Wholesale Distribution
New business models and services are needed to compete in a new economy
SAP enables wholesale distributors to drive new revenue sources, reduce costs, and differentiate your business by simplifying digital transformation and supporting new business models and customer-specific services.
Supply Chain Planning
- Demand Management and Insights
- Response and Supply Planning
- Sales, Inventory, and Operations Planning
Procurement
- Cost Recovery and Rebates
- Buy and Deliver Services
- Invoice and Payables Management
- Indirect Goods Procurement
- Procurement Analytics
- Source and Contract
- Supplier Collaboration
- Supplier and Risk Management
Supply Chain Execution
- Order Promising
- Track and Trace and Logistics Networks
- Transportation Management
- Warehouse Management
- Yard Logistics
Marketing and Sales
- Commerce Personalization
- Customer Rebates and Incentive Programs
- Omnichannel Commerce Management
- Optimized Marketing
- Quote-to-Cash
- Sales Force Automation
- Sales Performance Management
- Single Customer View
Service
- Buy and Deliver Services
- Field Service Management
- Omnichannel Customer Service
- Subscription Management
- Customer Experience Management
- Value-Added Services
SAP Road Map for Wholesale Distribution
Explore our wholesale distribution road map to learn about current industry solutions, planned innovations, and future direction.
Current release highlights
- Demand-side forecast collaboration to include external partner forecasts in the planning process
- Invoice automation with machine learning and invoice monitoring to handle exceptions
- Increased integration between SAP solutions and SAP Global Batch Traceability
- Integration of SAP Intelligent Sales Execution to SAP Sales Cloud and SAP Service Cloud
Upcoming innovations
- New machine learning forecasting algorithms
- Conversational voice interfaces and machine learning
- Extended warehouse optimization capabilities, such as MFS enhancements and robotic integration
- Insight on what drives people to a Web page with the integration of Google Analytics
Future plans
- Enable forecast automation and inclusion of advanced algorithms
- Use machine learning and data prediction to automate procurement processes
- Provide a business network for logistics collaboration with a focus on SAP Transportation Management
- Implement additional account-based marketing, content marketing, and lead-to-revenue capabilities
Get the facts
41
%
of wholesalers surveyed call e-commerce their top sales channel, an increase from 31% in the same survey a year earlier.
Digital Commerce 360 report
86
%
of customers are willing to pay more for a better customer experience.
American Express and Ebiquity report
3
X
faster quote-to-order process when quotes are configured by a configure-price-quote.
SAP Performance Benchmarking
Simplify and improve the way you work with your customers and suppliers
Strategize for success in the new economy
Embrace an interconnected management approach that focuses on your customers and employees and creates better insights and processes so you can navigate change.
Drive profitable growth in wholesale distribution
Discover how distributors must leverage an integrated, intelligent foundation of technology and best practices to adopt a culture of continuous improvement.
Marketplaces are the new frontier of business models
Discover why it’s essential for wholesale distributors to adopt a marketplace business model to support a move from traditional commerce to a more modern approach.
Find wholesale distribution software tailored to your needs
Run flexible, tightly integrated processes to achieve operational excellence – from demand planning and CRM to inventory and supply chain management.
SAP S/4HANA Cloud
Learn how you can adopt industry best practices for your wholesale distribution enterprise by using a proven technology framework. Achieve operational excellence in core financial and engagement management practices and across your business as a whole.
SAP Commerce Cloud
Engage and transact with your customers anywhere, at any time, and on any device with the built-in omnichannel versatility offered by our B2B and B2C commerce software.
SAP S/4HANA Cloud
Learn how you can adopt industry best practices for your wholesale distribution enterprise by using a proven technology framework. Achieve operational excellence in core financial and engagement management practices and across your business as a whole.
SAP Commerce Cloud
Engage and transact with your customers anywhere, at any time, and on any device with the built-in omnichannel versatility offered by our B2B and B2C commerce software.
SAP Services and Support
We're working together to continually drive the successful business outcomes and value that matter most to you.
Our services and support portfolio is designed as an end-to-end, holistic experience that can help you transform your organization, transition to the cloud, and continuously improve your business. Working together to get you there, and drawing on decades of customer experience and guidance, is the fastest way to see the full value of your SAP investment.
What are the leading analysts saying about trends in wholesale distribution?
E-commerce investments are growing in wholesale distribution
Learn how wholesale distributors are continuing to invest in e-commerce – and how acquiring the right technology, devoting the right resources, and finding the right technology partners are key to success.
Exceed expectations with the latest IT innovations
Technology roadmap for digital growth
Learn more about how manufacturers and distributors push ahead with growth plans, and how they are finding the best mix of digital commerce technology to lead the way.
Becoming a digital distributor
Learn how the traditional wholesale distribution business model is unsustainable. Distributors must transform, and transform rapidly.
Get the latest news and trends from experts
Beating Amazon at their own game
Learn how successful distributors are beating Amazon at their own game and how they are not only reinventing the level of service that customers can expect.
Business transformation in the wholesale distribution industry
Take a look at some strategic processes for distributors and how you might bring them to the next level, with the goal of doing business in a more efficient and profitable way.
How distributors can measure ecommerce success
Learn how building an effective ecommerce experience for your customers is a journey that will undoubtedly create some exciting opportunities for your business.
Communities and Events
RISE with SAP S/4HANA for Wholesale Distribution
Learn about insights, realities, and capabilities that drove value for Powell Electronics on their journey to an Intelligent Enterprise from a guest speaker, Scott Knote, Chief Information Technology Officer, Powell Electronics.
SAP for Wholesale Distribution Community
Network with industry experts through blogs, discussions, and other resources to find out how you can reduce days sales outstanding and align your B2B commerce processes with customer expectations – to ultimately run your wholesale distribution business better.
Stay relevant in the Wholesale Distribution Value Chain
Learn how wholesale distributors like DistributionNOW are simplifying digital transformation and gaining the agility required to support new business models and offer differentiating customer-specific services to solidify your place in the value chain.
Manage your wholesale distribution business enterprise-wide
Explore our comprehensive solutions for all business processes across all industries to find the solutions you need to build a connected business.
Human Resources
Simplify HR processes and engage your workforce to drive better business results, empower your workforce, and develop your talent.
Finance
Bring together financial processes with automated, real-time analytics, and translate them into forward-looking business insight across the entire organization.
Analytics
Take advantage of in-depth data analysis, predictions, and processing of complex events, and combine data from a variety of sources into one, integrated platform.
Database and Data Management
Leverage business applications that use the latest technology advancements – including the SAP HANA platform, cloud, mobile, and more.
Application Development and Integration
Deploy high-velocity, intelligent edge applications using business and technology services.