The impact of electronic commerce and the Internet on the plumbing industry was the subject of an IT forum conducted by the Plumbing Manufacturers Institute Aug. 17 in Rosemont, Ill. Speakers addressed e-commerce and the wholesaler community, the dot-com phenomenon, and why marketplaces meet the needs of manufacturers.
"The global focus on e-commerce has to do with the cost side of the equation," said David Berman, president and CEO of Build.com and president of RAL Supply Group, during his presentation on incremental sales opportunities on the Web. "It does not focus on near-term marketshare, incremental sales or brand building."