Was I Wrong about the Importance of E-commerce?

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I have been thinking about e-commerce a lot lately. 
Back in 2016, I said, 

“While the argument for Amazon-like eCommerce may make great sense for the distributors falling into the “Logistics” side of the distribution industry, similar investment on the Knowledge-based side of the evolutionary line is likely to be poorly spent.” 

       For full context, read it HERE.   


What a difference seven years and a global pandemic can make!  Today I believe every distributor needs to have an e-commerce platform.  Here are a couple of reasons.

Earlier this week my friend Ian Heller over at the Distribution Strategy Group sent me an email promoting a January 18th web presentation called The 2023 State of E-commerce in Distribution.  The email said:


Distributors with e-commerce report that 19.7% of their sales came through digital channels in 2022. 

That’s compared with:

• 14.5% in 2021

• 11.6% in 2020 

This is a big uptick in the rate of e-commerce adoption. 

Later, I read an article by my friend and e-commerce expert, Ryan Frances.  Ryan makes a rock-solid argument for investing in or improving your e-commerce platform now regardless of the economic circumstances.  He recently wrote this article for the Distribution Strategy Group.  If you are a regular reader, you know how much we enjoy working with them.

I recommend you invest five minutes to read what Ryan has to say.




Frank Hurtte, Founding Partner of River Heights Consulting, shares his personal experiences with 28
years of "in the trenches" training and 17 years as a consultant.  He serves as a personal coach to industry leaders across many lines of distribution.  He has authored 5.5 books (one is almost done) and has written hundreds of articles for national trade magazines, including Industrial Supply Magazine.

Frank is also a sought-after copywriter of marketing materials for technology companies.  His charismatic, yet laid-back, easy-to-follow manner makes him a favorite among public speakers.





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