Now that we’ve celebrated Independence Day and at the same time have seen the 2009 PAR report, we can safely conclude that Ben Franklin, one of our founding fathers, who is also known for his kite experiment, must have been […]
A topic that is near and dear to all distributors’ heart is their “unique” pricing to their customers, especially over the past 18 months. For some distributors it is the only way they know how to “market” their company. And […]
Distribution CapacityMany complain there is still too much distribution capacity in some markets, which means that businesses are continuing to use price as the determinate to get business. Some consider it taking market share. But is it really? Or are […]
If you are a distributor, and the business has been struggling, you might be thinking: Why should I hunker down and try to ride this economic downturn only to have to start all over trying to rebuild my wealth? I’ve […]
A couple of tidbits ran across the desk today that shows the industry continues to seek ways to streamline processes to improve profitability. With manufacturers, distributors and contractors seeking to improve their productivity, technology will take the place of many […]
Order fulfillment agreements between distributors have been around for years. Have you faced these issues? Servicing your customer’s total needs – Distributors are faced with order fulfillment issues when they don’t stock lines that their customer specifically request by brand, […]
Recently Reed Construction posting observations regarding contractor pricing strategies on its website in an article titled “Construction deflation’s impact on project cost estimates.”The article, which provides contractors with thoughts regarding how to target opportunities within dollar ranges and discusses the […]
Years ago the electrical industy viewed Home Depot as a major threat. First it was a case of DIY customers and smaller contractors leaving electrical distributors for a more convenient retail experience and most recently it was Home Depot’s foray […]
48 years ago, Pete Seeger wrote a song that is making a comeback in the electrical industry. While he called his song “Where Have All The Flowers Gone?”, in the electrical industry we might call this “Where Have All The […]
Consider these comments from senior managers. Do they sound familiar or are reminiscent of your market? “efforts to use limited discounts to lure customers to full-priced items don’t work” “aggressively marketed price reductions help keep sales momentum” “shoppers have been […]
