The last month of 2019 saw MDM readers interested in advice for the new decade. From tips on competing with Amazon Business to discussing how to appeal to the next generation to the story of how one company reinvented itself, our readers were most interested in ways to get ahead of the curve. Follow the links below to read MDM’s most popular blogs from December.

MRO Buyers Primed for New Suppliers 
by: David Gordon 

Corporate MRO buyers may be shifting their purchasing behaviors when it comes to Amazon Business and the way they manage core traditional suppliers, argues industry analyst David Gordon. Here are his recommendations for distributors and suppliers to compete more effectively against these trends he’s seeing emerge. Read More.

Will Amazon’s One-Day Shipping Kill the Distribution Industry? 
by: Andrew Horvath 

What does this change mean for the traditional distributor go-to-customer model? It entirely depends on the organization’s value propositions, says Alexander Group’s Andrew Horvath. Read More.

The Flaws in Using Gross Margin as a Business Performance Benchmark 
by: Elizabeth Galentine 

In a presentation at MDM’s Pricing & Profitability Summit earlier this year, Randy MacLean, president of WayPoint Analytics, questioned distributors’ broad use of gross margin as a business performance benchmark. His premise: Widespread misuse of gross margin is the most common dysfunction in wholesale distribution. “Gross margin isn’t enough to understand what’s going on,” MacLean said. Read More.

The Workplace Attributes that Appeal to Gen Z  
by: Stacy Ward 

The latest generation is looking for an employer committed to environmental advocacy, inclusivity and equality, says Gen Z expert Corey Seemiller, Ph.D. In an MDM Q&A, she shares how distributors can create a culture that appeals to young workers. Read More.

How One Distributor Killed Its Sales Titles and Grew Sales Faster 
by: Thomas P. Gale 

Earnest Machine, a Cleveland-based fastener wholesale importer that sells through distributors, has been on a multi-year renovation mission of the 71-year-old company. As CEO Kirk Zehnder says, it has been about changing “how we do business, why we do business and where we’re heading in the market.” Here’s the story on how Earnest is shifting to a more nimble, integrated sales model. Read More.