Intelligent, Predictive Pricing: the Key to B2B Wholesale Success
Digitalisation is a blessing and a curse, an opportunity, and a threat. Nearly 900 German wholesale companies took part in a recent study by Roland Berger and the German Wholesale, Foreign Trade and Services Association (BGA). Almost all of them, 94%, believe that digitalisation is driving change in their sector. Two-thirds are aware of the challenges it poses.
In particular, the companies surveyed see themselves threatened by digital platforms when it comes to pricing (62%).
B2B Wholesale Future Trends 2024
Across B2B wholesale future trends 2024, you’ll see a few key themes: technology, personalisation and change.
Some are accelerations of global movements, while others are specific to the B2B space. We’ll break down what you can expect in 2024 and where these movements are coming from in this quick, 5-minute read.
Artificial Intelligence in Wholesale
AI in Wholesale Distribution is a great opportunity and a challenge at the same time. In this article, learn about concrete use cases of AI in wholesale and their benefits.
Wholesale companies are an indispensable part of the economy. They represent an essential link between the economic levels of industry, trade, and retail. A quote from the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung describes the situation of wholesale companies very well:
"The former pure delivery wholesale, which brought the goods of the industry to the retail trade, has become a modern service provider facing additional challenges. The modern wholesaler takes over warehousing, does shelf maintenance, acts as a lender and advises its retail customers on assortment issues."
The Top Challenges Facing the Wholesale Trade in Germany
What are the challenges faced by wholesalers in Germany from the point of view of their salespeople?
The wholesale trade in Germany is a vital sector of the economy, generating billions of euros in revenue per year. According to the Federal Statistical Office, the number of companies in wholesale trade (excluding trade in motor vehicles) in Germany has fallen continuously in recent times, most recently to around 135,000 in 2020. Turnover in wholesale trade also dropped this year to approximately 1.24 trillion euros.
SMEs represent around 99 % of all companies in wholesale in Germany. Among them, speciality wholesaling, also called specialist wholesaling, focuses on a specific product group and does not offer a wide range of products, as with assortment wholesaling.
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The different kinds of Wholesale Businesses
Wholesale businesses are all around us. From fueling the dropship revolution to supplying critical pandemic supplies worldwide; wholesalers are an important part of our economic infrastructure.
Research Germany explains, “the German wholesale and retail trade represents an annual turnover of 2.19 trillion Euros and 6.4 million employees. There are about 150,000 wholesalers and about 300,000 retailers.”
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B2B Wholesale & Distribution: Challenges and Triumphs of Industrial Wholesale Companies Facing Insolvency in Germany
Insolvency? A debtor that cannot pay its debts and liabilities to creditors. No cash, no business.
In Germany, specialist wholesalers and industrial distributors who can no longer meet their payment obligations due to current or foreseeable overindebtedness must, by law, file for insolvency protection. Forget your revenue, your brand, your years in the market. If you will not be able to meet your obligations, insolvency is cast.
The Statistisches Bundesamt counted 34,000 fewer wholesalers in the past ten years. Additionally, we’re seeing an increase in insolvencies in Germany’s industrial wholesale and retail segment, with several high-profile companies filing for bankruptcy. It’s essential to understand the significance of this trend and take necessary actions to address the issue.
B2B Digital Transformation in Sales: Facts & Trends
Facts and trends about the B2B digital transformation.
If you are leading a Business-to-Business manufacturer or distributor, you know it already: sales is currently experiencing a massive transformation across the globe.
Advancement in artificial intelligence technologies of the last five years is providing manufacturing businesses and distributors with new exciting potential.
According to McKinsey, companies now have at their disposal a set of powerful technological tools that are, when properly implemented, able to guarantee future growth:
Current Challenges in B2B Wholesale
Between supplier price pressure, supply chain problems and customer anger: Why wholesalers win with value-based customer management.
Many wholesalers are currently struggling with sudden increases in purchasing and cost prices as well as unprecedented restrictions on their own ability to deliver. This has consequences. According to a recent survey by the IFO Institute, 62.4% of wholesalers see the need to significantly increase sales prices in the near future.
In a press release, the Central Association of German Electrical Engineering Trades (ZVEH) angrily complains that orders for almost all relevant products can no longer be processed due to worsening supply bottlenecks in the wholesale trade.
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The History and Downfall of a German Wholesale Company "Wollschläger" - Part 4
It continues with the last part of the story and the downfall of the wholesale company "Wollschläger". What can wholesale companies learn from this? Click here, if you have not read part 3 yet.
The history of Sanistål dates back to the mid-19th century when several Danish metal entrepreneurs joined forces through a series of mergers.
In 1853, A. Schjøth started his business in Vejle. Twelve years later, L.S. Lange started selling castings in Aalborg. He would later take over Schjøth’s business.
The History and Downfall of a German Wholesale Company "Wollschläger" - Part 3
It continues with part 3 of the story and the downfall of the wholesale company "Wollschläger". What can wholesale companies learn from this? Click here, if you have not read part 2 yet.
As a company grows, integration, coordination, and profitability become critical. As a company grows, integration, coordination, and profitability become critical. You can sell more, and more, and more. If you are selling at a loss, you will soon run out of cash. Nonetheless, running out of money did not seem to be a problem in 2013 for Wollschläger.
Carsten Wollschläger, son of Frank, declared his family business “a real solid one”. And the past two decades seemed to prove him right. The Wollschläger group was 2013 a respected company in the Ruhr region and nationally.