When it comes to eCommerce in distribution, I’ve found that most distributors feel like they’re up against a wall when facing competition from giants like Amazon. Although most distribution companies offer personalized, knowledgeable service, they still worry about the 24/7 broad and instant access that a huge website like Amazon provides. They are intimidated by Amazon’s efficiency, and they also wonder if they can compete on price. These are all valid concerns.
It’s not impossible to compete with Amazon, you just have to know what areas to focus on. They’re in the business of taking over every profitable market they can identify. Businesses who pioneered their industries, taking the arrows in the beginning to create their businesses, are finding themselves falling victim to Amazon’s hostility. And, to make matters worse, Amazon is willing to lose millions of dollars to test these markets and, if they don’t find a market profitable, they’ll get out as quickly and easily as they got in. So, while they’re doing their loss-leader market tests, these pioneering, self-made businesses that used to turn a profit get clobbered.
Don’t Compete On Price — Compete On Knowledge And Service
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With some effort, you can combine your existing business’s strengths with the 24/7 convenience of an eCommerce presence. For example, be sure your website is straightforward and easy to order products from, but also order personalized service for those who have questions about your products (e.g., chat bots or, better yet, live chat), and you’ll actually have an advantage over Amazon and the like. Price is secondary when your customers enjoy the added value of consultation and a knowledgeable staff they can tap on when necessary.
6-Must-Do Strategies to Get Customers to Your Website, an article I wrote last January for the NAED, speaks directly to mid-sized and large distributors who have invested in eCommerce over the past few years. Be sure to implement these strategies to keep your eCommerce business going strong.
Let Customers Know You’re Out There
A buyer looking for a solution will turn to the Internet first to research what they are looking for. And just to be clear… Most people search for solutions before they decide on a product to purchase. This is where a good content marketing plan can come into play. Make your content solution-oriented, not product-oriented. Your customers will see you as a problem-solver and hopefully choose you over a bland, impersonal mega-site (who offers everything to buy, but essentially knows nothing about what they sell).
Let’s do this … Together!
Rather than struggle alone with decisions about what to change, where to invest, and what will work, bring in a team to support you. Together, we will discover the answers you need and teach you and your team to do it on your own. Our goal is to work ourselves out of a job so you can be self-sufficient!
Now is the time to take charge of your company’s digital sales and marketing efforts. I can help. Just give me a call, and let’s discuss the best options for moving forward.
We’ll define metrics, set goals, and measure KPIs going forward. You’ll watch your marketing efforts transform into a revenue-generating department that you can tie directly to a positive impact on your bottom line.
