52% of distributors in the American Supply Association’s latest survey say they are losing business to online competitors. Only 25% name digital ordering tools as a way they stand apart.
What the article says
The American Supply Association published the first part of its Quarterly Market Survey on September 30, 2026, with 56 distributor respondents; ASA’s members distribute plumbing, heating, cooling and industrial pipe, valves and fittings. Asked where they are losing business today, 52% selected online and e-commerce competitors, the highest response of any category, ahead of big-box retailers at 50%, national distributors at 46% and manufacturer-direct sales at 16%. 56% said digital or e-commerce competitors are gaining market share in their markets: 7% called the gains significant and 49% said they are gaining somewhat. Asked what competitors do better, 52% said lower pricing, 30% marketing and branding, and 23% a better digital experience. Local relationships lead the ways respondents say they stand apart beyond price, at 91%, followed by customer service at 89%. Digital ordering tools were selected by 25%.
Why it matters at the top of the house
The sample is small: 56 companies. For a manufacturer that sells through distribution, the channel’s strength is the relationship, and digital competitors are gaining. Marketing and branding ranks second among the things distributors say competitors do better, ahead of digital experience. The question for a president is who supplies the product data and the brand the distributor takes online.
Source: American Supply Association, “Half of ASA Distributors Expect Q4 Sales Growth as E-Commerce Gains Ground,” by Natalie Forster, September 30, 2026. Research: ASA Quarterly Market Survey, “Distributors Speak Out Part 1” (56 distributor respondents). The Marketing Table shares the link and a note on why it matters; the article and its copyright belong to the publisher.
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