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n an effort to meet the needs of an increasingly immediate consumer, CiaPneus, together with Alephee, took...
In recent years, we have seen many organizations go digital due to the need to offer more convenience and speed to consumers. With this in mind, CiaPneus conducted a trend study and saw in e-commerce the opportunity to expand the company’s sales to other states in Brazil.
Staying aware of market transformations allowed CiaPneus to better prepare to serve a demanding and immediate consumer. Today, online stores need to go beyond offering quality products they must deliver a complete shopping experience, from attraction to conversion and after-sales service.
From Physical to Phygital
CiaPneus' sharp vision for e-commerce helped it get ahead of competitors and build a solid strategy on Brazil’s leading marketplaces. Alephee became a partner after being recommended by a Mercado Livre employee responsible for the auto parts and tire category.
After understanding the company’s needs, a collaborative effort began between CiaPneus, Alephee, and Mercado Livre. Before the digital transformation, it was essential to understand the organization’s specifics, key challenges, what they expected in the first months of having an online store, and where they aimed to go.
This alignment of expectations was fundamental to help CiaPneus take its first steps in digital platforms. With the support of our platform, the project kicked off in 2019. Alephee was responsible for the entire integration with Mercado Livre, supporting everything from cataloging to product photography.
In addition to initial support, CiaPneus benefits from Alephee’s stock synchronization tool. One major advantage is the ability to update inventory and pricing in real time. Rafael notes, “Alephee’s tool synchronizes prices and stock with Mercado Livre in just seconds,” allowing the company greater agility in daily operations.
Since tire sales demand care and precision, Alephee supported the company throughout the entire process to ensure the best possible experience for the end consumer.
Abad highlights: “At the beginning of our online operations, we received full support from Alephee’s team. Their expertise helped our employees understand how each platform works, giving us more confidence and autonomy to move forward with the project.”
The Importance of Being an Official Store on Mercado Livre
Mercado Livre is currently one of Brazil’s top marketplaces. The platform, originally from Argentina, accounts for 45% of national e-commerce volume, according to Morgan Stanley. With such visibility, having the "official store" seal brings credibility and trust to consumers.
With Alephee’s support, CiaPneus became an official store on the platform. After this achievement, the company saw a clear increase in sales on Mercado Livre.
Abad notes that before becoming an official store, the company generated an average of R$60,000 per month. After gaining official status, CiaPneus more than doubled its order volume, which led to a significant increase in revenue.
Besides the sales growth, Rafael Abad emphasizes that being an official store brings CiaPneus closer to Mercado Livre’s consultants. “The consultants are extremely important for a seller, offering personalized service that helps redefine strategies and align points to keep improving the customer experience,” he concludes.
Looking Ahead to 2024
One of the challenges CiaPneus faced over five years of online selling was product delivery. The company used a third-party distribution center, which often delayed shipping to the final customer.
To improve the customer experience, CiaPneus is investing in its own distribution center to meet demand more efficiently. Today, the company manages an inventory of 160,000 tires, and its goal for 2024 is to double or even triple that figure.
This planned and sustainable expansion aims to increase sales by 60% by year-end. This growth is also reflected in the company’s development the workforce has nearly tripled in recent years.
This increase in staff is directly related to CiaPneus' evolution in e-commerce. Before the digital transformation, the company focused exclusively on offline wholesale. With the launch of the online store, it began selling to the retail segment.
As a result, more hires were needed in logistics, billing, and other key departments to support operations on Mercado Livre.
About CiaPneus
With over 10 years of experience, CiaPneus has established itself in both wholesale and retail. The company stands out for its product quality and long-lasting customer relationships. If you want to boost your business model, request a demo of our platform and explore our solutions.
