Eric Smith
Senior Editor Eric Smith is an award-winning business journalist whose coverage focus includes economic news and insights, industry trends, M&A, and analysis of small businesses and public companies across the wholesale distribution marketplace. Reach him at eric@mdm.com or 720-207-0335.
Posts By Eric Smith
Many more industry events are on this year's calendar. The question now is, what will associations do — cancel, postpone, convert to virtual gathering or offer a hybrid of live and digital programming?
Electrical, plumbing and HVACR distributor DSG to purchase Wisconsin-based company in asset sale.
During the past few months, lighting distributor Bulbs.com pivoted to a new customer segment yet also leaned on such core beliefs as strong marketing and data to sustain its business during the pandemic. CEO Mike Connors shared some of the companys COVID-19 playbook.
If you're a distributor in America today, youve got to get digital quick, says John Caplan, president, North America and Europe, Alibaba.com, who spoke on last weeks MDM Live about why digital has become imperative for distributors to compete.
Barry Litwin, CEO of Global Industrial parent company Systemax Inc., says the right digital capabilities can practically eliminate the need for customer service because everything gets done online. He shared the companys digital journey on the most recent episode of MDM Live.
Recent economic reports show upward momentum for the overall U.S. economy and the wholesale distribution industry in particular, but not all data points paint a rosy picture, indicating recovery will be a slog.
The safety category again stole the show for Fastenal Co. during its May sales report with a 136.3% increase, while the companys fastener business has likely hit the bottom during the COVID-19 disruption and could be on the upswing.
While the COVID-19 pandemic has slowed M&A to a crawl in distribution and most sectors, companies that chose to hunker down rather than innovate during the pandemic could be targeted by savvy strategic and financial buyers once activity resumes.
Distribution leaders that emphasize innovation during this time of uncertainty will be at an advantage when the so-called new normal whatever that looks like has settled in. One area where companies can innovate is by transforming their sales models. The latest MDM Live explains why.
Over the last two years, Milwaukee-based HVACR distributor Gustave A. Larson Co. has transitioned from outside to inside sales, a move that became reality at the start of 2020. That sales model transformation has paid dividends during the coronavirus crisis, and now the company enters the post-pandemic well-positioned for the summer surge.
"Your Amazon Business Playbook," a free report from MDM, is available to download.
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