When you’ve been in business for over 50 years, change doesn’t always come easy. For Altapac Group, one of Australia’s leading automotive accessories retailers, that change was sparked by a desire to move beyond eBay dependence and take control of their customer relationships.
Today, Altapac runs four large-format retail stores across Sydney, Newcastle, and the Hunter Valley, alongside multiple online storefronts. Behind this growth is a powerful partnership with Neto by Maropost and Maropost Marketing Cloud — technology that has turned a family-owned brand into an omnichannel success story.
From eBay Reliance to Customer Ownership
At one stage, 95% of Altapac’s online sales came from eBay. But as General Manager Tom Lacey explains, that model wasn’t sustainable:
“The primary motivator to shift across into Neto was because we wanted a more robust e-commerce platform to own more of our sales, traffic, and customer relationships — not just piggyback off eBay’s coattails.”
In 2018, Altapac migrated its A1 Roof Racks brand to Neto. The results were so strong that the entire business followed, with all stores now operating on the platform.
Scaling Up Without Scaling Pain
Managing thousands of automotive SKUs used to be a headache. Each product required manual setup, and stock checks meant physically walking into the warehouse. Neto by Maropost flipped that on its head.
- SKUs multiplied: Using Neto’s import/export tools, Altapac scaled from a few thousand products to more than 75,000 SKUs online — with potential to reach 180,000.
- Faster product onboarding: Supplier data could be cleaned up in a spreadsheet and loaded into Neto within minutes.
- Smart categorisation: Multi-category trees allowed Altapac to map parts by product type and vehicle fitment — a game-changer for auto retail.
- Digital inventory: For the first time, Altapac could manage stock levels digitally, eliminating paper-based processes.
As Tom puts it:
“It’s not a stretch to say that every single one of our processes has been changed because of Neto by Maropost.”
Black Friday Without the Chaos
Retailers know how stressful Black Friday can be. But for Altapac, the 2022 event proved just how reliable their systems had become.
- 300% order growth since moving onto Neto
- Zero panic in the warehouse, thanks to clear pick, pack, and dispatch workflows
- Websites that held up, even under heavy traffic
“I remember walking into the warehouse after Cyber Monday — no one was panicking. Neto laid it out so clearly: here’s your workflow. It made an abnormal time really easy to execute.”
Smarter Marketing With Maropost
In 2024, Altapac added Maropost Marketing Cloud to replace their email provider and supercharge customer engagement.
With automated journeys like abandoned cart recovery and welcome sequences, plus the ability to segment by customer type, Altapac ensures every message is timely and relevant.
“We’re only scratching the surface, but already we’ve gained smarter segmentation, better journeys, and more relevant customer communications.”
What’s Next for Altapac
Online sales remain strong — now making up 45% of revenue — but Altapac is also investing in physical branches to deliver more face-to-face support. At the same time, the team is expanding into new marketplaces such as Bunnings, eBay, and Amazon to give customers more choice in how they shop.
“Our mission is simple: to help Australians fully unlock their vehicle’s capability and feel confident taking on new adventures. Whether that’s through stores, logistics, or technology, every part of our strategy is about making great adventures more accessible,” Tom explains.
The Takeaway
Altapac’s journey shows how the right technology can transform a business — from manual, marketplace-dependent operations into a modern omnichannel retailer.
With Neto by Maropost powering their commerce and Maropost Marketing Cloud driving engagement, Altapac has future-proofed its growth.
Ready to transform your business like Altapac?
Request a demo of Maropost solutions or read the full Altapac success story.