Enterprise-to-business corporations continuously promote merchandise via sellers. Nevertheless it’s not at all times apparent to would-be clients tips on how to find a supplier, to inquire.  On this submit, I’ll overview eight examples of compelling on-line supplier locators.

Rockwell Automation

Rockwell Automation is a supplier of commercial automation and data merchandise. The buttons and enter bins on the corporate’s distributor locator are clear and intuitive, on desktop and cellular.

Rockwell Automation distributor locator web page.

The locator has an auto-detect to fill in my location, which labored effectively. If I sort my deal with, it additionally has an autocomplete powered by Bing, which saves time and eliminates typos.

Rockwell Automation’s distributor locator has an auto-detect to fill within the customers’ location.

Rockwell Automation’s supplier locator is simple to make use of from my cellphone. That is vital, as discovering a location is a typical want for a cellular consumer.

Rockwell Automation additionally has a clear and usable cellular distributor locator.

Arctic Cat

The supplier locator for Arctic Cat, the producer of snowmobiles and all-terrain autos, will auto-detect your location. Whereas it gives the power to filter your search, it doesn’t drive you to decide on a supplier sort. That is useful for minimizing the variety of fields customers must fill out.

Arctic Cat has a clear supplier locator that minimizes the inputs required.

The cellular model of Arctic Cat’s supplier search is intuitive. The buttons are simple to click on, and it’s easy to navigate.

The cellular model of Arctic Cat’s supplier locator is simple to make use of, with giant buttons.

ECHO

ECHO makes chainsaws, string trimmers, and different out of doors gear. Its retailer locator is powered by Brandify, a location expertise supplier. The map makes use of pin colours to establish varied varieties of sellers. The listing beneath the map gives further supplier data on service and promotions. The power for guests to print outcomes of their search is useful, too.

ECHO makes use of colours to indicate several types of supplier areas.

The cellular model of the ECHO’s locator is simple to make use of.

ECHO has an easy-to-use cellular retailer locator.

A.O. Smith

A.O. Smith produces residential and industrial water heaters. The firm’s desktop supplier locator detected my location, which saved time, and has a clear and easy format. It gives a separate tab to browse sellers by state.

Contractors that set up A.O. Smith water heaters can add their data to the supplier locator through the “Record My Firm Right here” hyperlink on the decrease proper of the web page.

The A.O. Smith supplier locator permits customers to browse by state.

Meyer’s Tools Manufacturing

Meyer’s Tools Manufacturing produces manure spreaders. It’s an instance of a smaller firm having an efficient supplier locator, which, in Meyer’s case, makes use of JavaScript

Meyer’s Tools Manufacturing supplier locator is pushed by JavaScript.

The cellular model of the locator didn’t operate easily. The map blocked among the textual content. However I used to be capable of acquire the supplier data nonetheless.

Meyer’s Tools Manufacturing cellular supplier locator has a couple of overlapping points however remains to be useful.

Stoughton Trailers

Stoughton makes giant, boxed trailers for semi-trucks. It has a couple of sellers per state. Its locator permits customers to pick their state or province from a drop-down menu, which then shows the sellers.

Stoughton has a drop-down menu to pick the state or province of a supplier.

Smiths Connectors

Smiths Connectors produces digital connection parts. It sells to industrial corporations via distributors and gross sales reps. Prospects can find distributors and reps on Smith Connectors’ web site through a drop-down menu.

Some corporations, akin to Smiths Connectors, even have locators for gross sales reps.

Talbert Manufacturing

Talbert Manufacturing, which produces giant gear trailers, presents a clickable map on its desktop web site. Customers that click on on a state or province go to a web page for that space, which lists sellers. That is technically less complicated to arrange. However, in my expertise, it may be tough to take care of, and it’s not cellular pleasant.

Talbert Manufacturing has a clickable map on its desktop web site to search out sellers.

Talbert Manufacturing doesn’t have a supplier locator on its cellular web site. This, once more, is a missed alternative, as discovering areas is a typical want for cellular customers.

Seller Locator Ideas

Think about the following tips as you propose a supplier locator.

Preserve locator correct. What number of sellers do you might have? How continuously are sellers added and eliminated? How continuously does your supplier information change? The place is the info stored? Does the frequency of information change advantage a database integration? If the info modifications just a few instances a 12 months, then most likely not. If it modifications every single day, then most likely sure.

Make locator cellular pleasant. Discovering a supplier or a gross sales rep is a typical want for cellular customers, who typically search for a quantity to name or a location to drive to. Ensure your supplier locator works effectively on cellular units.

Ponder areas with no sellers. When you have areas with out sellers (or with just a few) what’s going to you show? Present customers with choices.

First view. In case you are displaying an interactive map that modifications primarily based on coming into a ZIP code or deal with, what’s going to customers see when the display is initially loaded? Will it default to a sure location within the U.S.? May that be complicated? May you auto-detect a consumer’s location to approximate the place she is, which she will be able to then refine?