search.noResults

search.searching

dataCollection.invalidEmail
note.createNoteMessage

search.noResults

search.searching

orderForm.title

orderForm.productCode
orderForm.description
orderForm.quantity
orderForm.itemPrice
orderForm.price
orderForm.totalPrice
orderForm.deliveryDetails.billingAddress
orderForm.deliveryDetails.deliveryAddress
orderForm.noItems
Business Soſtware


E-Commerce: Opening a showroom to the world


Electrical wholesalers can reach a new generation of electrical contractors by developing an online presence for a much smaller investment than building a bricks and mortar showroom, explains Mark Hughes (pictured), Regional Vice President UK & Ireland at Epicor.


buying of materials, e-Commerce is increasingly vital to the growth strategies of electrical wholesalers. In the UK, online retail sales currently stand at over 1 billion pounds per month, accounting for over 20 percent of total retail sales. With e- Commerce retail sales set to rise yet further as more and more millennials take on the responsibility for buying, it is a trend that cannot be ignored. The changes brought about by the shift


A


towards online retail, that has been fuelled by the popularity of large eCommerce sites like


ewnews.co.uk


s the next generation of electrical contractors are increasingly becoming more involved in the


Amazon, means today’s customers more often than not want their goods immediately through either click and collect or express delivery. Electrical wholesalers must be attuned to these shifting expectations, but satisfying the ‘I want it now’ appetites of customers takes investment. The commercial realities of this new online


sales environment is a difficult one for smaller wholesalers to navigate. Unlike traditional bulk shipments, unit shipments can drive up costs and eat into profits. A situation that is exacerbated by the industry giants who squeeze out smaller electrical wholesalers by handling higher volumes of business at much lower margins – and will use loss-leading pricing strategies to win over new customers.


While managing these new requirements can seem daunting, investing in new technologies can help electrical wholesalers gain the insights and capabilities needed to deliver the fast and responsive customer solutions electrical wholesalers need to survive in these changing times. Furthermore, investing in technologies that deliver automation and efficiency can also help offset the costs associated with delivering a growing volume of unit shipments.


Online storefronts With the threat that Internet-only retailers like Amazon pose to the industry, software solutions such as BisTrack make it easy for electrical wholesalers to establish an online storefront and


●Continued over May 2019 electrical wholesaler | 33


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56