Inventory Management Archives

Technology

Amazon Air to Add 12 New Aircraft

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June 3, 2020

Sales & Marketing

The Flaws in Using Gross Margin as a Business Performance Benchmark

The average distributor sees just 25% or less in profit realization.

December 30, 2019

Inventory Management

Beyond the Basics of Inventory Management

There are well-known quick fixes an inventory management solution can bring to a distributor, such as cutting back on disappearing products or eliminating user error from incorrectly typed SKUs on a manual tracking spreadsheet. But the data available from inventory management platforms can also present a long-term strategic opportunity in the form of improved demand planning, exposure of costly trends and even visibility into competitors share of customer spend.

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December 10, 2019

Inventory Management

Don’t Confuse Reducing Customers’ Inventory with a Reduction in Profit

With effective inventory control solutions there will be less waste and less shrinkage but more opportunity

September 24, 2019

Inventory Management

Capitalizing on Amazon’s Weakest Link: Inventory Management

Five ways distributors can improve customer relationships with vending tools.

August 15, 2019

Inventory Management

Is Inventory Sharing a Solution to Distributors’ Surplus Inventory Problem? Maybe

Successful inventory sharing networks have six things in common, including a proactive approach to the process.

July 17, 2019

Research & Analytics

MDM’s Top 5 Blogs of March

A common theme resonated throughout MDMs most-read blogs.

April 4, 2019

Inventory Management

Make Sales Reps Your Vending Program’s Biggest Fans

Three ways non-retail vending programs can be a powerful tool to set distributors apart.

March 25, 2019

Inventory Management

How Distributors Can Win with Vending

Give customers what they want: lower consumption, lower carrying costs and decrease stock-outs.

February 20, 2019

Inventory Management

Managing Consigned Inventory Can Be a Nightmare — It Doesn’t Have to Be

Here are three best practices for distributors to minimize consignment risks.

February 5, 2019

Inventory Management

Are Your Scorecards Putting Suppliers on the Defensive?

An adversarial approach may have the opposite of the desired effect.

November 20, 2018

Research & Analytics

Tip: Prioritize Top-Notch Service for Successful Vending

Simply implementing vending for customers won't guarantee a return.

February 22, 2018

Technology

How to Calculate Vending ROI

Weigh these costs and benefits before venturing into the vending fray.

January 29, 2018

Research & Analytics

Tip: Be Proactive with Vending Solutions to Meet Customer Needs

Don't wait until your customer asks for it.

December 14, 2017

Free

Working with channel partners is imperative to mitigate counterfeiting risk.

November 28, 2017

Inventory Management

How to Protect Against Counterfeiting

Knock-off products are found everywhere, from watches and handbags to bearings, electrical products and construction materials. The effects of counterfeit products go beyond lost revenues and the misappropriated use of anothers trademark. This article examines the scope of the current counterfeit market in distribution and what can be done to protect you, your channel partners and the products you sell.

This article includes:

Financial impact
Safety and environmental impact
Customer impact

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

Millennials in Distribution: ‘No Magic’ in US LUMBER’s Strategy
Endgame Strategy: A Must for Distributors
Grainger’s Pricing Initiative, pt 2: The Quest for Optimization

November 25, 2017

Research & Analytics

Top 5 Mistakes Distributors Make with Vending

Avoid these common pitfalls that can sabotage a vending-powered VMI program.

November 13, 2017

Research & Analytics

Amazon Elevates ‘Right-Now’ Expectations

This article is part of MDM's 2017 Distribution Trends Special Issue.

There’s no escaping Amazon. Thanks to the company’s recent mammoth grocery store bid, even a trip to Whole Foods for organic marinara sauce or a bundle of kale could inflate Jeff Bezos’ already exorbitant income.

This article includes:

Retooling delivery processes to minimize threat
How Amazon is changing the way many distributors operate
Why increasing the speed of delivery may be inevitable

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Not a subscriber? Subscribe below or learn more. The full 2017 Distribution Trends Special Issue is available to download in PDF format to MDM Premium subscribers.

June 25, 2017

Technology

Tip: Meet Customers’ Delivery Demands or Get Left Behind

"Amazonification" of supply chain creating loftier expectations for distributors.

June 8, 2017

Technology

Wholesale Distribution Disrupted, Part 3: Building a Distributor of the Future

Disruptive forces will likely have a transformative effect on wholesale distribution. In our previous two articles, we assessed the financial performance of the wholesale distribution industry and an array of disruptive forces already impacting participants. We also introduced a framework for harnessing these disruptions and the capabilities distributors will need to develop to successfully navigate the current industry inflection point. In this article, the third in the series, we discuss the final two parts of the framework: executing the value chain and energizing the business.

This article includes: