The third C is now here: commerce. For most of this year, we have been in discussions with a company called PartsClick. We have finally signed a strategic partnership agreement that allows you, the contractor, to buy your equipment and tools online, using your supplier.
PartsClick’s tagline is, “The Business is Virtual. The Relation-ships are Real.” Our mission with this partnership is not to tear apart relationships, but to enhance them. We are not in the manufacturing business, nor are we in the distribution business. The News and achrnews.com are in the business of providing superior information to help businesspeople succeed. Part of his role includes bringing together buyers and sellers. In this age of technology and the Internet, this is the next step in that mission.
Founded in 1999 by Michael Avari and David Womelsdorf, PartsClick is essentially in the business of e-commerce, enabling small- to mid-size distributors to join in. They spend time and money chasing the technology. Their distributor customers can then spend time and money doing what they do best: selling product.
All distributors will continue to sell product through their storefronts. However, more and more of that product will be sold through the Internet. That’s where achrnews .com comes in. If you are going to sell product online, why not sell it where the most buyers are? With 15,000 users/month (and growing), achrnews.com is one of the most visited sites in this industry.
Both Avari and Womelsdorf have more than 20 years’ experience in this industry and technology consulting. In addition, Russ Broeckelmann, past president of the Northamerican Heating, Refrigeration, and Aircondition-ing Wholesalers Association (NHRAW), is a member of the senior management team. Broeckelmann has over 30 years’ experience in the industry, and has been the president of two leading distribution companies.
WHAT CAN I BUY?
First, go to achrnews.com and click on the “Purchase Products” button.Initially, you can buy surplus inventory through something called DistribuNet. DistribuNet is software that allows wholesalers and distributors to move their surplus inventory. Up until now, they were selling that surplus inventory to each other. Now, with this strategic partnership, distributors can sell that product to contractors. We solve a problem, and contractors can get great deals on surplus inventory from distributors around the country.
As time goes on, more and more wholesalers and distributors will come online. You’ll be able to search, browse, and buy not only surplus product from those companies, but their regular catalog items as well.
RELATIONSHIPS
This industry was built on relationships. As much as technology is impacting us, those relationships are still strong and still very important.This alliance is not looking to harm any of those relationships. We have developed something that we think can help solve some problems in the industry.
If you are a distributor or wholesaler and would like to develop a relationship with PartsClick, give Avari a call at 516-510-3655, or send him an e-mail at mavari@ mindspring.com.
And, as always, feel free to contact me.
Publication date: 10/09/2000