Web Site's New Owners Eye Pr,os

Contractor sales are among the new avenues being explored by the new owners of Superbuild.com, one of the largest electronic retailers of building products.

Services for professionals are expected to be launched by the first quarter of 2000. "There's no reason why, if you're a contractor on a job site, you should have to go to your local lumberyard," said Tom Todaro, head of the fourperson investment group that acquired the Seattle, Wa.based online business.

Other investors include Mike Pickett. who will serve as Superbuild's new chairman, and Sam Heerensperger, former Eagle Hardware exec. v.p. of merchandising and son of Eagle founder David Heerensperger.

The team first considered launching its own site, then instead decided to acquire an existing leader in e-commerce. Superbuild.com, founded last October by John Keuber, receives about 100,000 unique visitors a month, with sales rising 20Vo a month to reportedly top $ I million for the year.

Although Keuber has left, the company's ll employees were retained, including former Eagle executive Luke Baldwin, who is staying on as v.p. of sales and mktg.

The staff has expanded to 20 and the site is being completely overhauled. "We'll be relaunching with high-quality digital images on the site, and regional distribution nationwide, shipping out of warehouses in Spokane, Memphis and Frederick, Md.," Todaro said.

Its merchandise mix is also under review, with about half of its 80,000 offerings temporarily removed because they are redundant or not selling. By October the total will return to 80,000 with the addition of new products and entirely new categories such as faucets.

Other possible changes include providing e-commerce for physical lumberyards.

A month before Superbuild was purchased, Richard Takata resigned as president of Eagle Hardware to start yetto-be-launched cornerhardware.com.

Home Depot lssues Web Warning

Seller, beware. Home Depot has warned its vendors to think again before competing with the chain online.

Home Depot admitted that in May the chain began sending letters to all of its suppliers, including Black & Decker and Scotts Co.. that refer to online sales.

The letter, in part, read: "We recognize that a vendor has a right to sell through whatever distribution channels it desires. However, we, too, have the right to be selective in regard to vendors we select, and we trust that you can understand that a company may be hesitant to do business with its competitors."

The retailer didn't intend for the letter to be interpreted as coercive, according to spokesperson Jerry Shields. "This is obviously a business letter," he said. "This is about business."

Internet Ripe For Hardware Sales

A telephone survey conducted for the Home Improvement Research Institute recommends that the industry should quickly embrace Internet ordering.

Reportedly, a mere 2.2Vo of homeowners queried claimed to have purchased home improvement products online during the past year, contrasted to about lSVo for other sales.