Traditionally, distributor profitability was directly tied to economies of scale – the bigger you are, the better you buy and the more revenue you bring in.
E-commerce “distributors” rarely make warehouse mistakes and operate very efficiently, so competing against them requires filling orders accurately, quickly and at a low cost.
Columbus, Ohio-based Carr Supply recently opened a new branch in Lima, Ohio where it will provide plumbing, HVAC, and water-service supplies and equipment to contractors in a five-county area of northwest Ohio.