{"id":40030,"date":"2025-10-08T19:17:22","date_gmt":"2025-10-08T16:17:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.x-cart.com\/?p=40030"},"modified":"2025-10-10T09:32:14","modified_gmt":"2025-10-10T06:32:14","slug":"lake-city-performance-expert-q-and-a","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.x-cart.com\/lake-city-performance-expert-q-and-a.html","title":{"rendered":"Lake City Performance Q&A: Fitment Accuracy, SEO Wins, and the Road Ahead"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

We recently sat down with Markus Richter<\/strong>, owner of Lake City Performance,<\/a> to talk about his journey from a Ford dealership mechanic to running a thriving automotive shop and online store powered by X-Cart<\/strong>. Joining the conversation was Jordan Checketts<\/a><\/strong>, COO of X-Cart, who discussed how the platform continues to evolve for automotive businesses like Markus\u2019s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u2019t filter by Year, Make, and Model<\/a><\/strong> (YMM). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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 \u2014 from the very first click.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s the full story of how Lake City Performance transformed its online experience after moving to X-Cart.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\n \"Lake<\/picture> <\/div>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n \n\n

\n Lake City Performance on Growing Their Online Parts Business with X-Cart<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n
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Markus, tell us how Lake City Performance got started.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n \"Jordan-Checketts.png\"<\/picture> <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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\n \"Markus<\/picture> <\/div>\n

I originally opened a repair shop and wanted to expand into online parts sales. I started with BigCommerce, but it just wasn\u2019t built for the automotive space. X-Cart turned out to be a better fit \u2013 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.<\/em>

I mean, there are always more features that could be added, but you\u2019re already rolling out the ones I actually want to see over time.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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What made X-Cart stand out for you?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n \"Jordan-Checketts.png\"<\/picture> <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n
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\n \"Markus<\/picture> <\/div>\n

The automotive focus, definitely. I liked how the API integrations worked \u2014 things like Wheel Pros and ASAP\u2019s 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.<\/em> <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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That\u2019s great to hear. We\u2019ve 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?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n \"Jordan-Checketts.png\"<\/picture> <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n
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\n \"Markus<\/picture> <\/div>\n

We\u2019ve been selling online since the end of 2019. Right now, about 30% of our business is eCommerce, and it\u2019s growing fast. It took some effort to migrate and handle all the redirects, but since then, sales have increased significantly \u2014 especially after we began investing in SEO and advertising.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Speaking of SEO, what\u2019s been your biggest learning curve?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n \"Jordan-Checketts.png\"<\/picture> <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n
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\n \"Markus<\/picture> <\/div>\n

Definitely SEO itself. I\u2019ve been doing it myself, using some SEO software and learning how to optimize weak product listings. We\u2019ve seen real improvement in search visibility. X-Cart\u2019s recent updates to tags and metadata have helped, too. <\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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SEO is where I always tell people to start \u2013 it\u2019s the foundation for every other kind of marketing. Paid ads, social media, and email all perform better when the site\u2019s SEO is solid.

Are you handling everything yourself \u2014 both the shop and the website?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n \"Jordan-Checketts.png\"<\/picture> <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n
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\n \"Markus<\/picture> <\/div>\n

Yeah, it\u2019s pretty much just me. I handle repairs during the day and work on the website after hours. My wife isn\u2019t thrilled about the hours, but it\u2019s worth it. A lot of people think you just build a site and customers will come \u2014 it doesn\u2019t work that way. You must continually improve, learn SEO, and establish trust.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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That\u2019s impressive. Running a shop and an online store solo is no small task. You\u2019re proof that success comes from persistence and passion.

What kind of marketing has worked best for you?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n \"Jordan-Checketts.png\"<\/picture> <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n
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\n \"Markus<\/picture> <\/div>\n

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\u2019d like to branch into Twitter and other platforms soon.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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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.?<\/strong> <\/p>\n

\n \"Jordan-Checketts.png\"<\/picture> <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n
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\n \"Markus<\/picture> <\/div>\n

It\u2019s fairly balanced, but we\u2019ve scaled back U.S. orders recently because of tariffs and shipping challenges. The Canadian market is strong \u2014 I just wish there were more partnerships between X-Cart and Canadian distributors. Companies like Dix Performance North\u00a0 are great examples of the kind of collaboration we need more of.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Any feature requests or ideas you\u2019d like to see in X-Cart?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n \"Jordan-Checketts.png\"<\/picture> <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n
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\n \"Markus<\/picture> <\/div>\n

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\u2019d be great to display brand logos on product images automatically.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Both are excellent suggestions. We\u2019re 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\u2019s next for Lake City Performance?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n \"Jordan-Checketts.png\"<\/picture> <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n
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\n \"Markus<\/picture> <\/div>\n

We\u2019re 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\u2019s still a grind, but seeing progress makes it worth it.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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You\u2019re doing incredible work, Markus. The dedication you\u2019ve shown from turning wrenches in the shop to mastering eCommerce is exactly what defines the next generation of successful aftermarket businesses.<\/p>\n

\n \"Jordan-Checketts.png\"<\/picture> <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

\n Final Thoughts<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Switching to X-Cart wasn\u2019t just about getting a new platform \u2013 it was about fixing a broken buying experience. On their old BigCommerce site, customers couldn\u2019t filter parts by Year, Make, and Model, leading to mismatched orders and unnecessary returns. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now, with proper YMM fitment and smarter catalog management<\/a>, Lake City Performance helps customers find the right parts the first time \u2013 turning frustration into confidence and browsers into loyal buyers.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Key Takeaways:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n