Are you -Enabled? The Challenges and rewards of online selling.

By Kellie Hoffmeister
President of Panda

Many distributors have been patiently waiting out the E-Commerce web rush. Some jumped in right away and spent thousands of dollars, only to be disappointed with the results. Expectations were high. Get online and watch the orders come in. Some distributors have actually abandoned their website stating that they did not see any results that justified the cost. I question the word "any", as many have seen incredible results. Others have a website that simply shows all the items in their inventory, but the ability to find an item is daunting if not plain aggravating. Their sites are simply basic front ends to their content-challenged back-end systems.

Larger distributors jumped in with zeal and gusto, spending millions to establish their e-marketplace. Departments staffed with many employees, some numbering over 100, keep these sites working and continuously improving. Their pioneering efforts are paying off big. Those who were first into the web rush are seeing tremendous results. Millions of dollars in sales are being transacted online through distributor website and E-Commerce buying marketplaces every year. In fact, the Department of Commerce reported total E-Commerce sales for 2003 were estimated at $54.9 billion, an increase of 26.3 percent (±3.9%) from 2002. http://www.census.gov/mrts/www/current.html

Some distributors saw their providers and consultants simply disappear, leaving them to manage their technology or in many cases abandon their sites completely. The new call to action was CONTENT!
We need CONTENT!

The great news about E-Commerce is that the cost for development is coming down. The hardest part of the learning curve is over and technology is nearly a commodity. Yes technology is fast becoming a commodity. The days of $250+ hour consultants are behind us and because of EBay, everyone has the ability to sell something online. But there is one thing that has proven to be the most valued asset of all. CONTENT. What are you going to do about getting all that safety content from your catalog into your e-commerce site?

A common answer is, "No problem. The vendors have it or I will simply grab the content from the web. How hard can it be?" Wrong!

We hosted an E-Commerce Forum in April, 1999 in Chicago, Illinois. One of the worst ice storms did not deter over 15 distributors from flying in and spending the weekend discussing their future and how E-Commerce will affect their business. We learned a lot that weekend, mostly that obviously everyone wanted a site like www.grainger.com but didn’t have Grainger’s budget. Universally, every distributor did not have a web pricing matrix for selling products online. Prices change with every phone call into customer service. The distributors each wanted their own personal website. Security of pricing, passwords and the ownership of the site were priority issues. Content was a major issue, as the ability to create and maintain content within their organizations simply did not exist.

The Dot.Bomb of E-Commerce has come and gone. Technology has settled down and we have reasonable reporting on the new frontier of E-Commerce. Some distributors saw their providers and consultants simply disappear, leaving them to manage their technology, or in many cases abandon their sites completely. The new call to action was CONTENT! We need CONTENT!

For nine years Panda has been in the business of creating content. To say several million dollars has been spent in developing our database is not an exaggeration. We had our goals clearly defined by the 15 distributors who attended the Panda Ice-Com of '99. We funded our technology and content development 100% from revenues from our publishing business. No venture capitol, partners or side deals for Panda. We realized failure was not an option and our reputation was on the line. In the end, after the dust settled, Panda has created the most affordable, feature-packed, distributor-approved and tested E-Commerce Solution available on the market.

Distributors got what they wanted, and when the market wants more features, more integration, more innovation, Panda will be there with it, exactly when you need it and at a price you can afford. One last thing… WE HAVE CONTENT! Lots of it.

We believe you should have a return on your investment. We believe E-Commerce is a marketing strategy that requires commitment for the long run. We believe those who become E-Enabled will be the survivors of safety. All reports indicate that B-to-B E-Commerce is the future. Are you ready? It’s time to become E-Enabled and experience the challenges and rewards of being pioneers of the new marketplace.

For complete information on Panda’s E-Commerce Solutions go to: www.pandacommunications.com/e-enabled

Panda Preferred Network:

Bringing You The Best In Safety.

Small to medium-sized safety product distributors definitely benefit from strength in numbers. With the Panda Preferred Network, distributors gain a collective voice as well as preferred status with large safety product manufacturers.

Panda works closely with preferred manufacturers so that distributors don’t have to, and in the process opens up valuable channels of communication between the two. Panda negotiates co-op dollars, rebates, special pricing and incentives for distributors, which can offset the cost of catalogs or other marketing programs. The co-op program has saved significant dollars for Panda clients, and one distributor even credited successful co-op with reducing their catalog price to just $1 per book.

The use of the Panda Preferred Program saves distributors money, which would be beneficial enough, but that’s not the only way that Panda helps its clients. The program also ensures that distributors are kept apprised of the latest

One distributor credited successful co-op with reducing their catalog price to just $1 per book.

safety products and have access to the most current product literature. If distributors want the most up-to-date and innovative safety products in their catalog or on their website, this is definitely the way to do it.

It’s not just distributors who profit from the Panda Preferred Program. Manufacturers win as well. The Panda Preferred Network helps companies like Aearo, Air Systems International, Bausch & Lomb, Bullard, Masterlock and Swift First Aid by offering product placement in tens of thousands of Safety Catalogs from scores of distributors. Panda also makes sure that distributors have new products or best sellers, which makes manufacturers happy and can only prove beneficial to the end user.

Teamwork definitely pays off with the Panda Preferred Network.
To view the latest additions to Panda’s Preferred Network log on to: www.panda-media.com and go to the distributor tab.