Tip: Know What Your Customers are Actually Buying - Modern Distribution Management

Log In

Tip: Know What Your Customers are Actually Buying

What customers are buying is in many cases not what distributors think they are selling.
Author
Date

Big-box retailers such as Lowe’s and The Home Depot have found their niche in the B-to-B world. But, a different view of customer demand can give distributors a valuable perspective on what and how to sell, according to Affiliated Distributors’ Tom Blue in Distributors Respond to the Big-Box Challenge.

“So much of the manufacturing world today is about documented cost savings and productivity improvements. That’s where the independent distributor is able to win out, because they understand that and have the expertise to address it,” Blue says.

To compete, distributors have to realize that what customers are buying is in many cases not what distributors think they are selling. Some customers are buying a reliable source of supply. Some are buying the ability to bundle. Others are buying convenience, capital services, pre-sale advice or post-sale support.

As markets fragment, distributors need to start segmenting customers not by how much they buy, but by which services they’re buying.

Share this article

About the Author
Recommended Reading
Leave a Reply

Leave a Comment

Sign Up for the MDM Update Newsletter

The MDM update newsletter is your best source for news and trends in the wholesale distribution industry.

Get the MDM Update Newsletter

Wholesale distribution news and trends delivered right to your inbox.

Sign-up for our free newsletter and get:

  • Up-to-date news in a quick-to-read format
  • Free access to webcasts, podcasts and live events
  • Exclusive whitepapers, research and reports
  • And more!

2

articles left

Want more Premium content from MDM?

Subscribe today and get:

  • New issues twice each month
  • Unlimited access to mdm.com, including 10+ years of archived data
  • Current trends analysis, market data and economic updates
  • Discounts on select store products and events

Subscribe to continue reading

MDM Premium Subscribers get:

  • Unlimited access to MDM.com
  • 1 year digital subscription, with new issues twice a month
  • Trends analysis, market data and quarterly economic updates
  • Deals on select store products and events

1

article
left

You have one free article remaining

Subscribe to MDM Premium to get unlimited access. Your subscription includes:

  • Two new issues a month
  • Access to 10+ years of archived data on mdm.com
  • Quarterly economic updates, trends analysis and market data
  • Store and event discounts

To continue reading, you must be an MDM Premium subscriber.

Join other distribution executives who use MDM Premium to optimize their business. Our insights and analysis help you enter the right new markets, turbocharge your sales and marketing efforts, identify business partners that help you scale, and stay ahead of your competitors.

Register for full access

By providing your email, you agree to receive announcements from us and our partners for our newsletter, events, surveys, and partner resources per MDM Terms & Conditions. You can withdraw consent at any time.

Learn More about Custom Reports

Request a Market Prospector Demo

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.