Retail Observer

RETAILOBSERVER.COM DECEMBER 2015 58 B U Y I N G G R O U P N E W S T he Home Technology Specialists of America (HTSA) is proud to announce that all members now have access to Nationwide Marketing Group's eXchange. The eXchange, developed by Nationwide, is a proprietary inventory and software platform that compiles product data, inventory, pricing, and delivery information from eight authorized regional distributors into a singular streamlined portal for HTSA and Home Technology Specialists Nationwide (HTSN) members to search product inventory, create proposals and place orders. This system will not only streamline the ordering process for members, but will also increase their collective distribution footprint. With detailed product information and availability aggregated from eight regional and national distributors across the US including Audio America, AVAD, Capitol Sales, C.E.D., D&H, DSi, Petra, and Volutone, members will be able to price products, view real-time inventory by location and order from multiple distributors in one session. Further, the eXchange's market- leading shipping policy ensures that HTSA and HTSN dealers always know their true or landed cost. While HTSA members will still buy direct from affiliated manufacturers, they will now be able to leverage the power of the eXchange if they hit a stock or pricing issue, or are faced with a time-sensitive order. The assortment of goods featured on the eXchange is tailored to match the needs of HTSA and HTSN dealers who don't have time to sift through the thousands of products distributors offer that members don't carry. The portal also organizes products by popular items, frequently ordered items and customized preferences all aimed at creating new time management efficiencies for project estimating and ordering. "We are always seeking new avenues for our members to become more efficient and timely, and to provide their customers with the products they want," said Bob Hana, managing director of HTSA. "This eXchange program offers our dealers immediate, convenient access to thousands of products anytime. They will have more choices in product than ever before." "HTSA and Nationwide represent the future of product delivery, support and service for specialty retailers and system integrators," said Hana. "Our strategic alliance allows for these independent organizations to cooperate in a way that is positively impacting the CE industry as a whole – maximizing the strengths of HTSA and Nationwide Marketing Group's individual core competencies, while increasing member benefits, amplifying vendor relationships and creating synergies across marketing and other services that together present increased business growth opportunities for members and vendors alike." "HTSA and its members are the cream of the crop in the CI space, and the eXchange program will only increase their efficiency," said Dean Sottile, SVP of Distribution and Logistics at Nationwide and architect of the eXchange program. "This powerful tool allows dealers of all sizes to manage their interactions with distributors more efficiently and gives them a wider view on the market than they could get by just working with their local source. We look forward to their feedback as we build eXchange into the most indispensable tool of its kind." HTSA AND NATIONWIDE OPEN INVENTORY AND ORDERING PORTAL TO MEMBERS Through the strategic alliance with Nationwide, HTSA members will grow their collective distribution network with online portal that streamlines the ordering process RO

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