Pricing Archives

Channel Strategies / eBusiness / eMarketing / Growth Strategies / More Insights / Pricing / Profitability / Sales Channel

Channel Marketing and Funding … but for eCommerce Initiatives?

David Gordon Posted On July 19, 2017

The essence of “channel marketing” infers that members within a channel (manufacturer, rep and distributor) are working together to market products, services and applications to generate demand from customers. The term doesn’t infer whom funds the initiative but frequently there […]

Channel Strategies / Contractors / Customer Segments / eBusiness / eMarketing / Growth Strategies / More Insights / Pricing / Technology

Arrival of the “Alt Channels”- Amazon and Zoro Advertise

David Gordon Posted On April 10, 2017

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 […]

More Insights / Pricing / Profitability

Can You Afford Declining Margins?

David Gordon Posted On December 12, 2016

2016 seems to have been the “year of pricing”. A number of distributors either discussed, or undertook, pricing initiatives this past year. In many instances it was a desire to reverse an industry trend … eroding margins. Others recognized that if […]

Industry News / Lighting / Lighting2 / More Insights / Pricing / Profitability / Renewables

The future of utility rebates could be “fungible”

David Gordon Posted On November 28, 2016

Many electrical and lighting distributors have devoted resources to marketing, selling and managing utility rebates to support their customers and as a differentiator to earning lighting retrofit projects. Frequently utility rebates are used to support LED sales. The rationale essentially […]

Channel Strategies / Distributors / eBusiness / eMarketing / Growth Strategies / Industry Consolidation / Industry News / Lighting / Lighting2 / More Insights / People in the News / Pricing

An Industry Undergoing Change

David Gordon Posted On July 5, 2016

We’ve just passed the 6 month mark for the year and while there has been much change, the past month highlighted many and accelerated some. Consider: Consolidation Shealy sells to Border States to create a $2B ESOP. Grove Madsen sells to […]

Channel Strategies / Customer Service / eBusiness / Growth Strategies / Industry News / More Insights / People in the News / Pricing / Productivity / Technology

NAED National Session: Predator or Prey?

David Gordon Posted On May 19, 2016

The first session of the NAED National was a session titled “Predator or Prey”. The challenge is that session attendees walked away asking “why was it titled that?” Perhaps the answer is in this quote. The “predators” were the panelists […]

Channel Strategies / Growth Strategies / Marketing / More Insights / Pricing / Productivity / Profitability / Research Reports

Drive for Data

David Gordon Posted On April 15, 2016

Over the past month or so Allen and I have had a number of calls for data. Some are from owners / senior management, some from marketing personnel and some from operational staff. The calls are from manufacturers and distributors. […]

Distributors / Growth Strategies / Marketing / More Insights / Pricing / Productivity / Profitability / Sales Channel / Supplier / Products / Technology / Training

Moneyball for Growth

David Gordon Posted On February 16, 2016

If you are stymied with geographical growth and think that many of your customers are not buying all they can from you, the odds are stacked in your favor that they aren’t. Why? Because you don’t know. Unless you have […]

Branding / Channel Strategies / Customer Segments / Customer Service / eBusiness / eMarketing / Growth Strategies / Industrial Market / Industry Consolidation / Industry News / Lighting / Lighting2 / Marketing / More Insights / Pricing / Productivity / Profitability / Purchasing / Sales Channel / Technology

16 Distribution Industry Trends for 2016

David Gordon Posted On January 27, 2016

Over the past month, Allen and I have discussed our observations regarding the industry and shared trends we see that we think will impact business for distributors and manufacturers in 2016. We’ve agreed upon 16 sales, marketing, profitability and operations opportunities that we’d […]

More Insights / Pricing / Profitability

Get an OSSPA Report to Collect Your Other Profit!

David Gordon Posted On January 18, 2016

DSO Reports Virtually all managers and owners are aware of when orders are booked/placed and when extended credit has exceeded the company’s normal credit terms. These reports are affectionately known as a Daily Sales Outstanding report and can be for a Branch, Region […]