How do HVAC distributors use the internet to pursue business outside their own geographical areas? After all, the internet has done nothing if not enabled a fledgling bookselling outfit to become a massive commerce giant. Would the Wayfair decision have an impact?

The true art of web development derives from the difficulty in balancing the most important facets of a project, including brand messaging, user experience, performance goals, and technological optimization.

At some restaurants, customers can place an order online and go pick up lunch “as soon as possible” or “at a scheduled time.” Increasingly, service providers — like medical offices — are giving customers the option to schedule online, too. And the HVAC field is no exception.

In regards to websites, some used to say, “Build it, and they will come.” That might’ve been good enough for a field of dreams, but in today’s reality, seemingly everyone over 11 years old has a website.

There is a bit of a boogeyman out there for HVAC contractors. It is people selling equipment online to homeowners and the customers who are purchasing them.

The year 2017 is coming to an end, and a look at the numbers shows it has been a good one for the HVACR industry.

There is a rising murmur that can be heard at HVACR industry events regarding the threat online retail sales pose to wholesale distribution, and there is some validity to that growing concern. U.S. online retail sales will surpass $1 trillion by 2027 compared to $445 billion this year, according to a forecast by business advisory firm FTI Consulting Inc.

The internet has changed everything from how people interact with each other to how they get from place to place to even how they shop.

We ran a poll at achrnews.com where more than 300 contractors voted. The results showed that 30 percent of contractors are willing to install products purchased by customers online while 70 percent would not. There were still more people saying no, but it was much closer than I imagined it would be when we posted the question.