The Fastener Distributor Index from FCH Sourcing Network and R.W. Baird came in at 54.5 for November, down 2 points from a month earlier but still indicating expansion. The index's future-facing indicator was also down, from 64.5 to 63.2.

HD Supply reported a $1.61 billion in third-quarter profit, compared with $132 million a year earlier, after selling one of its main business units. Sales of $827.5 million increased by 0.3% from a year earlier.

Amazon's move into fulfilling its deliveries and taking on third-party shipping makes it a rival to FedEx, which is responding by "weaponizing data" to improve efficiency, says Richard Smith, FedEx president of operations in the Americas. Both companies are also experimenting with drones and other technology to make shipping cheaper.

Technology that helps distributors includes artificial intelligence-based cross-selling and reorder recommendation technology, pricing-improvement platforms and sales-order automation, writes Jonathan Bein of Distribution Strategy Group. "If you were to combine them, you could leverage them for even greater returns," he adds.

Rapidly growing e-commerce demand contributed to the creation of 131,400 jobs in trucking, warehousing and delivery in November, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Demand is at "historic highs" for forklift operators and workers who deal with receiving and shipping and pick and pack orders, according to Greg Dyer, Randstad USA's president of commercial staffing.

Some 49% of early engagement with prospects is via email, according to Demand Gen Report research, and Sendinblue's Steffen Schebesta advises marketers to use intent data to personalize messaging and send emails at the right time. Schebesta's other tips for more effective email marketing include A/B testing, conversational language and interactive elements like GIFs.

Companies first should understand the different needs of business-to-business and business-to-consumer audiences before crafting social media messages, Jenny Stanley writes. "A successful presence in social networks not only has a positive effect on brand building and reputation, but it also supports employee engagement and e-commerce through the realization of a company's goals," Stanley writes.

Growth starts by accepting that old ways of thinking or doing are no longer helpful, as that creates room to absorb new information and learn new paths to success, writes Barry O'Reilly. "The key to breaking through these barriers to unlearning is to start small and deliberately practice," he writes, and offers two case studies.

Attend NAW's free webinar, "Value-Added Services as a Survival Strategy: Real Value Isn't Free," on Dec. 15, at 2 p.m. Eastern. Many distributors historically gave away services as part of selling products. Now that assortment and availability have been commoditized, they find that a strong service menu can differentiate them from their competitors. However, "free" services are usually poorly developed and managed and they include costs without clear revenues. There is a better alternative; join us to learn all about it.

NAW guest blogger Benj Cohen writes, "One of the most valuable resources distributors have is their data. Data can reveal what your customers are likely to buy, what growth opportunities you're missing out on and where you can cut costs. Distributors with the right data can meet customer needs and dominate competitors. But acquiring and handling data properly is no easy task." Read his post.

Are you well-informed about different best practices and knowledge in our industry? If not, NAW's Top 10 E-book List can help get you up-to-speed quickly so you and your business can stay competitive in these challenging times.