What's your favorite online parts ordering system?

[autoguy]

What's everyone using and what do you prefer in terms of online parts ordering? Are you using something integrated into your shop software or a standalone website from napa, o'rielly, advance, autozone, or other local or regional parts supplier? What do you like about it?

Using Napa Prolink and AdvancePro along with worldpac speedial

[bantar]

Integrated ordering within your POS is the way to go.   Check availability and pricing online.  Get online ordering rebates.  When we order online, my PO is automatically filled out for me, so that when I receive the parts, there's no additional typing to do.    If I have to pick up the phone to order, we have to manually type the description, part numbers, pricing, core, etc in.   Very error prone.    Frankly, I order less from WorldPac because of it's poor integration with my POS.   It takes longer to use WorldPac, so it is shunned.   Now, it is technically integrated, but it pops up their SpeedDial interface.   I make my selections and they are sent back to the POS, and ordered online from the POS, but this is clunky.  

Moral of the story:  Best Integration, with the parts that I NEED, gets the most business.   However, NEED trumps speed.   I rarely price-shop even though I can as I take a more relationship-based approach with my suppliers.

[autoguy]

On 9/17/2019 at 12:11 PM, bantar said:

Integrated ordering within your POS is the way to go.   Check availability and pricing online.  Get online ordering rebates.  When we order online, my PO is automatically filled out for me, so that when I receive the parts, there's no additional typing to do.    If I have to pick up the phone to order, we have to manually type the description, part numbers, pricing, core, etc in.   Very error prone.    Frankly, I order less from WorldPac because of it's poor integration with my POS.   It takes longer to use WorldPac, so it is shunned.   Now, it is technically integrated, but it pops up their SpeedDial interface.   I make my selections and they are sent back to the POS, and ordered online from the POS, but this is clunky.  

Moral of the story:  Best Integration, with the parts that I NEED, gets the most business.   However, NEED trumps speed.   I rarely price-shop even though I can as I take a more relationship-based approach with my suppliers.

What software are you using for invoicing where you have it integrated? 

[bantar]

Protractor.

[TheTrustedMechanic]

I use AllData Manage Elite local installation (NO cloud based anything) and it will integrate with two of the three major local parts sources I use (NEVER AutoZone) but recently it stopped allowing me to do electronic ordering.  I can look up parts, add to the invoice and check stock but it returns an error when I try to order.  However my main parts catalog is NAPA ProLink.  It is the hands down BEST online catalog and has been the benchmark for years.  I do have to manually transfer prices, part numbers and description but splitting the screen to have both Manage and ProLink side by side makes it just a minor inconvenience. 

Because there is nearly zero support or updates for disc based Manage Elite I am seriously looking into a different shop management program.  Only this time it will interface with ProLink.