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New Website Rolled Out at United Hardware Buying Market

Attendees to the United Hardware January Buying Market, held Jan. 10-12 at the Minneapolis Convention Center, got a chance to do more than purchase new inventory—they also learned about the distributor’s new website, which was released at the market.

While the website isn’t yet in its final version, United Hardware staff wanted to release it so retailers could start using it and provide feedback on it as they continue to make updates.

Features of the new website include easier catalog searchability, different options for placing online orders and more news articles and company information.

“We’re very excited about the new website. Our retailers are very excited about the new features, and we think it’s a big step that will pay dividends in the future,”  says Steve Draeger, president and CEO of United Hardware.

Market Travel Rewards Program

Another new program at the market was the Market Travel Rewards Program. Retailers can now use their rewards bucks gained through corporate and vendor-sponsored market promotions to use toward travel-related expenses, such as airfare or hotel reservations, to help offset the costs of attending the markets.

Looking for New Products

Of course, many retailers had specific categories in mind as they shopped around at the market, and they were ready to take advantage of discounted prices—including products in the Store of Opportunity, a special area of the market where items are sold at a discounted price of at least 30 percent.

“We operate a 5,000-square-foot hardware store, and we specialize in power equipment and parts,” says Dan Hron, owner of Johnson Hardware in Bloomington, Minn. “At this market, we try to buy the small items that we sell on a daily basis, so we look to leverage the deals and the dating we can get.”

Denielle Lee, who works at City Center Hardware Hank in Barnesville, Minn., was interested in finding new products at the market.

“Our store is a mix between a drugstore and hardware store, and we find this market helps us really explore new products and get market deals,” Lee says. “We’re really looking to get into some pallet deals, especially on planters and soils, to help us stay competitive.”

Vendors were happy with the turnout.

“Traffic is definitely picking up at markets lately, and I’ve been seeing customers buying larger volumes of products,” says Tammy Posey, a representative with Mueller Industries. “While it’s unfortunate for consumers, the challenging weather has been a blessing for our business and many retailers.”

About Amanda Bell

Amanda Bell was an assistant editor of Hardware Retailing and NRHA. Amanda regularly visited with home improvement retailers across the country and attended industry events and seminars. She earned a degree in magazine journalism from Ball State University and has received honors for her work for Hardware Retailing from the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals.

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