2017 looks set to be the year when wholesale distribution businesses will have to work harder than ever to retain existing clients and win new custom. This is due to disruptive competitors emerging into the marketplace, customer expectations being raised by revolutionary new formats for shopping and delivery, and political and economic uncertainty affecting consumer confidence. With so much choice, and the ability to shop around the clock from any device, attracting and holding on to increasingly unpredictable customers is an uphill struggle.

Wholesale Distribution is changing. In 2017, disruptors to the marketplace, emerging technology and rapidly changing customer expectations will continue to shake up the way that we do business – but is your wholesale distribution company built on solid enough foundations to withstand the movement?

As your wholesale distribution business looks forward to the upcoming year ahead, you may have your sights on a more multi-channel approach to selling. In response to the ever-changing ways that customers are consuming information from brands, and the digital demand for buying online, distributors need to be more switched on than ever before. In 2017, you’ll need to keep up with a shopping culture that never sleeps, and ensure that your products are available around the clock, across a range of devices, and that your business is providing engaging content on a multitude of platforms.

Today, wholesale distributors are having to get to grips with an increased pace of trading, with next day shopping services such as Amazon Prime, and the ever growing array of same day or within the hour delivery and package tracking options ensuring that customers are receiving their goods faster than ever – and going elsewhere if expectations can’t be met. Providing a digital solution for browsing and ordering products to arrive as soon as possible is now essential for keeping up with speed-savvy consumers, who want the quickest possible turnaround from tapping the keys of their mobile device, to holding the item within their hands.

Every business has a story to tell. In fact, if you’re a wholesale distributor looking to gain new customers, explore different sales outlets and expand into other territories, you might just be ready to start a new chapter. But how can you scale your operations to a multi-channel level?

With so many distractions surrounding us all, retailers are having to work harder and smarter to keep customers engaged in-store. Whether we have our heads down browsing our smart phone while in the queue, or we’re skipping the crowds altogether to order online from the comfort of our sofa, retail outlets find themselves facing the challenge of how to make the in-store experience more inviting, more efficient, and more cohesive.

For modern brands, keeping up with the demands of digitally connected and commercially aware consumers is a priority. Those beginning life as wholesale distributors are ultimately looking to operate as multi-channel businesses in order to fulfil customer needs both online and in-store.