? A failure to provide accurate fitment information. In the automotive world, this is a "do-or-die" necessity. Customers were unable to confidently verify if a wheel would fit their car, leading to confusion, high return rates, and low satisfaction. Furthermore, the SuiteCommerce setup lacked the design flexibility needed to truly distinguish its brand.

Industry

Automotive & Parts

Previous Platform

Oracle SuiteCommerce

Products

Teifi Parts

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Our Solution

Teifi is a digital transformation expert and one of our many amazing partners. With their help, OE Wheels quickly migrated to Shopify and seamlessly integrated it into NetSuite, with Celigo as a connector. This deep integration with their NetSuite ERP decoupled all of their B2B pricing, company structure, and more, keeping it inside their ERP. This allowed them to bring the ERP logic smoothly into Shopify.

Chris only has positive things to say about the experience with Teifi: “They were able to give us all the features and functionality that we really needed to create a better shopping experience for our customers, and they totally helped us manage the migration seamlessly, especially bringing all the data in. What was great about Teifi was their communication and their ability to bring our vision to life.”
Teifi Parts Fitment

A crucial development was the Teifi Parts Accelerator, a custom year-make-model app on Shopify that allows customers to easily enter their vehicle details. This tool imported over 250,000 lines of fitment data, guaranteeing product compatibility and eliminating guesswork for shoppers. The solution dramatically improved the customer experience by simplifying the buying process and addressing the industry's biggest pain point.
Enhanced Customer Experience

Leveraging Shopify's customizable themes, OE Wheels designed a visually appealing and user-friendly website that serves both their retail (DTC) and wholesale (B2B) customers on a single platform. The site seamlessly integrates B2B features, including a dealer locator and complex discounting logic with DTC elements like product bundles and a media gallery.
Custom Checkout with Shop Pay

OE Wheels significantly streamlined the checkout process by implementing Shop Pay and enabling Shop Pay Installments. Shop Pay enables faster, more convenient transactions by storing customer payment and shipping details. This, combined with the integrated tracking and dedicated storefront features within the Shop App, provides a seamless, user-friendly retail experience.
Unified Back-End Management

Ultimately, the transition to Shopify empowered OE Wheels with the ability to manage all aspects of their business—from inventory and orders to customer data—from a single, unified back end. This consolidation of systems provided a significant operational liberation, offering the efficiency and control necessary for long-term success.

Our Shared Results

The successful migration delivered clear outcomes that delighted both staff and customers. Operationally, the seamless integration into a unified back end for wholesale and retail dramatically reduced the time and resources needed to maintain the sites, streamlining the entire management process. This newfound efficiency led to cost savings, which OE Wheels strategically reinvested in growth initiatives, such as affiliate marketing and influencer partnerships.

In just six months, OE Wheels migrated to Shopify, integrating it with their back-end operations powered by NetSuite. This shift led to: 

  • Over 250,000 lines of fitment data imported for improved customer experiences.
  • Reduced operational costs, allowing for investments in affiliate marketing and influencer partnerships.
  • Streamline operations with a unified back end, enhancing management processes for both B2B and DTC activities
  • A faster, more visually appealing website with seamless checkout has led to higher conversions.

From the customer's perspective, the site's overall look, speed, and energy have improved dramatically, powered by the reliable fitment tool and user-friendly features like Shop Pay. This high-performing front end, fueled by an efficient back end, sets OE Wheels apart from competitors and has boosted its strategic growth capabilities, positioning the company for continued success.

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