In-Depth Articles
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Countering Counterfeit Parts, Part 2
With cooperation from international governments, business and law enforcement agencies, in 2007 the U.S. customs and border protection agency successfully prevented millions of dollars worth of counterfeit electronic components and hardware from entering into the electronics supply chain – but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. The U.S Chamber of Commerce estimates the global market for counterfeit electronics may be as high as $10 billion.
Read more »Other Recent Articles
Countering Counterfeit Parts, Part 1
What happens when good customers buy bad components? It’s a scenario most component makers and franchised distributors have hoped to sidestep by lobbying for procurement only through authorized distributors and manufacturer representatives. But, when demand outstrips supply or end product lifecycles outlast component-level availability, buyers often believe they have no choice but to take their chances with the open market — exposing themselves and the entire supply chain to the risk of counterfeit product.
Read more »Distributors Help Fuel Eco-Friendly Designs
Soaring energy costs and growing concern over the environmental impact of electronic devices have put electronics manufacturers in the hot seat as consumers demand high-tech devices that are not only better, faster and cheaper, but also greener. As the burden of fulfilling this demand cascades through the supply chain, it ultimately stops at the design engineer. In support of OEM customers’ efforts to capitalize on the opportunity to turn sustainability into a competitive advantage, authorized distributors are turning up the heat on their environmentally conscious solutions.
Read more »The Self-Service Revolution
As service providers, electronic component distributors’ value proposition is typically defined by their ability to not just meet, but also exceed customer expectations. Sales representatives or field application engineers who are willing to go the extra mile are rewarded with both business and customer loyalty. In today’s fast food, have-it-your-way world, however, distributors are finding that a best-in-class, customer service experience is not just a byproduct of physical efforts on behalf of the customer. These days, superior customer service is also defined by a distributor’s ability to help customers help themselves with Web-based tools and services.
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