| March 13, 2008 | News for the wholesale distribution industry |
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- Wholesalers proceed with caution, keep inventories lean
With recession concerns mounting, wholesalers are keeping inventories lean even as sales are increasing. On Monday, the U.S. Commerce Department said January sales rose 2.7%, the biggest gain in almost four years, yet stockpiles on hand hit a record low of 1.07 months. Overall inventories grew by 0.8% in January compared to December's 1.1% increase. The New York Times/Bloomberg
(3/11)
     
- United Rentals agrees to settle lawsuits
United Rentals Inc. agreed Monday to settle three lawsuits for a cash payment of $27.5 million but with no admission of fault or liability on the company's part. The lawsuits stemmed from an ongoing SEC investigation into the company's accounting practices. United Rentals said the cash settlement should have no effect on its financial results. Forbes/AFX News Limited
(3/10)
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| | Inventory Management: The Key to Maximizing Profitability
Improving the way you control and manage your inventory can directly affect the advancement of your company's bottom line. Click Here for a free White Paper on how to better your warehouse efficiency and in turn, increase profitability. | |
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| Best Practices |  | |
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- Online billing tools not perfect for all
Online billing services may represent an ideal way for some companies to save money as well as paper, but the process isn't ideal for all. For some companies, the switch could mean asking other clients to also switch, which can get complicated. Forbes
(3/4)
- Key steps important in branch planning
Five key steps are essential in defining operation/branch planning. They are making sure the services to be provided are well defined; determining the branch goals; examining applicable synergies; committing to a time frame and schedule; and measuring criteria targets. CEO Strategist
(3/10)
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- Dos and don'ts for keeping Gen-X salespeople engaged
Certain strategies are necessary in sales meetings to address the preferences of Generation X salespeople. They include making sure the event is full of information that cannot be found on the Internet or through reading books; scheduling meetings in interesting towns; making sure the venue is technologically advanced; and keeping social events entertaining. Selling Power (free registration)
(3/10)
| Small Business Manager | | |
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- Small businesses need education in brand marketing
Small businesses could take a lesson in branding from behemoth Procter & Gamble's Head & Shoulders line, which has launched several specialty products over the years without losing focus on its central marketing message. A new Hewlett-Packard Canada survey indicates many small companies do not understand what branding is: 55% of the respondents said their "brand" was their product or company name while 29% said it was their logo. Canada.com/Financial Post
(3/10)
| Executive Life | | |
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| NAW Insider | | |
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New downloadable Wholesale Distribution Economic Reports
Download individual economic analysis reports that are most relevant to your business from the 19 major wholesale distribution sectors in the 2008 Wholesale Distribution Economic Reports. These reports supply a wealth of channel benchmarking data, including revenue and employment growth trends, the number and size distribution of companies, gross margins, wages and many other operating statistics. Quantity discounts apply.
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Save on overnight shipping with DHL ShipReady
NAW and DHL have partnered to offer a unique delivery service from DHL Express. Members can ship anywhere in the continental U.S. for one flat rate with no weight limits, extra fees or fuel surcharges. Receive two free envelopes with your first order by visiting the ShipReady site and entering the promo code NAWSR07.
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