“Customers have told us that they need to be able to order a broad selection of our slides anytime, anywhere and on any device,” says Sid Kalantar, senior vice president of sales and marketing, Accuride. “Our e-commerce channel enables us to close geographical distribution gaps, allowing customers to purchase a full assortment of specialty products, as well as popular slides, including undermount and heavy-duty options.”
Accuride says its move into e-commerce, initially available to U.S. and Canadian customers, aligns with a growing trend among B2B companies, including manufacturers. About 40 percent of manufacturers have an e-commerce site, and 69 percent of those that don’t expect to launch one within two years, according to a recent survey by B2BecNews. In addition, Forrester estimates total business e-commerce at $1.1 trillion, or 12 percent of total B2B sales in the U.S., now, and it projects an increase to $1.8 trillion, or 17 percent of U.S. B2B sales, by 2023.
The company adds its online store will be particularly useful to customers in transportation sectors, such as trains, automotive and aerospace; engineering and machinery; emergency vehicles; boating; industrial contracting; data enclosures; healthcare; cabinetry and woodworking; home improvement; and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education.
