After the pandemic-driven boom, online sales are nearing a ceiling in the DIY segment, according to Lang Marketing.

According to a Lang Marketing analysis, eCommerce auto parts sales have undergone two distinct growth phases in North America. Between 2016 and 2019, volume grew by about 60%, climbing from an annual gain of roughly CA$1.4 billion to more than CA$4.2 billion. The COVID-19 pandemic then triggered an even larger boom, with average annual gains exceeding CA$6.6 billion from 2020 to 2023 — more than double the pre-pandemic pace.

A market that tripled, but is now slowing

By 2023, online auto parts sales surpassed CA$49 billion, nearly triple the 2016 volume. This eCommerce market is part of a broader aftermarket exceeding CA$378 billion in total consumer-price sales. However, eCommerce growth began slowing as early as 2023, as the Do-It-Yourself (DIY) segment approached saturation after capturing most of that customer base.

What this means for Canadian distributors

Future growth will increasingly depend on the Business-to-Business (B2B) and online-to-offline (o2o) segments, both of which have more than doubled their share of eCommerce volume since 2016. For Canadian parts distributors and retailers, this shift suggests that future growth opportunities lie less in direct-to-consumer sales and more in strengthening digital connections with repair shops and other businesses across the industry.

According to the report published by Lang Marketing — 2027 Lang Aftermarket Annual (Jim Lang, 2026)

Amounts converted to Canadian dollars for editorial purposes (approximate exchange rate: 1 USD = 1.40 CAD)

Image credit: ADOBE STOCK