How Convermax works with the fitment and product data

Here are some of the basic principles we follow:

• No data is shared between our customers. 

• We work with the data that the merchant has on hands

• We try to automate as much as possible and adapt to the processes you have in place 

Convermax works with the fitment data that the dealer has access to.

We do not maintain our fitment database. We also do not share fitment data between customers. So the fitment data has to come from the merchant one way or another. If you don't have fitment data, you have a few options:

• Request it from a distributor,

• Subscribe to one of the online catalogs (e.g. SEMA, DCi, ASAP),

• Create it in-house.

Once the search is configured, it runs on autopilot. When you add a new brand, product line, or a new model is released we automatically pull the new fitment data from connected APIs while keeping all of your custom fitment data intact.

At Convermax we work with auto parts data, but we don't know your parts as well as you do. We haven’t touched them with our hands. So we can't create fitment data for you.

It's also hard for us to judge the quality of the fitment data. We are software engineers first, and auto parts enthusiasts second. You are, on the other hand, are auto parts first. Your fitment data and your knowledge of parts, vehicles, and your customers are your competitive advantage. In the end, your Year-Make-Model fitment search is only as good and as accurate as your fitment data.

You may need more than one data provider.

Different fitment data providers have different levels of fitment specification:

• Turn 14, ASAP: Year, Make, Model, and Submodel

• SEMA, DCi, PDM, or custom ACES files: YMM, Submodel, and any additional qualifiers (engine size, bed length, body type, drivetrain, transmission)

• Custom spreadsheets: here you can be as thorough as you want and get as many dropdowns as you need.

Also, not all wholesale distributors provide fitment information. WPS and Turn 14 provide the full data: product information (product names, descriptions, images, etc.), fitment applications, inventory levels, and price. Parts Unlimited, for example, doesn’t offer fitment data but provides everything else.

The other case is data catalog companies. SEMA provides merchants with fitment data and MAP prices, but obviously, they don’t know anything about your pricing or inventory levels. 

We do not work with product data.

You will need a separate solution to import products from Turn14, SEMA, DCi, etc, and keep the product data in sync. At Convermax we work with the fitment data only. Several companies specialize in loading and managing product data: DataHere2There, SparkShipping, FeedStation, and FlxPoint. Our specialization is fitment data.

Convermax can combine fitment data from multiple sources.

There are times when one of your store's brand is not represented in any fitment database provider's API. Then we suggest you contact your favorite brands directly and request a fitment file. If they have an Excel spreadsheet or an ACES file, we can combine it with the rest of the data from other sources.

We can use it all to create a better search experience. For example, the store pulls data from the Turn 14 API and gets CSV files directly from the brand. We merge all the fitment data and configure the search app. So you can have multiple fitment resources that complement each other. 

We're also happy to connect an API from a fitment resource for you free of charge, even if we've never worked with it before.

Convermax tries to minimize your manual work.

Other search providers require their customers to manually generate a file with fitments and then upload it to the search app installed on the store's website. Our customers are not required to do anything like that. We match fitment data by MPN and manufacturer name or by SKU number.

But if you have custom fitments, some manual work is inevitable to keep them up to date.

Creating abundant and functioning fitment data is an overwhelming task, but once the merchant gets past it, it becomes a factor of success. Your fitment data is a huge competitive advantage.