February 2014 - Modern Distribution Management

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February 2014

Strategies for Private Label Success

Creating a successful private label strategy requires more than just putting the distributor’s name on the products. This article looks at key elements of building a private label strategy and the decisions distributors need to make to successfully implement that strategy.

This is the second in a series of articles from MDM on private label in the wholesale distribution industry.

This article includes:

  • The role of branding and positioning in private label success
  • The importance of having the right skills in place for implementing a private label strategy
  • The question of control versus liability for distributors

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Or purchase this report in the MDM Store.

Subscribers also have access to the following related articles:

  • The Drivers of Private Label in Distribution
  • Profits in a Year of Strong Growth
  • Special Report: The Industrial Vending Boom

Strategies for Private Label Success Read More »

MDM Interview: How to Stand in Your Employees’ Shoes

As the face of the workforce shifts, managers need new skills to connect and effectively lead a more diverse employee base. A new book, Flex: The New Playbook for Managing Across Differences, was written to address this need. MDM Editor Lindsay Konzak recently spoke with the book’s co-author Jane Hyun, an executive coach and global leadership adviser to Fortune 500 firms.

This interview includes Hyun's take on:

  • Why it's important for manager's to be able to "flex" their management styles
  • How managers can bridge the power gap
  • The cost of not considering different management styles

Subscribers should log-in below to read this article.

Not a subscriber? Subscribe below or learn more. Subscribers also have access to the following related articles:

  • MDM Interview: Avnet's Roy Vallee Reflects on Changes in the Industry
  • Where Managers Blunder
  • Commentary: Re-evaluate the Human Capital in Your Company

MDM Interview: How to Stand in Your Employees’ Shoes Read More »

Behind Grainger’s E-Commerce Strategy

In 2013, Grainger surpassed $3 billion in sales from e-commerce channels, representing a third of total company sales. Paul Miller, vice president of global e-commerce for Grainger, spoke with Editor Lindsay Konzak about Grainger’s approach and plans for e-commerce.

This article includes:

  • How the distributor approaches e-commerce
  • Grainger's multichannel approach
  • Where Grainger sees opportunity with technology

Subscribers should log-in below to read this article.

Not a subscriber? Subscribe below or learn more. Subscribers also have access to the following related articles:

  • The State of E-Commerce in Distribution
  • Grainger's E-Commerce Evolution
  • Beyond Amazon: E-Commerce's Impact on Wholesale Distribution Markets

Behind Grainger’s E-Commerce Strategy Read More »

MDM Industrial Inflation Index: January 2014

Modern Distribution Management's monthly Industrial Inflation Index measures a cross-section of industrial supplies.

This index includes:

  • Abrasives Products
  • Cutting Tools
  • Power Transmission Equipment
  • Fasteners
  • Valves, etc.
  • Power Tools
  • Material Handling Equipment
  • Belting
  • Hand Tools
  • Misc. Metal

Subscribers should log-in below to read this article.

Not a subscriber? Subscribe below or learn more. Subscribers also have access to the following related articles:

  • MDM 4Q13 & Annual Pricing Trends Report
  • MDM Interview with Guy Blissett: Uncertainty + Change = Opportunity?
  • The State of Analytics in Distribution

MDM Industrial Inflation Index: January 2014 Read More »

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