Tom D’Agustino
While countless industries are adopting artificial intelligence to improve operations, the manufacturing sector (particularly the auto parts industry) has proven to be more resistant to this emerging tech.
With less than 20% of manufacturers currently implementing AI, a lot of time-consuming tasks are still being handled manually. This means more time spent managing inventory, processing orders, and dealing with outdated systems instead of focusing on building an online presence and reaching more customers.
It’s these problems that Christina Seong, founder and CEO of Versable, aims to solve. With Versable, auto parts manufacturers can take advantage of an easy-to-use platform to finally catch up with digital transformation and more easily grow their customer bases.
Learn more about Christina’s journey to becoming a tech founder in a male-dominated industry.
The Challenge of Taking Auto Parts Online
While the auto parts industry makes up a large part of the global economy — expected to reach nearly $825 billion by 2031 — moving into online business has its challenges.
For one, it’s vital to have a sufficient infrastructure capable of sorting through large amounts of data to make sure every part is linked to the right vehicle. Otherwise, customers can end up with the wrong parts, leading to returns, headaches, and unhappy customers.
Furthermore, auto parts can be complex and expensive products, making them harder to sell online without detailed product descriptions and robust customer support options to guide consumers who aren’t auto experts. If manufacturers don’t invest sufficient time and resources into educating and connecting with their customers, they risk losing sales to competitors who make it easier for buyers to find exactly what they need.
While these challenges are significant, artificial intelligence offers promising solutions for the auto parts industry. For example, AI can make the buying process smoother with tools like automated checkout systems that speed up transactions. Manufacturers can also leverage supply chain management software powered by machine learning to detect trends in stock levels and proactively combat shortages.
And then there’s the tool that saw explosive growth upon the release of OpenAI’s ChatGPT: generative AI. By deploying AI-powered chatbots and virtual assistants, manufacturers can improve the customer experience by offering personalized help and making sure customers have chosen the perfect part for their specific vehicles.
For Christina Seong, these tools are key to helping auto parts companies bring their products online quickly and affordably.
Christina Seong’s Journey to Bring Auto Manufacturing Into the Digital Age
Christina Seong began her journey in private equity, where she worked with traditional, often-overlooked industries that are essential to the global economy. As a first-generation immigrant from Korea, she came to the U.S. to achieve financial stability. But she soon realized that true fulfillment came from pursuing what excited her, not following a set path that promised certain wealth. Encouraged by friends and early investors, she left the corporate world to chase her entrepreneurial dreams.
With a background in business and economics, she realized that there was a lack of tech solutions for highly profitable industries like auto parts. “It didn’t take long to realize that transitioning to an online presence was the number one priority for these brick-and-mortar auto parts companies,” Christina says. “This need made the ‘why now’ for our product crystal clear.”
To this end, Christina set out to create Versable, a startup aiming to help auto parts companies establish and grow an online presence.
Before applying to Y-Combinator and raising $2.6 million from top investors — a spectacular feat in its own right — one of Christina’s first meetings was with a capital investment firm. “After just one phone call,” she recalls, “they offered me $700K, which left me shocked.”
This gave Christina immediate conviction in her idea, confidence to keep pushing through, and motivation to turn Versable into what it is today: a go-to platform that’s helping auto parts manufacturers simplify their processes, boost their online presence, and grow their business using AI.
How Versable Helps Auto Parts Manufacturers Thrive Online
Versable helps auto parts manufacturers grow their online businesses by taking raw product data and turning them into polished, accurate, and ready-for-market product descriptions. Powered by advanced AI that pulls in relevant data from high-quality sources, Versable generates product listings with clear descriptions, features, and benefits that are fully optimized for search engines — which is key for getting products noticed and racking up sales online.
“By quickly and accurately managing product data,” Christina explains, “we save brands weeks of manual work — no more painstakingly checking and updating millions of SKUs line by line.” This means auto parts manufacturers can focus on getting the right parts to their customers faster.
“Right now,” she notes, “many AI founders are tackling big, complex problems, but I think it’s just as important to address the day-to-day.” This way, businesses are empowered to focus on creating new products and raising their profits. “That’s why automating the most annoying and time-consuming parts of people’s days is always going to be my mission as a founder.”
Finally, as Christina notes, Versable’s usability is one of its strongest suits: “What customers care about is having a platform that’s incredibly easy to use. I can confidently say that anyone over the age of 12 can navigate our platform, even though the technology behind it is rather complex.”
Driving the Auto Parts Industry into the AI Revolution with Versable
As they’re part of a mostly brick-and-mortar industry, many auto parts companies miss out on the significant opportunities that online sales can offer. To fully tap into these opportunities, overcoming challenges in time, cost, and resources is key. That’s where Christina Seong’s Versable comes in. This easy-to-use AI platform makes the digital leap simple and effective, allowing any auto parts brand to digitally scale its operations with ease.
Learn more about Versable by visiting its website, and keep up with Christina’s startup journey on LinkedIn.