e-Markets must balance their service to buyers and suppliers, offering different tools to meet each participant�s unique needs. For manufacturers, wholesalers, and distributors, the technologies behind the scenes are diverse and each supply chain has different components that must be assessed for automation and integration needs.  The winning objective for an e-market is to review the supply chains of every supplier so it can reduce any inefficiencies and headaches in the process.

�hsupply was easily able to integrate us into its marketplace so it can sell business products over the Internet,� said John Kennedy, president of e-NITED, the e-commerce arm of United Stationers, the leading U.S. wholesaler of business products such as office supplies, consumables, and paper goods.  �hsupply is able to automatically upload product information from the e-NITED system so buyers are viewing real time data at all times.�

Because hsupply takes title to the goods and makes its money from standard reseller margins, the e-market�s business model ties well with that of national manufacturers and wholesalers�all while extending the supplier�s market reach without any additional sales efforts.  Because hsupply can deliver volume to its suppliers, it can bring lower costs to buyers and still be a profitable company by keeping consistent margins.  Transaction and RFP/RFQ models put suppliers in bidding wars leaving little incentive for the supplier to participate.  The more efficiencies hsupply can bring to the supplier, the more savings it can extend to the buyer.

�It�s a balancing act.  e-Markets have to be �tightly linked� to its suppliers to achieve a double benefit, which takes time and technology.  e-Markets that claim hundreds of suppliers are �loosely linked�-not fully integrated,� said Dr. Ravi Kalakota, hsupply.com CEO and leading e-commerce expert.  �hsupply has a 95 percent on time delivery rate that is only achievable through integration with best-in-class suppliers.  And, those suppliers should be equally picky when selecting an e-market.  Rewiring supply chains is complicated business. Don�t let anyone fool you.�

Kalakota noted that hsupply.com has encountered widely varying levels of technology used by suppliers who have aligned with hsupply.com, including: (1) no IT infrastructure; (2) limited IT such as basic accounting software; (3) ERP systems; and (4) web to web (XML) interfacing.  hsupply is developing integration models for suppliers at all of these levels.

�We�ve actually noted a correlation between the type of company and what level of technology it typically has in place,� Kalakota said.  �Local and regional distributors typically have little to no technology currently integrated into their operations.  And as one would expect, national manufacturers, wholesalers and distributors have more complex systems in place.�

�When we understood that hsupply provided one of its distributors with their first computer, that was enough for us to know their technology team is committed to an individual supplier�s integration needs,� said Leo Vogel, National Sales Manager, Contract Division of Sealy.  �We�re excited to work with hsupply in this B2B commerce effort.  hsupply makes us part of their buyers� customized procurement portfolios.  They�re dedicated to learning and automating our specific supply chain.  We expect to see real benefits from B2B e-commerce through hsupply.com.�

Sealy, Inc. is the largest bedding manufacturer in North America and produces a diversified line of mattress and foundation products.  e-NITED Business Solutions, the e-commerce arm of United Stationers, provides a full suite of services including integrated distribution, fulfillment, and value-added services for retailers, resellers and other commerce ventures.

These suppliers add further depth to hsupply.com�s strategic supplier network and give customers access to thousands of new products that will be part of hsupply�s comprehensive selection of supplies including guest amenities, office and maintenance supplies, breakfast bar, alcohol, electronics, furniture and linens.

About hsupply.com
hsupply.com is a leading B2B e-services company that is reinventing
procurement for the $50 billion hospitality supplies industry.  Its unique Next.0� approach integrates the power of the Internet, customer relationship management and comprehensive supply chain management into a seamless, one-source destination site�the hsupply.com Marketplace�to allow product selection, ordering, fulfillment, tracking, payment, and reporting to be performed via one easy-to-use tool.  Designed to meet the disparate needs of hotel buyers, franchisors and suppliers, the hsupply.com Marketplace facilitates the entire procurement process from search to settlement.  

About Sealy, Inc.
Sealy, Inc. is the largest manufacturer of bedding in North America,
serving more than 7,000 retail outlets from 25 plants in 18 states.  Sealy, Inc. produces and sells a full range of mattresses under the Sealy, Sealy, Sealy Posturepedic Crown Jewel, and Stearns & Foster brand names.

About United Stationers
United Stationers Inc., with 1999 sales of $3.4 billion, is North America�s largest distributor of business products to resellers.  Its integrated computer-based distribution system makes more than 35,000 items available to 20,000 resellers.  United is able to ship products within 24 hours of order placement because of its 39 United Stationers Supply Co.  regional distribution centers, 21 Lagasse distribution centers that serve the janitorial and sanitation industry, six Azerty distribution centers that serve computer supply resellers and three distribution centers that serve the Canadian marketplace.  Its focus on fulfillment excellence has given the company a 98+ percent order fill rate, a 99.5 percent order accuracy rate, and a 99 percent on-time delivery rate.