Grainger sells only a few commercial bathroom fixtures, but claims more than 31,000 pipe, valves, fittings, water heaters, toilets, replacement parts and faucets and repair kits. And it claims an additional 30,000 HVAC SKUs including equipment, parts and supplies.

MSC Industrial's website lists some 4,600 PHCP items, including mini-water heaters, pumps, plumbing tools, lavatory faucets and sinks, flush valves and repair parts. And it lists some 3,600 HVAC items other than equipment.

These giants seldom make warehouse mistakes, so warehouse mistakes made by traditional PHCP, PVF and HVAC distributors can result in losing sales to the giants; maybe even losing customers. However, there are some measures traditional distributors can take to ensure their warehouses are not hurting customer service.

Read Full Article