OPEI News: Dot Com Dealing

Picture a central hub – the EDN e-hub. On the right are dealers, some with  business management systems (BMS) and software that allows them to communicate with the hub, some without this technology who can use the Dealer Xpress Web site as a vehicle to send their orders. On the left are manufacturers, a growing list which includes manufacturers such as Echo, Kawasaki, Ariens, Stihl, and after this year’s EXPO in Louisville, Ky., The Toro Co. as well. The correspondence between dealers and suppliers occurs in real-time through the central hub. 

What does this mean for the outdoor power equipment distribution channel?

“For the entire, what [an EDN] will do is elevate the business efficiencies on the ends of both suppliers and dealers,” commented Joe Bowerbank, marketing manager, e-dn.com, Aliso Viejo, Calif. “Through a business management system, you create a purchase order and hit a function key that will query the parts and tell you what is in stock in real-time. Then you can enter an order for the parts.”

For the contractor, this means shorter lines at the parts counter because their dealers can communicate with suppliers to find parts quickly over the Internet in real-time. 

In addition, e-dn.com recently partnered with ARI Network Services, producers of ARI’s PartSmart software, an electronic parts ordering system that allows users to search and locate parts, create parts lists, and access parts information and pricing. Now, dealers can order from suppliers connected to the e-Hub through the Dealer Xpress Web site.

“Dealer Xpress is necessary to integrate with PartSmart,” Bowerbank explained. “You select the parts in PartSmart, and create a pick list by highlighting the parts numbers. Then, you transfer this request to e-dn Dealer Xpress. The Web page shows you the part numbers you transferred and asks you what supplier you want to use. You select the supplier and send off the order in real-time.”

These partnerships allow users more flexibility and are a step toward standardizing the industry’s communication process. e-dn.com announced at EXPO their relationship with the Outdoor Power Equipment Aftermarket Association (OPEAA) to build a portal Web site for the OPE aftermarket industry. This will provide dealers a site to search aftermarket manufacturers and distributors, to inquire on parts pricing and inventory and to submit purchase orders with all participating OPEAA members.

Roger Cadaret, who heads the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute’s (OPEI) e-commerce committee, also has been working with manufacturers, distributors, software providers and e-commerce companies to establish criteria and make recommendations pertaining to industry EDI standards.
Technology such as this ultimately saves dealers and suppliers time and doesn’t keep contractors on hold at the parts counter waiting to place their orders. “It saves the dealer time and they are able to provide real-time inventory checks for their customers if they happen to be standing right in front of them,” Bowerbank pointed out. “For the supplier, they don’t receive any more faxed or phoned orders, which can cost at least $15 per order on average. No customer service department has to touch the orders – it’s all a direct connect.”

The author is Managing Editor – Special Projects for Lawn & Landscape magazine and can be reached at khampshire@lawnandlandscape.com.