Today’s landscape is marked by:
- The lingering effects of the Great Recession, which imposed a frugal mindset on buyers accentuated by an increase in their control of the shopping and buying process.
- A reduced emphasis on relationships, in part due to the increased focus on digital channels. This is also due to a change in how younger generations view relationships.
- Global competition across channels. Competitors with a global reach and economies of scale will edge out small and mid-market distributors that try to compete on the same attributes.