The Spring edition of Link Magazine features a story that underscores the importance of using the web and developing services as a way to insulate your company from increasing competition from marketplaces.
The dreaded “Amazon effect” is the most frequently mentioned, but the field of competitors is growing as industry titans such as Grainger expand their digital presence. Corporate giants like WalMart and Google also are in the marketplace business these days, so small to mid-sized fastener distributors should stake out their niche.
Entitled “FCH Helps Reduce Exposure to Marketplaces“, the Link article recounts a conversation with distribution strategist, Ian Heller, during a recent conversation on Fully Threaded Radio, episode 151. Heller has clear ideas for distributors hoping to thrive during the coming change in the industrial distribution world, and being part of online communities of sellers is one of them.
The FCH Sourcing Network provides a simple and effective way for fastener distributors to market their lines and their companies to a targeted audience of people who are searching for materials they cannot find. This makes participation in the network an obvious tactic for any business with a strategy to grow into the new era of the online marketplace.
As a thought leader on the subject, Ian Heller offers his insights at his website Distribution Strategy.
Fastener distributors can become involved with the FCH Sourcing Network with a very small investment of time and a modest membership cost. Become a member of the network here, or contact FCH: 877 332-7836