3Com Closes Direct Online Store, Engages Channel Intelligence, Inc. For Channel Management Service
CONTACT:
Bob Bregenzer
Tech Image Ltd.
(847) 632-0040 x224
Fax (847) 632-1841
bob.bregenzer@techimage.com
Channel Buy Links expected to increase incremental sales, reduce shopping cart abandonment, and tighten the bond between 3Com, dealers, and consumers
Celebration, Fla (June 12, 2002) – As online retailing continues to grow even in a slow economy, manufacturers and their authorized dealers are feeling greater urgency to convert more visitors into buyers. One company that’s helping drive this effort is Channel Intelligence, Inc., a developer of channel management services for manufacturers. Channel Intelligence Inc. today announced that 3Com has joined the growing ranks of consumer electronics manufacturers who are taking advantage of the company’s Channel Buy Links to better support their online dealers while improving customer satisfaction.
Channel Buy Links are product-specific links that take consumers from the information-gathering phase on a consumer goods manufacturer’s Web site directly to the buy page at authorized dealers who carry the product and have it available in stock. The mechanism is far more efficient than the typical "Buy" button which simply links to a listing of retailer home pages, helping manufacturers and retailers increase their sales by providing highly targeted leads and reducing the number of clicks to close the sale. The service is easy to implement at the manufacturer end, and requires no action on the part of the retailer to participate. The company has already generated more than $135 million in incremental leads for dealers – a figure which grows by more than $3,000,000 per day.
"The Channel Buy Links service has sent nearly 15,000 buyers of 3Com products to our authorized partners since we began operation. This is great for our customers, our channel partners and for 3Com," says Paul Cegielski, e-Business Manager for 3Com Corporation. "The Channel Buy Links have provided our customers with the same ability to buy 3Com products online but with a greater choice of whom they buy from. This system has proven very efficient for us and most importantly beneficial to our customers. Of course, our partners appreciate that as well. As a result we have closed the 3Com.com web store and sell only through our partners’ online stores."
One 3Com online retailer who is giving Channel Buy Links high marks is Insight, a leading global direct marketer of computers, hardware and software, offering a broad line of more than 200,000 brand name products primarily to businesses in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.
"Insight is thrilled to work with the manufacturers that truly support the channel," says Dino Farfante, president of Insight North America, a subsidiary of Insight Enterprises, Inc. (NASDAQ: NSIT). "3Com and Paul Cegielski certainly do just that. Since 3Com started using Channel Buy Links, Insight has doubled our sales volume on leads sent from 3Com’s web site, and our conversion rate of browsers to buyers is up to almost 10%. That, combined with 3Com’s further commitment to the channel by closing their direct-sales store shows that eCommerce works best when each partner focuses their efforts on their core competency. 3Com designs and makes great products, Insight is a leader in customer service, and Channel Intelligence Inc. ties us together."
"Online retailing presents a huge opportunity for manufacturers and their dealers," adds Alan Fulmer, President of Channel Intelligence, Inc. "Yet there’s a lot of wasted effort on the Internet. Manufacturers work hard to sell customers only to see them lose interest at the point of purchase. Retailers have invested tremendous amounts of time and money in their operations, yet are seeing little return. And consumers are generally unsatisfied with the process. Our Channel Buy Links service is designed to overcome all of these problems and help all three legs of the online purchasing stool to achieve the results they want. It’s great to see that a forward-thinking company like 3Com would apply their business genius to their online commerce operation and chose a solution that promotes channel sales and ends channel conflict."
About Channel Intelligence, Inc.
Channel Intelligence, Inc. (formerly youknowbest) develops services that smooth the online sales process between manufacturers, dealers, and consumers. These services, including Channel Buy Links and Channel Data Coverage, allow manufacturers and dealers to capture incremental sales, reduce shopping cart abandonment, and refine product flow through the channel, all while improving the online shopping experience for the customer. CII is privately held, with funding from Aweida Ventures, New South Ventures, private investors, and management.
For more information, contact: Channel Intelligence, Inc., 1180 Celebration Blvd., Celebration, FL 34747; phone (321) 559-2398; fax (321) 559-2397; www.channelintelligence.com.
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