The consumer price index was up 0.2% in August and 2.5% compared with the prior year, marking the smallest annual inflation rate since February 2021, according to the Labor Department. Meanwhile, a core measure that excludes the food and energy categories was up 0.3% for the month and rose 3.2% from the prior year.

Modern Distribution Management's September forecast for US wholesale distribution indicates a small uptick in the 2024 revenue, now projected to grow 2.2%, a slight improvement from August's forecast but below the January forecast of 3.6%. The 2025 forecast shows a more optimistic increase of 5.7% in revenue. The report, based on data from the U.S. Census Bureau and Moody's Analytics, notes that while some sectors like electrical and electronics have shown positive movement, others like oil and gas continue to face declines.

Roofing and exterior building products distributor Beacon has acquired Chicago Metal Supply, which fabricates custom architectural sheet metal for commercial, residential and historical restoration projects. The deal enhances Beacon's metal solutions capabilities and expands its service offerings.

Endries International has grown into a half-billion-dollar operation through strategic acquisitions and expansions, and is embracing AI and automation under the leadership of President and CEO Michael Knight to enhance services and operational efficiency. The distributor also recently opened a 130,000-square-foot distribution center in Algonquin, Ill., increasing its operational capacity by 50% and aiming to improve service efficiency and meet growing customer demands.

BigCommerce unveiled several new features at the North American BigSummit in Austin last month aimed at helping business-to-business sellers simplify and scale their operations, including AI-powered sales tools to boost conversion rates and response times, composable commerce and omnichannel integrations. BigCommerce has also introduced Fastlane by PayPal in the US, offering faster checkouts and higher conversions, and its Feedonomics company is integrating with Amazon Today to allow retailers to showcase in-store inventory on Amazon, offer in-store pickup and same-day delivery.

Applying machine learning algorithms, the use of real-time data and predictive analytics across multiple supply chain layers simultaneously can improve demand forecasting, inventory optimization and safety stock optimization, writes analytics expert Vivek Anand. Practicing multi-echelon inventory management that incorporates data from warehouses, suppliers, retail locations and distribution centers makes it easier to respond rapidly to market changes, writes Anand.

Layout is one of the main areas warehouse managers should examine when trying to be as efficient as possible in the face of labor shortages, along with improving picking efficiency, writes Jamie Veinot with SYSPRO. Incorporating real-time pallet tracking can expedite item location and staging of sales orders, while upgrading barcode scanning technology can shave picking times, Veinot notes.

Distributors can improve engagement and achieve better outcomes by incorporating insight selling into their sales strategies, an approach that involves thorough research, tailored solutions and ongoing dialogue to provide relevant data and expertise that address specific customer challenges, creating "aha!" moments that highlight previously unconsidered issues or opportunities, writes Mike Kunkle, vice president of sales effectiveness services at SPARXiQ. It is important to maintain a buyer-centric approach, focusing on addressing buyer needs and understanding the risks of poorly executed insight selling, such as reduced credibility and potential harm to customer relationships.

The business-to-business market now outpaces its consumer-led counterpart as the biggest economic opportunity, and to be successful, B2B marketers need to adopt the marketing effectiveness strategies of the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute and pair them with efficiencies led by generative AI, write Peter Weinberg and Jon Lombardo, co-founders of Evidenza. "The future belongs to the smart marketers, the B2B marketers who are schooled in Ehrenberg-Bass and have a clear 'way of marketing,'" the pair write, advising, "Smart marketers will ask AI to identify and prioritize the most valuable category entry points, and generate creative briefs grounded in customer needs."

CEOs are deprioritizing sustainability in favor of other pressing issues like inflation and disruptive technology, according to a Bain & Company report. Surveys of over 500 B2B buyers and sellers and nearly 19,000 consumers revealed that while CEOs are focusing less on environmental concerns, consumer and corporate buyer interest in sustainability is growing. Consumers are increasingly concerned about climate change and willing to pay premiums for sustainable products. Corporate buyers are also integrating sustainability into their purchasing criteria. Bain's Jean-Charles van den Branden warns that slowing progress on sustainability would be a mistake and touts the long-term strategic importance of sustainable business practices.

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