October 25 2011

This is the fifth and final article in MDM’s Emerging Technologies Series. This article examines trends in e-commerce and how distributors are approaching the challenges associated with implementing an effective e-commerce strategy.

Often when e-commerce is mentioned, Amazon.com comes to mind. And while that model is extremely successful in the business-to-consumer market, it’s a stretch for some to see how that model...

For the vast majority of distributors, e-commerce is still in its infancy. A joint MDM survey with Real Results Marketing revealed that more than 40 percent of distributors have no revenue from e-commerce and 25 percent have less than 5 percent. Nearly 10 percent have no plans to ever enable e-commerce. This article examines these results and issues distributors need to address to grow revenue from e-commerce.

More than 40 percent of distributors in a recent survey by Real Results Marketing and Modern Distribution Management reported no revenue from e-commerce. A quarter of respondents have less than 5 percent, as shown in Figure 1. Nearly 10 percent have no plans to ever enable e-commerce.

Still, half of the distributors without e-commerce-enabled websites are implementing them now or have plans...

Not a subscriber? This report is now available in the MDM Store as a downloadable pdf. The report includes The State of Distributor Catalog Marketing, The State of E-Commerce in Distribution, and E-Commerce and Catalogs: Fast Friends. Learn more or download now.

From my viewpoint in this industry, the “new normal” needs to be trashed and redefined into the “new reality.” I’ve been to several wholesale distribution industry meetings the past month, and I have never been more struck by...