The term \"digital distributor\" is starting to be used more repeatedly. Granted it can be a consultant\'s way to drum up business but it\'s becoming a term used to express the further reaching impact of doing business digitally and recognition that not all business is going to be done via \"hunt and peck\" clicking on websites. Much of it, however, emanates from the need for … [Read more...] about Digital Distributor Starts with eCommerce Product Content
Technology
How Distributors are Adapting to Changing Buyer Demands
Customer expectations are changing how distributors are doing business. They expect more. Some of your competition offers more. And you need to offer more to retain customers and have a hope of capturing new ones. And the changes are much more than offering an online website. There are other technologies you currently own that need to be leveraged as well as data insights. … [Read more...] about How Distributors are Adapting to Changing Buyer Demands
Survey Says … Give Websites Good Product Data
Quality product data is the difference between an \"adequate\" website and one with \"quality\" data that is valued by customers. And \"valued\" is determined by increased traffic, increased sales, a better search experience and being easier to be found via better SEO. The concern, and challenge, according to distributors is that many, if not all, current sources commoditize … [Read more...] about Survey Says … Give Websites Good Product Data
Home Depot … Pros, Website, Analytical Tool Investments to Grow the Business
Earlier today Home Depot presented at the Raymond James 39th Annual Institutional Investors Conference. While, overall, Home Depot is not a significant competitor to electrical distributors, if you serve the residential electrical contractor / builder market or the small contractor market, they are a significant competitor (and our eCommerce Contractor Insights survey showed … [Read more...] about Home Depot … Pros, Website, Analytical Tool Investments to Grow the Business
State of eCommerce According to Electrical Contractors & Buyers
According to a recent study conducted by Channel Marketing Group titled \"State of eCommerce, Electrical Contractor & End-User Insights\", electrical buyers are accelerating their usage of online tools for product research, downloading of spec sheets, seeking pricing and checking inventory. While online ordering ranks typically 5th out of six usages, based upon segment, … [Read more...] about State of eCommerce According to Electrical Contractors & Buyers
Grainger Turning a Corner?
Continuing our Q3 earnings observations, next up is Grainger which is a traditionally a good barometer for the industrial MRO space and lately has been a case study in value proposition, price and fear of Amazon Business. From the earnings call and their slides: Overall \"a solid quarter and there were some positive signs\". Seeing growth coming from their price reduction … [Read more...] about Grainger Turning a Corner?
What is Good “Product Content”?
For the past few years electrical distributors have been actively investing (in the hopes of eventually deploying) in commerce-enabled websites. This has necessitated that distributors become acquainted with, focus on, invest in and develop product content (data) to power their systems. And they\'ve had to learn the difference between product content that is sufficient / usable … [Read more...] about What is Good “Product Content”?
Increasing Warehouse Accuracy in an Age of Employee Churn
In talking with senior management and HR managers of distributors, a continual challenge is personnel. While frequently these discussions relate to qualified (industry or skilled) personnel for sales, branch management and/or specialists, a frequent comment is the \"churn\" that they experience in their warehouse as well as with their drivers. Low unemployment and the reality … [Read more...] about Increasing Warehouse Accuracy in an Age of Employee Churn
Arrival of the “Alt Channels”- Amazon and Zoro Advertise
Much has been researched, written and talked about the emergence of alternate (alt) channels. Amazon Business is regularly mentioned and Grainger\'s eCommerce initiatives are lauded. Now comes Zoro Tools, which many may recall Grainger purchased and has been promoting here in the U.S. Both companies have influenced eCommerce spend among electrical distributors but not many have … [Read more...] about Arrival of the “Alt Channels”- Amazon and Zoro Advertise
Thinking about the eCommerce information clutter
There continues to be much discussed in the industry regarding \"eCommerce\". Daily we hear about Amazon Business, Grainger and the coming \"conquering of the channel\" by eCommerce. It almost seems as if everyone expects that the zombies in the Walking Dead will take over the world (\"\"zombies\" being customers and hence everyone will buy online and there will be no / … [Read more...] about Thinking about the eCommerce information clutter
