The Manufacturer's Guide to Winning in the Hardware Channel

After last month's Ace show and with the recent article in Chain Store Age about Ace's expansion, we thought an article on selling into this industry  would be well received. The hardware channel, and particularly a powerhouse like Ace Hardware, offers incredible opportunities for manufacturers. But to truly succeed, you have to navigate its unique landscape of local ownership, face-to-face shows, and the constant need for efficiency.

While every manufacturer wants to get in front of Ace's 5,200+ locally owned stores, many face similar challenges:

• Manual Order Management: Trade shows are crucial, but relying on pen and paper for order writing is slow, error-prone, and creates a mountain of post-show work. This leads to delays in order fulfillment and can cause frustration for both you and your buyers.

• Disjointed Systems: Your sales team, customer service, and warehouse all need to be on the same page. If your order management system doesn’t talk to your ERP and other source systems, you're left with a fragmented, inefficient process that wastes time and money.

• Slow Payment Processing: Waiting for checks to arrive or manually processing payments after the fact can significantly impact your cash flow and slow down your business.

• Limited Visibility: The sales you make at a show only scratch the surface of your potential. Without a strong digital presence, you're missing out on continuous opportunities to showcase your products to buyers who are making purchasing decisions 24/7.

These challenges are what we set out to solve at MarketTime. We've built a comprehensive solution that brings your entire sales process under one roof. With MarketTime, you can:

• Empower your team with mtPro. This mobile-friendly app allows your internal and external sales reps to write orders quickly and accurately on the go, eliminating the need for manual data entry back at the office.

• Connect your entire ecosystem. Our platform seamlessly integrates with leading ERPs and other source systems, ensuring all your data is in sync and everyone on your team is working with the most up-to-date information.

• Accelerate your cash flow with mtCharge+. Our integrated payment processing solution allows you to get paid quickly and securely, improving your financial health and operational efficiency.

• Expand your reach with your own B2B site. Get a configurable, branded e-commerce site that gives you a continuous presence in the market. Buyers can browse your full catalog, place orders, and make payments on their own time, 24/7.

As Ace Hardware continues its nationwide growth—on track to open its 100th new store in 2025 and having opened over 930 new stores in the past five years—the opportunity is now. Don't let operational inefficiencies hold you back.

Ready to streamline your sales process and grow with the hardware channel?

Schedule a strategy call with our team to learn more. Click here.