Trading Network Connectivity and Standards for the Automotive Aftermarket

Automotive Aftermarket participants face unique challenges resulting from • Independence of wholesale distributors (WDs), jobbers, and shops • Different business automation software systems used by the participants • Lack of Internet readiness for the systems in use today • Closed business practices of some system vendors • Lack of vendor cooperation on inter-vendor system connectivity CarParts Technologies (CPT) proposes an open approach to connectivity that addresses these challenges and provides a universal connectivity solution for the participants in the Aftermarket. The CPT Trading Network solution is based on an open industry standard for connectivity, state-of-the-art eCommerce technology, the Extensible Markup Language (XML), and a combination of CPT and industry-leading third-party systems.