cadalyst
Manufacturing

MCAD Tech News (#176)

17 May, 2006 By: Jeffrey Rowe

The Buyer-Seller Disconnect, Part 2: New GlobalSpec survey adds more clout to claim that industrial distributors' Web sites are missing the mark with customers


The Buyer-Seller Disconnect, Part 2

New GlobalSpec survey adds more clout to claim that industrial distributors' Web sites are missing the mark with customers

Last week in MCAD Tech News, we featured the article, "The Buyer-Seller Disconnect," about the results of a joint study by ThomasNet and Google that attempted to explain the disconnect between the many potential buyers searching the Web for industrial products and why sales ultimately do or do not occur. The theme of this article is important because of its potential influence on how we conduct business. Namely, although it’s true that industrial buyers are shopping more on the Web, suppliers and distributors often miss out on sales for a variety of reasons. It's one thing to get customers to a Web site, but quite another to get them to buy once they arrive.

What makes some distribution companies successful in connecting buyers and sellers? They eliminate obstacles to sales and continually move the buying process forward. This week, I'll share information on this subject from GlobalSpec, the online engineering search engine developer. GlobalSpec Distributor Buying Trends Survey, released last week, includes feedback from engineers, technical buyers, scientific professionals and other members of the engineering, industrial and technical communities. It outlines and analyzes buying behavior, what buyers are really seeking and why some distributors are more successful than others.Read more

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Correction: Last week's MCAD Tech News feature article, "The Buyer-Seller Disconnect," was attributed to the wrong author. The correct author is Linda Rigano of ThomasNet.


Tech Trends — Reverse-Engineering the Past

by Kenneth Wong

To recover lost artifacts from bygone eras, fictional archeologist Indiana Jones cocks his wide-brimmed fedora, cracks his whip and charges into the Amazon jungle. Bill Gould, whose hobby is industrial archeology, doesn't see the need for Jones's cinematic machismo. He simply boots up his PC and launches SolidWorks to unearth design principles from the past.

The 1,800-member-strong Society for Industrial Archeology declares its aim as "preserving, interpreting and documenting our industrial past and heritage." In a recent SolidWorks podcast ("CAD's New Role in Industrial Archeology," March 6, 2006), Gould tried to downplay his pursuit: "I don't call myself an industrial archeologist per se. I'm more of an interpreter." His most recent project was interpreting -- or, rather, reinterpreting -- the design of William Mason's famous steam engine, the Mason Bogie. Read more

Mark Your Calendar: MCAD Events

SolidExperts Company Kickoff
May 19-24, 2006
Various Florida locations
The SolidExperts, a reseller of SolidWorks products in Florida, will hold its company launch celebration in Fort Lauderdale, Orlando and Tampa.  Local manufacturers and engineers are invited. Read more 

VisMasters Design Visualization Conference
August 4, 2006
Boston Park Plaza Hotel, Boston, Massachusetts
The VisMasters Design Visualization Conference is a one-day event focused on the business, art and technology of design visualization. Read more

daratechMVP2006: Mock-up, Visualization & 3D Publishing
September 14-15, 2006
Novi, Michigan
daratechMVP focuses on digital mock-up, visualization and 3D publishing for discrete manufacturing and process plant design. Read more 

PLM Road Map 2006
September 27-28, 2006
The Dearborn Inn, Dearborn, Michigan
PLM Road Map 2006 is a strategic conference focused on the critical tradeoffs that shape product development. Read more

For Cadalyst's full calendar of events, click here >>

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