Due to the fact that internet puts in direct contact sellers and buyers around the world, people could expect that some intermediaries may disappear. Why do we need intermediaries if I can deal directly with my supplier?.

Internet has allowed e-distributors not only to efficiently get together sellers and buyers, particularly in high-volume of trading of commodities, but also to help manufactures in almost all sectors getting access to small and hard-to-reach buyers.

In this model e-distributors characterize themselves by selling a huge variety of products and services as possible. A successful story is Grainger.com, which specializes in products for maintenance, repair, and operations (MRO), offers more than 475,000 items in its website, which can be mostly shipped the same day to the customer. In the case of Grainger the impact of on-line stores was immediate boosting its revenues by 17% from 1998 to 1999.

Buyers are lured by the idea of making only one purchase, in one place and having to track just one order. Sellers like the fact that they can compare price and decide what the best price is.

Therefore, the question now will be how to choose an e-distributor?.Some features that maybe are relevant: off-line experience, establish brand name, have brand name recognition, encourage customer and supplier relationship, and excel on logistic, delivering products just we we need it.

Reality hits in a different way. Instead of disappearing some intermediaries are becoming more and more powerful.

For more information about how grainger makes business, please review the following link http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Secret-to-Being-Grainger&id=4207625