Distributors wanted to see how Grainger was adjusting its pricing strategy and also how they could navigate disruption and adapt their field sales teams, according to the first quarter's most-read articles on mdm.com.

Here are the top five articles on mdm.com from the first quarter:

1. Grainger’s Pricing Solution – Grainger recently recognized that its high list prices might be deterring potential customers from becoming buyers. MDM Editor Jenel Stelton-Holtmeier spoke with CEO D.G. Macpherson and Geoff Robertson, vice president, global digital business and innovation, at the 2017 Grainger Show in Orlando, FL, about the company’s strategy for addressing its e-commerce challenge.

2. 2016 Market Leaders & Distribution Trends Special Issue – MDM's annual Market Leaders and trends issue looked at everything from customer engagement to reducing HR cost pressure to harnessing both new and existing technologies in order to grow business.

Want to be a part of the 2017 Market Leaders? Nominations are now open!

3. Wholesale Distribution Disrupted – Disruptive forces are expected to have a big impact on the future performance of distributors. This article – the first in a three-part series – identified some of the critical disrupters and their effect on distribution.

4. Why Field Sales Must Evolve: The Gorilla in the Room, part 1 – How customers buy is challenging the traditional role, function and purpose of the distributor field sales position. But many distributors have resisted changing their approach to sales for fear of losing sales reps, customers or both to the competition. This article examined what’s driving the shift and why distributors should act.

5. Engage to Combat Disruption – The second article in our three-part series on the disruption of wholesale distribution introduced a framework for harnessing the industry's disruptive forces and identified the capabilities distributors need to develop to successfully navigate the inflection point.