Estimated reading time: 1 minutes
The channel faces many different challenges as the years go on, with new trends emerging and new technologies to examine. We decided to get in touch with the expert manufacturers in the channel, sit with them, and pick their brains a bit about the fate of the channel, and what they see coming next.
In this installment of Channel Pulse’s Thought Leadership Series, Stephen Bergeron, VP of strategic initiatives with APG Cash Drawer, gave us his expert insight into what he thinks may be the best ways value-added resellers should be moving forward in a post-Amazon age.
While Amazon has been a major disruption to many different industries across the board, its influence has certainly been felt throughout the channel. However, it’s important to remember that innovation is what helps to triumph over major industry disruptors – take this issue, and come up with solutions outside of your businesses box. Bergeron suggests shifting your business model to consider offering services that can help your end-users get their websites off the ground and into the world of Amazon. He says Amazon can, in fact, be competed with if the end-user is willing to come up with creative implementations, a robust e-commerce or delivery strategy online, and a great website.
Amazon may be putting the pressure on the channel, but Bergeron thinks that resellers need to adopt an Amazon mentality to compete.
Consider: How can you help retailers develop a website that does some of what Amazon can do? Can you help them set up an in-store pickup solution? Provide them with mobility tools that could allow for delivery options? Connect them with affordable e-commerce platforms they can leverage from their new mobile POS system?
Bergeron also suggests resellers get into the SEO and web design game in a way that will not only aid your business, but will allow you to offer new services or help to your end-users.
Disruption will always come and go in every industry, but it often takes a hefty dose of creativity and innovation to ride out the tide.
