40•
2011PurchasingDecision- Makerssurvey
Reps, trade publications still the first choice for info
E
ven though the internet is rap- idly pervading every aspect of life, with hand-held tools like
iPhones connecting users to the world, independent manufacturers’ reps and trade magazines continue to be the two favorite sources for infor- mation, according to respondents in our 11th Annual Purchasing Deci- sion-Makers Survey. This year’s results followed last
year’s results fairly closely with a few notable exceptions:
brands per line that you carry?
During the PAST 2 YEARS, have you increased or decreased the number of
Unchanged 38%
Decreased Increased
43% 19% • The smaller and larger whole-
salers lost ground in terms of sales, while mid-sized houses held their own. • For the first time, wholesalers
cite PVF lines (74%) as their #1 cat- egory over plumbing. • Trade shows continued their
slide in popularity while the internet was slightly down as well. Our sincere thanks to all those who
took the time to participate in this valuable survey.
brands per line that you carry?
do you plan to increase or decrease the number of
During the NEXT 2 YEARS,
No change 51% Decrease 12%
Increase 37%
Manufacturers’ reps remain the favorite source for information, while trade mag- azines still hold a strong #2 position. The internet slipped sightly, while trade shows, already a weak sector, dropped a significant nine percentage points.
Somewhat more wholesalers added brands and plan to add brands; perhaps a sign of an improving economy and greater confidence.
becoming MORE AGGRESSIVE in their pricing and programs?
Do you see manufacturers
Yes: 61% No: 39%
more frequent PRICE INCREASES during the last 2 years?
Have you experienced
Yes: 72% No: 28%
Manufacturers were somewhat less aggressive in their pricing and programs during the year, however, a greater number of wholesalers reported experiencing more frequent price increases in recent years.
The range that best describes your company’s ANNUAL SALES VOLUME is...
Less than $3 million..............................24% $3 million – $9.9 million ........................28%
$10 million – $19.9 million ....................15% $20 million – $49.9 million ....................13% $50 million plus .....................................20%
It was a ‘down’ year for the smaller and largest wholesalers. Compared to last year, the number of firms with a volume of less than $3 million increased five per- centage points; those selling $3 to $9.9 million increased eight percentage points; while those in the $50 million+ range dropped nine points. The $10 to $49.9-mil- lion range held steady.
• Be sure to visit
www.thewholesaler.com for web exclusive articles and videos! • BUYING/MARKETING GROUP?
Is your company a member of a
If yes, what are the BENEFITS OF MEMBERSHIP in a
buying/marketing group?
46% Better prices 33% Networking 26% Market intelligence 13% Mgmt. education 8% Technical information 6% Sales leads 9% Other
• Yes: 54% • No: 46%
If yes, what PERCENTAGE OF YOUR BUYS are done through buying group vendors?
0-20% — 56%
21-40% — 16% 41-60% — 14% 61-80% — 12% 81-100% — 2%
The buying-groups category held steady, with just over half of respondents claim- ing membership. But reflecting last year’s results, members still reported they make half their buys through vendors that are not part of buying groups. Very few make the bulk of their purchases from buying-group vendors.
or decrease its number of vendors?
During the PAST 2 YEARS, did your company increase
Increased: 57% Decreased: 43%
? n
•THE WHOLESALER® — FEBRUARY 2011
to increase or decrease its number of vendors?
your company intend THIS YEAR, does
Increase: 34% Decrease: 13% No change: 53%
A small majority of wholesalers increased their vendor count during the past two years, but a significantly larger percentage than last year (34% vs. 26%) plan to increase their number of vendors during the next two years.
(More survey results on page 42.)
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