Online component sales ahead of schedule

When RS Components revealed it reckoned the majority of its UK sales would be via the Internet by April 2009, it seems the distributor was being pessimistic.

RS Components' Electronics and Electromechanical (EEM) Division has achieved 50% UK Internet sales nine months ahead of target.

This success demonstrates the increasing importance of RS' website to design engineers and the value they place on having tens of thousands of the very latest products available for next day delivery at the click of a button.

In 2007 RS celebrated 70 years as a leading business-to-business supplier and distributor of industrial and electronic components.

At a press conference in October, held to commemorate the event, Klaus Goeldenbot, General Manager RS UK stated that the www was becoming crucial to the supply chain and with that in mind RS was aiming to achieve 50% UK sales via the Internet channel by April 2009.

Just nine months later and this goal has already been reached, with RS' EEM division making 50.3% of sales via its website through June.

This is a reflection of the continual addition of EEM products available only on the website and the introduction of the new production packaging service launched online in May.

The service is flagged for easy identification allowing customers to view packaging format, set the quantity required, check live stock levels, and place orders online.

Further to this, the website is well on track to meet company objectives, as in the same month 46.5% of orders were placed on the website against a target of 44.8%, 1.7% higher than projected.

"By listening to our customers and investing in our website we have made ordering and information sourcing as simple as possible".

"Reaching this milestone is testimony to the importance of the website as a business channel to our customers".

"This is a significant achievement for RS and one we are proud of", comments Nik Patel, Marketing Manager e-Commerce at RS.

Earlier this year RS relaunched its website to accommodate an upgraded search and navigation engine.

This enables electronics designers and maintenance engineers to save time and reduce their purchase costs when researching, selecting and ordering products and is often used as their point of reference.

The clarity of the website design enables RS to implement new services efficiently, while maintaining easy-to-use site navigation.

It utilises the website to maximise the availability of products and services to its customers.

The success of this upgrade has contributed in no small way to the growing customer support, which has led to sales targets being achieved ahead of schedule.

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