We use cookies to provide you with a better experience. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies in accordance with our Cookie Policy.
  • INDUSTRY PRESS ROOM
  • SUBMISSIONS
  • MEDIA FILE
  • Create Account
  • Sign In
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Free Newsletters
  • MAGAZINE
    • Current Issue
    • Archives
    • Digital Edition
    • Subscribe
    • Newsletters
  • STRATEGY
  • GLOBAL
  • LOGISTICS
  • MANUFACTURING
  • PROCUREMENT
  • VIDEO
    • News & Exclusives
    • Viewer Contributed
    • CSCMP EDGE 2023
    • Upload your video
  • PODCAST ETC
    • Podcast
    • White Papers
    • Webcasts
    • Events
    • Blogs
      • Reflections
      • SCQ Forum
    • Mobile Apps
  • MAGAZINE
    • Current Issue
    • Archives
    • Digital Edition
    • Subscribe
    • Newsletters
  • STRATEGY
  • GLOBAL
  • LOGISTICS
  • MANUFACTURING
  • PROCUREMENT
  • VIDEO
    • News & Exclusives
    • Viewer Contributed
    • CSCMP EDGE 2023
    • Upload your video
  • PODCAST ETC
    • Podcast
    • White Papers
    • Webcasts
    • Events
    • Blogs
      • Reflections
      • SCQ Forum
    • Mobile Apps
Home » Industrial purchasers are embracing e-commerce
Forward Thinking

Industrial purchasers are embracing e-commerce

May 21, 2014
Supply Chain Quarterly Staff
No Comments

Buyers of industrial supplies are increasingly turning to e-commerce in their purchasing activities, according to the results of a new survey. Sixty-three percent of the 1,500 industrial supplies purchasers surveyed for the "2014 UPS B2B Purchasing Insights Study" said they now make purchases online. The survey was conducted by UPS Inc. and the research firm TNS.

Half of the purchasers surveyed said they spend at least 50 percent of their annual budget with e-commerce suppliers. In addition, 37 percent of survey respondents said their experiences with vendors' e-commerce sites are better than their experiences with the consumer sites they used for personal purchases.

Respondents identified a number of benefits to online purchasing of supplies. When asked about those benefits, 64 percent of the respondents cited knowing shipping costs prior to making an order, while 63 percent named the ability to see real-time product availability. The same number (63 percent) cited the ability to view purchase history and the estimated delivery date when ordering.

Despite the growing adoption of e-commerce for industrial purchases, buyers still place a high value on traditional services, such as post-sale support. In fact, 68 percent of respondents said that they would be somewhat or much more likely to do business with a new supplier if its website featured after-sales service. In addition, 53 percent of buyers noted the importance of certain aspects of the returns process, such as receiving a preprinted return-shipping label with the original delivery.

    • Related Articles

      JLL sees e-commerce grow from 35% to 50% of its total industrial leasing activity

      Study: e-commerce trends are shrinking average length of truck trips

      Rise of warehouse automation changes site selection plans for e-commerce DCs

    Recent Articles by Supply Chain Quarterly Staff

    Logistics Plus arranges gas pipe delivery to war-torn Ukraine

    Raising temperatures of cold storage warehouses would cut emissions, Lineage says

    Schneider Electric aims to decarbonize the semiconductor supply chain

    You must login or register in order to post a comment.

    Report Abusive Comment

    Most Popular Articles

    • Walmart to open fifth “next-gen” fulfillment center in 2026

    • 53% of procurement leaders expect to increase their spending in 2024

    • U.S. faces permanent labor shortage, says University of Tennessee economist

    • Pepsi exec highlights four key structural changes in the supply chain

    • What skills will you need in the Age of AI?

    Featured Video

    Edge2023 innovationtheater here technologies

    CSCMP EDGE 2023 Innovation Theater: Enabling Peak Performance in Last-Mile Delivery Through Private Mapping and Custom Routing - HERE Technologies

    CSCMP EDGE 2023
    At HERE Technologies, we understand the hypercompetitive world of e-commerce, retail, and parcel delivery is increasing in complexity every day. End customers demand ever-increasing delivery performance levels regarding on-time arrivals, flexibility in delivery schedules, pricing and payment options, and more....

    FEATURED WHITE PAPERS

    • Balancing Act: How Freight Brokers Help Shippers Navigate Uncertainty

    • Quarterly Freight Data Report: Q3 2023

    • A Brighter Future: How COVID-19 Continues to Change Freight Procurement Strategies for the Better

    • Five questions to ask before electrifying your indoor forklift fleet

    View More

    Subscribe to Supply Chain Quarterly

    Get Your Subscription
    • SUBSCRIBE
    • E-NEWSLETTERS
    • ADVERTISING
    • CUSTOMER CARE
    • CONTACT
    • ABOUT
    • STAFF
    • PRIVACY POLICY

    Copyright ©2023. All Rights ReservedDesign, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing