Gomputer buying show comesto You

I T'S the trade show of the future. I Forget registration' airfare, hotels and time away from the office. Dealers review vendor specials and place orders without ever having to leave their offices. Vendors pay a fee to show off their wares by staying home and avoid the costs of booth space and running a three day display. The over-the-computer products show has arrived.

The first annual electronic exhibition was held in September bY Central Builders SupPlies Co., afast growing buying cooperative. A-Line, the communication system over which the 48-hour show was carried, has been a big reason for CBS's recent expansion. Two years ago, CBS had a sales volume of $M million done through 400 stores. Sales for 1986 through well over 500 members are projected at$226 million with $325 million predicted for this Year.

Two years ago CBS adoPted A-Line' named after Allied Building Centers (ABC), the chain name for CBS members. The system, emPloYing the 3M Whisper Writer and Western Union's EasyLink service, affords nearly instant distribution of messages.

"Basically, we can send out a message and in 20 minutes all our dealers will have itl' says Phil Pobanz, general manager and treasurer. "We can run sales, promotions, deliver information on the market. And dealers can communicate back to us' to other dealers, or within their cnryn companies in the same waYl'

The next step was a buYing show over A-Line. It worked. More members ordered, more vendors participated and a higher dollar volume was generated than at any previous CBS show. Compared to last fall's show, 55% more of the membership attended and orders placed totaled 45% more. And manY members Placed "new orders" with vendors they had never done business with before. Attendance and sales grew while the show was staged at a much lcnryer cost to everyoneCBS saved about 80% of its regular show costs.

CBS says the electronic show will permanently replace its fall exhibition, although its second yearly show will remain as is. "We will have a physical spring shorv in February when you will be able to see, feel and touch new 1987 offerings. New products are generally introduced at the new year which is common in the industry. Although we believe the spring show is absolutely necessary. it will be interesting to comParel'

But CBS is so confident in its A-Line' that by the ftrst of the year each member was required to connect to the service. While the sYstem was originallY installed for ordering and sending out messages, newsletters, market reports and special sales, CBS is always searching for n-ew applications, such as the show. The cornpiny has now transferred its entire listing of products onto the line. "We have a computerized catalogl' says Pobanz ' "There's no big paper volume, nothing to file, nothing to keep up. Our catalog is updated every morning. Even the microfiche is obsoletel'

Computers bring buYing cooP's trade show to terminals in mem' bers' offices show sales rise 45o/o electronic show to Permanently replace fall expo, although sPring show retains traditionalformat.

These and other technological breakthroughs, such as a new sYstem for authorizing credit card transactions within seconds, are helping the innovative group grow and remain strong alongside mammoth-sized dealer-owned cooperatives like Cotter & Co.'s True Value Hard-

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