Distributors continue to get hammered by competitors such as Amazon, Staples and Essendant that have driven the buyer online with easy-to-use websites.
Should B2B and B2C functionalities be combined into one online ecommerce solution? Conventional wisdom says the two should be distinct; that is easy to say when money and resources are plentiful.
About half of those distributors that have implemented a transactional website aren’t happy with their results, according to a recent MDM survey. To stay in the ecommerce game today, office supplies, jan-san and other distributors must offer a modern web experience.
Ecommerce sales continue to outpace brick-and-mortar in the office supplies segment. It’s an indicator of the ongoing shift to digital in these markets, and one that most office supplies dealers are well-aware of. To stay in the game, dealers must offer an online experience that includes everything from transaction and order management to product recommendations.