Denny Knebel knows that body shop owners have lots of extra parts from vehicle repairs lying around. After all, he himself has owned 13,600-square-foot Knebel’s Auto Body Center (www.knebelsautobodycenter.com) in Highland, Ill., since 1980.
Whether it’s a door with a dent or a mirror with a scratch, these “leftovers” typically get thrown in the dumpster or in a storage room. To Knebel, tossing these parts in the dumpster is like throwing money away, and putting them in a storage room takes up valuable space. So he came up with a better alternative: a website where repairers can sell these parts to at least get some extra cash out of them.
The website, www.autobodyextraparts.com, serves as a platform for buyers and sellers to engage in business transactions. Those who sign up as sellers can list their first item for free, but each part thereafter costs $1 per part. For $50 up front, a seller can get 60 listings. Part buyers can browse the site for free and have the ability to find out if another shop or individual in their area has the part they’re looking for. Once they locate the part they need, they can contact the seller directly via e-mail or phone. If they can’t find the part they’re looking for, they can set up a search and be notified when that part is listed.
Knebel initially conceived of the website because he figured other shop owners had the same problem as him – what to do with spare parts.
“We all have the same problem, but if I make a little money from this, that would be nice,” said the 60-year-old Knebel. “I’ll probably make a little, but it’s not an issue because I’m surviving on my shop.”
Knebel sees three benefits for shop owners: decreasing their stock, increasing their revenues and helping the environment. He views the website as a salvage yard for shops, parts stores or anyone else who has a good, reusable part, which could even include the average “do-it-yourself” person who’s working on a vehicle at home.
“Just like any new project, it’s going to take some time to get the word out and get people using the site,” says Knebel. “However, once it gets going, I expect it to be a one-stop shopping center for quality, used parts at discounted prices.”
