Dot Foods is unveiling a new portal on its Dot Expressway website with an enhanced version of the Dot on Demand Virtual Warehouse program, allowing distributors to virtually store the firm’s 30,000 stock items and deliver them on demand.
By linking the Dot on Demand and Virtual Warehouse programs, Dot lets distributors offer additional inventory without taking up warehouse space. Everything is housed within Dot’s website, making a virtual warehouse obtainable to any distributor with Internet access. Basically, the distributor sets up an account with Dot, specifying mark-ups by temperature category or supplier. Once an order is placed, it can be delivered with a regular Dot order or directly to the operator customer via one of three FedEx options.
“Our customers have been asking for customized price views with ordering options for years, and Dot is delivering,” said Evans Hammond, corporate account manager for Dot. “The program is free to use, and it eliminates the need to stock slow movers and specialty items.”
With the new system, distributor sales representatives can sit with a customer and search by specific brand, pack size, product description—or Dot, UPC, or manufacturer item numbers—and their customized view will show pricing available to the operator customer instead of Dot’s pricing. Once the DSR pulls up the product, he/she can navigate through the Dot Expressway like any other online retail site, placing the order and selecting fulfillment options. All pricing for the shipping options is clearly labeled when the order is placed.
For additional information on the enhanced program, visit www.dotfoods.com/nf_dotdemand.html and scroll down to download an article by Hammond.
