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According to a report from Channel Marketing Group and BigCommerce, 65 percent of end user buyers in the industrial supplies market are accelerating their use of digital commerce. This is compared to 2018 when only 45 percent purchased through e-commerce platforms.

Among the key findings:
- 62.3 percent of buyers purchase industrial, electrical, or HVAC supplies online, which now represents about 30 percent of their total purchases.
- 65.8 percent of respondents say buying online is easy, and 60 percent say it saves them time.
- 58 percent of purchases now occur outside traditional distributor relationships.

Not only are buyers purchasing online, they are also using distributor websites to check pricing, research products, confirm availability and manage their accounts. According to the findings, 62 percent prefer visiting a website for this information, but 39 percent like a quick experience of using an app. 

The report suggests that digital is the preferred purchasing channel for most buyers, but they will use phone calls, texts (24 percent), and in-person visits when digital tools fail. 

When asked why they prefer virtual purchasing over human interaction, customers overwhelmingly stessed accuracy. Inventory, pricing, delivery, and timing are all on point when ordering digitally. 

For more on this study and the results, click here.