CIMdata PLM Industry Summary Online Archive
13 March 2006
Implementation Investments
Fastenal Selects Endeca Solution to Bolster Online Channel
Endeca announced that Fastenal Company, A fast growing full-line industrial distributor, has implemented the Endeca B2B eCommerce Solution for product catalog search to improve the customer experience on its business-to-business online sales channel ( http://www.fastenal.com ). Unveiled in October 2005, the new product search, navigation and merchandising solution has resulted in a dramatic increase in site performance and a 100% increase in eCommerce growth.
The Endeca B2B eCommerce Solution, part of Endeca's Manufacturing & Distribution Solutions ( http://endeca.com/your_market/manufacturing.html ), provides intuitive access to over 200,000 products, parts and components on Fastenal's online storefront. Taking advantage of Endeca's patent-pending Guided Navigation capabilities, construction and industrial customers can interchangeably search and browse for parts using desirable attributes, dimensions and characteristics - finish, material, specification, thread, manufacturer, etc. - to quickly find the best products for a specific job no matter how they ask for them. Long lists of search results are accompanied by dynamically generated refinement options or filters, exposing all the ways in which products can further be described. In addition, Fastenal is using Endeca's profile-based merchandising to provide customized promotions, selection and refinements, based on customer location. In a short period of time, the improvements have provided a competitive advantage to Fastenal, as site registrations increased and unique visitors to the site have increased close to 70%.
The new Endeca-powered Fastenal site has also resulted in substantial performance benefits and a much faster, more compelling user experience. Endeca's ability to leverage Asynchronous JavaScript and XML (AJAX), which allows applications to be updated quickly and incrementally, without reloading the entire browser page, is helping Fastenal to deliver a host of new cutting-edge capabilities, while significantly increasing search and overall site performance characteristics.
"Endeca was critical to the transformation of our online channel," said Tim Albrecht, eBusiness Manager at Fastenal. "Though still a small percentage of our overall sales, Endeca has served as a strategic platform to power our online channel. By providing advanced features like Guided Navigation, spell correction and merchandising, we have been able to create a compelling customer experience and, as a result, have been able to demonstrate real business improvement, as evident by the triple digit growth of our eCommerce sales."
Endeca Manufacturing & Distribution Search Solutions
The direct result of extensive work with dozens of leading manufacturers, suppliers and business-to-business catalogers, Endeca's Manufacturing & Distribution Information Access Solutions combine information retrieval applications with vertical services expertise. The solutions help leaders like John Deere, Arrow Electronics, Brady, Cabot Corporation, CDW, IBM, Mouser Electronics, and Sigma Aldrich, boost parts reuse and strategic sourcing initiatives, improve customer service, drive online sales, and reduce costs by making it easier for people to find products, parts and components information. These include Product Data Navigator Solutions, B2B eCommerce Search Solutions, and Website Search and Navigation Solutions, all powered by Endeca's next-generation search and Guided Navigation platform.
"The product data challenge facing Fastenal is one that plagues almost every large supplier - how to expose a catalog of hundreds of thousands of parts and components in a way that accommodates an incredibly wide array of purchasing scenarios," said John Andrews, Endeca's global industry lead, Manufacturing & Distribution. "Through a combination of cutting-edge technology, design best practices and a unique understanding of customer needs, Fastenal has created a best-in-class online channel and realized the full value of their product data investments."
About Fastenal
Fastenal Company sells different types of industrial and construction supplies in ten product categories. These include different types of: threaded fasteners and miscellaneous supplies; tools; metal cutting tool blades; fluid transfer components and accessories for hydraulic and pneumatic power; material handling and storage products; janitorial and paper products; electrical supplies; welding supplies; safety supplies; and raw materials (metals).
As of December 31, 2005, the Company operated 1,755 stores in all 50 U.S. states, Canada, Puerto Rico, Mexico, and Singapore selling to the general public. The Company operates 12 distribution centers located in Minnesota, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Georgia, Washington, California, Utah, North Carolina, Kansas, and Ontario, Canada.
Additional information regarding Fastenal Company is available on the Fastenal Company World Wide Web site at http://www.fastenal.com .
Become a member of the CIMdata PLM Community to receive your daily PLM news and much more.
Tell us what you think of the CIMdata Newsletter. Send your feedback.
CIMdata is committed to your privacy. Your personal information will never be sold or shared outside of CIMdata without your express permission.