How Lincoln of Bloomington Built a $30,000/Month Online Parts Powerhouse
The Overview
Dealership: Lincoln of Bloomington
Location: Twin Cities, MN
Featured Executive: Nicholas Burch, Fixed Ops Director
The Results: A complete overhaul that quadrupled business in five years, adding $30,000 to the monthly bottom line through a lean, high-margin eCommerce strategy.
The Challenge: A Store "Running on Fumes"
When Nicholas Burch first stepped into Lincoln of Bloomington, the parts department wasn't just underperforming—it was struggling to survive. With only four technicians and a parts department failing to generate enough revenue to justify its major metro overhead, the operation was "running on fumes."
"It was a fairly broken store when I came in. My job was to grow it. And we definitely have."
— Nicholas Burch, Fixed Ops Director
The "Before" Picture:
- Inventory Issues: $41,000 in aging and obsolete stock.
- Stagnant Growth: Barely enough advisors to cover the counter.
- Market Pressure: Surrounded by large Ford dealers with deeper pockets dominating the local wholesale market.
The Strategy: Choosing Scale Over "Brain Damage"
In the Twin Cities, the local wholesale market is a "race to the bottom" dominated by massive players. Instead of fighting for low-margin local wholesale business, Nicholas pivoted to eCommerce.
Why Online Over Wholesale?
- Better Margins: Wholesale eats into margins and requires chasing invoices 30 days after the sale.
- Efficiency: Online orders come in off-peak and are processed without interrupting the service drive.
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No "Brain Damage": Avoids the logistical headaches and high returns associated with local mechanical and body wholesale.
The Solution: The Three-Stream Revenue Model
Nicholas implemented a system through RevolutionParts that captures three distinct revenue streams that most Fixed Ops Directors overlook:
- Parts Gross: High-volume, high-margin sales to a national audience.
- Shipping Profit: Captured on every order to turn logistics into a profit center.
- The "Hidden Lever" (OEM Incentives): By using online volume to cross the threshold of Ford’s rewards program, the dealership unlocks a 1% bump on total monthly spend. This single lever adds an extra $10,000–$15,000 to the bottom line monthly.
The Implementation: Lean and Efficient
One of the most impressive aspects of the turnaround is the lean cost structure. Nicholas didn't hire a massive team; he started with one existing part-time team member.
- Headcount: No new hires required.
- Workflow: Online orders are cleared in the morning before the parts counter even opens.
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Inventory Health: By reaching a national audience, the store moved away from its $41k obsolescence problem toward the industry benchmark of ~3%.
The Results by the Numbers
- 5 Years: Time taken to quadruple the business.
- $30,000: Total added to the monthly bottom line.
- $10k–$15k: Consistent, repeatable added monthly gross.
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+1%: Bonus earned across total spend by hitting OEM incentive tiers.
What’s Next?
Lincoln of Bloomington isn't slowing down. For 2026, the goal is a 20% gross gain. By tightening processes and leaning on targeted marketing campaigns, Nicholas continues to prove that in the modern parts world, standing still is the same as failing.
"If I'm not growing, I'm failing." — Nicholas Burch
Download the full Case Study here or see more information on the Revolution Parts product page.
