Shoppers do not always know the search term
Customers may know the machine and component location but not the exact product name or SKU.
E-commerce Manager
Add visual parts discovery without rebuilding your storefront.
Customers shopping for spare parts often know the machine and the location of a component before they know its exact product name or SKU. PartGrid helps ecommerce teams place interactive parts lookup before the commercial workflow and keep the storefront, checkout and downstream systems they already use.
Role context
Spare-parts ecommerce has a product-discovery problem before it has a checkout problem.
A conventional ecommerce journey works well when a shopper already knows what to search for. Spare parts are different. Customers may recognize the machine, assembly and physical location of a component while being uncertain about its exact name, current part number or replacement. For the ecommerce manager, that creates a problem upstream of conversion. Product pages and checkout can work perfectly while customers still fail to identify which product they need. PartGrid adds visual parts identification to that journey and hands the resulting selection to the appropriate commercial workflow.
Keep the existing storefront
Embed or connect visual lookup where customers already browse instead of rebuilding the entire commerce stack.
Add context before product selection
Use machine, assembly and diagram context before asking the shopper to choose a product.
Choose the right handoff for the order
Continue into cart, quote, ecommerce or another configured workflow based on how the business sells parts.
Conversion friction
Where ecommerce teams lose the customer before checkout.
Static diagrams and products are disconnected
A useful exploded view may still require the shopper to copy a reference into another search or system.
Visually similar parts create selection uncertainty
Product listings alone may not provide enough assembly context to choose confidently.
Copying part numbers between systems adds friction
Manual handoffs interrupt the path from identification to action.
Not every order belongs in direct checkout
Availability, fitment, dealer review or configuration may require quote or assisted-sale workflows.
Teams do not want another duplicate catalog
Visual parts lookup should connect to existing storefront and downstream systems rather than create a separate commerce stack.
Commerce workflow
Connect visual identification to the commerce journey.
- 01
Start from equipment context
Let the shopper begin with the machine, model or assembly they recognize.
- 02
Navigate the interactive diagram
Use exploded-view context and connected callouts to narrow the relevant component.
- 03
Inspect the connected part
Show the structured part information associated with the selected visual reference.
- 04
Collect the selection
Carry the selected part and quantity into the configured next step.
- 05
Hand off to the commercial workflow
Continue into built-in cart or quote, a supported ecommerce integration, or a custom parent-site workflow.
- 06
Keep downstream systems in control
Pricing, tax, checkout, payment, stock and fulfillment can remain in the systems responsible for those functions.
Relevant capabilities
Add visual discovery without turning PartGrid into the whole commerce stack.
Interactive parts diagrams
Connect visual callouts to structured part records so shoppers can identify a part from equipment context before entering the commercial flow.
Explore visual parts lookupEmbeddable catalogs
Place interactive diagrams or collections inside websites, portals and other supported customer-facing contexts.
Explore embeddable catalogsCart and quote handoff
Move selected parts into built-in quote or cart workflows, supported native ecommerce integrations or custom parent-site handoff.
Explore cart and quote handoffAnalytics
Use available catalog and quote activity signals to understand where users interact with parts content and move toward commercial action.
Explore parts catalog analyticsCommon scenarios
Common ecommerce-manager scenarios.
Scenario 1
A shopper knows the machine but not the SKU.
The customer recognizes the equipment and failed component but cannot translate that visual knowledge into a reliable product search.
They can begin from the machine or assembly, use the exploded view to identify the component and inspect the connected part record.
Scenario 2
A direct-purchase part should continue into the storefront.
The selected part can be bought through the existing ecommerce journey without additional review.
Where the chosen integration supports it, the selection can be handed into the storefront or parent-site cart workflow.
Scenario 3
A complex order needs quote or dealer review.
Price, availability, fitment, freight or approval means direct checkout is not the right next step.
Selected parts can continue into a built-in quote flow or another configured assisted-sale workflow instead of forcing checkout.
Scenario 4
The team already has a portal or storefront.
The customer experience and checkout stack are already established, but spare-parts discovery is still weak.
PartGrid can provide embedded visual lookup and hand selected-part context to the surrounding application rather than replacing the entire frontend.
How this role fits the broader solution
For the channel-level ecommerce strategy, see interactive parts catalogs for aftermarket ecommerce. For the customer lookup journey itself, explore the self-service parts finder.
Rollout approach
Add visual lookup to one high-friction catalog journey first.
Start with one equipment family or product category that generates identification questions. Connect its diagrams and part data, decide where the viewer belongs in the storefront, define what should happen after selection and test that full journey before expanding.
1
Choose the high-friction journey
Pick a product family where customers frequently struggle to identify the correct part before purchase.
2
Connect catalog content
Prepare the relevant diagram and part relationships and review the resulting customer-facing lookup experience.
3
Define the commercial handoff
Decide whether selected parts should continue to cart, quote, supported ecommerce integration or a custom parent-site workflow.
4
Measure and expand
Review how the journey performs, then add more product families or channels using the same pattern.
Exact ecommerce integration behavior should be confirmed for the platform and implementation before rollout.
Decision support
When PartGrid belongs in the ecommerce stack.
PartGrid is a strong fit when identifying the correct spare part requires visual assembly context and the ecommerce team wants to improve discovery without replacing the systems that already handle commerce.
A strong fit when
- Visual assembly context materially helps customers identify the correct product.
- The existing storefront and checkout should stay in place.
- Exploded views or manuals already contain useful parts knowledge.
- The team wants identification connected to commerce rather than another standalone catalog.
- Different orders may need cart, quote or custom handoff paths.
Consider first
- Exact integration behavior depends on the chosen handoff and ecommerce platform.
- Product, pricing and stock relationships still need suitable source data.
- AI-assisted diagram mappings need review before publication.
- Final tax, shipping, payment, checkout and fulfillment may remain outside PartGrid.
FAQ
Parts catalog questions for ecommerce teams.
Does PartGrid replace our ecommerce platform?+
No. PartGrid provides the visual parts lookup and selected-part workflow layer. Existing storefront, checkout, payment, stock and fulfillment systems can remain in place.
Can PartGrid be embedded in our existing storefront or portal?+
Yes. Interactive parts catalogs and collections can be embedded in websites, portals and other supported contexts. Exact integration and access configuration depends on implementation.
Can customers add parts selected from a diagram to cart?+
Where configured and supported by the chosen handoff, selected parts can continue into built-in cart or quote, a supported ecommerce integration or a custom parent-site workflow.
Can we support quote-only or assisted-sale flows?+
Yes. Built-in quote workflows and custom handoff patterns are useful when pricing, availability, fitment or dealer review needs confirmation before purchase.
Which ecommerce platforms are supported?+
Shopware can use a native ecommerce integration. Other platforms can use the built-in cart or quote flow, a postMessage handoff or a custom integration depending on the required workflow. Confirm the exact platform setup before rollout.
Does pricing, stock and checkout need to move into PartGrid?+
No. PartGrid can provide catalog and selected-part context while pricing, stock, tax, checkout, payment and fulfillment remain in existing systems.
Connect parts discovery to the ecommerce workflow you already operate.
Use one existing diagram and product set to test the journey from visual identification to cart, quote or another configured handoff.