16 min read
Lake City Performance Q&A: Fitment Accuracy, SEO Wins, and the Road Ahead
6 min read
We recently sat down with Markus Richter, owner of Lake City Performance, to talk about his journey from a Ford dealership mechanic to running a thriving automotive shop and online store powered by X-Cart. Joining the conversation was Jordan Checketts, COO of X-Cart, who discussed how the platform continues to evolve for automotive businesses like Markus’s.
Markus shared how he built his digital presence, the challenges he faced, and why he believes staying hands-on is key to long-term success. Before teaming up with X-Cart, Lake City Performance faced a major roadblock: their old BigCommerce setup couldn’t filter by Year, Make, and Model (YMM).
Customers had to dig through endless listings, often guessing which parts would fit their vehicles, resulting in confusion, frustration, and a return rate that climbed as high as 86%. Markus knew something had to change. Customers needed a faster, simpler way to find the right parts — from the very first click.
Here’s the full story of how Lake City Performance transformed its online experience after moving to X-Cart.
Lake City Performance on Growing Their Online Parts Business with X-Cart
Markus, tell us how Lake City Performance got started.
I originally opened a repair shop and wanted to expand into online parts sales. I started with BigCommerce, but it just wasn’t built for the automotive space. X-Cart turned out to be a better fit – it had Year, Make, Model lookup, SEMA data integration, Wheel Pros, and AutoSync, which was a game-changer for us. Once I moved over, I really started learning the ins and outs of eCommerce.
I mean, there are always more features that could be added, but you’re already rolling out the ones I actually want to see over time.
What made X-Cart stand out for you?
The automotive focus, definitely. I liked how the API integrations worked — things like Wheel Pros and ASAP’s catalogs make product management much smoother. And the prebuilt features, such as fitment search and catalog import, have saved me a significant amount of time.
That’s great to hear. We’ve been refining those automotive-specific tools for years, and feedback like yours helps us know what to prioritize next.
How has your business evolved since launching online?
We’ve been selling online since the end of 2019. Right now, about 30% of our business is eCommerce, and it’s growing fast. It took some effort to migrate and handle all the redirects, but since then, sales have increased significantly — especially after we began investing in SEO and advertising.
Speaking of SEO, what’s been your biggest learning curve?
Definitely SEO itself. I’ve been doing it myself, using some SEO software and learning how to optimize weak product listings. We’ve seen real improvement in search visibility. X-Cart’s recent updates to tags and metadata have helped, too.
SEO is where I always tell people to start – it’s the foundation for every other kind of marketing. Paid ads, social media, and email all perform better when the site’s SEO is solid.
Are you handling everything yourself — both the shop and the website?
Yeah, it’s pretty much just me. I handle repairs during the day and work on the website after hours. My wife isn’t thrilled about the hours, but it’s worth it. A lot of people think you just build a site and customers will come — it doesn’t work that way. You must continually improve, learn SEO, and establish trust.
That’s impressive. Running a shop and an online store solo is no small task. You’re proof that success comes from persistence and passion.
What kind of marketing has worked best for you?
Facebook and Instagram are my main focus. We recently got accredited with the Better Business Bureau, which gave us a strong backlink and credibility boost. I’d like to branch into Twitter and other platforms soon.
We are currently working on deeper integration with Dix Performance North and recognize the importance of Canada to the aftermarket. The passion for off-roading and performance there is huge.
How has the Canadian market been for you compared to the U.S.?
It’s fairly balanced, but we’ve scaled back U.S. orders recently because of tariffs and shipping challenges. The Canadian market is strong — I just wish there were more partnerships between X-Cart and Canadian distributors. Companies like Dix Performance North are great examples of the kind of collaboration we need more of.
Any feature requests or ideas you’d like to see in X-Cart?
A few things, like the ability to override free shipping rules for certain items, such as charging a small flat fee per tire while keeping free shipping for other products. Also, it’d be great to display brand logos on product images automatically.
Both are excellent suggestions. We’re already looking into smarter image management and more flexible shipping options for bulky items. One more thing: can I ask about your plans for the future?
What’s next for Lake City Performance?
We’re focused on continuing to grow online sales and refining our websites. I want to keep improving the user experience and building our catalog of performance and off-road parts. It’s still a grind, but seeing progress makes it worth it.
You’re doing incredible work, Markus. The dedication you’ve shown from turning wrenches in the shop to mastering eCommerce is exactly what defines the next generation of successful aftermarket businesses.
Final Thoughts
Switching to X-Cart wasn’t just about getting a new platform – it was about fixing a broken buying experience. On their old BigCommerce site, customers couldn’t filter parts by Year, Make, and Model, leading to mismatched orders and unnecessary returns.
Now, with proper YMM fitment and smarter catalog management, Lake City Performance helps customers find the right parts the first time – turning frustration into confidence and browsers into loyal buyers.
Key Takeaways:
- Specialized platforms like X-Cart streamline automotive eCommerce with fitment tools, SEMA Data and AutoSync integrations, and catalog management.
- Success online takes consistent SEO and marketing, not just a website launch.
- Canadian aftermarket businesses represent a growing market with untapped potential.
- Building an online store while running a shop is tough but achievable with dedication and the right support.
Markus’s story shows what’s possible when passion meets persistence. Whether it’s building performance trucks or perfecting product data, he’s proving that small teams with the right tools can compete with anyone.
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About the author
Maria
Marketing Manager
Maria is a marketing manager at X-Cart. Once captured by digital and content marketing in her student days, she keeps living and breathing it ever since.
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