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They’ve
tried it, and they like it
Nine
out of ten CAD/CAM users who have purchased on the web will continue
to do so to the same or a greater extent –
and about a third of these intend to use this method much more in
the future.
The
E-possibles…
Of
the 85% of companies we spoke to who have not purchased CAD/CAM
products on the Internet, a third said they would possibly
do so in future. Time and/or cost savings were popular reasons
behind this thinking. However,
only 4% of those who have never bought on the Internet said they
would definitely
do so in future. One
French architecture firm told us: “We
will definitely buy via the Internet in future.
I think you can get a quicker, more efficient service, and
it’s a better source of information”.
The
E-gainst...
Nearly
60% of those who have not bought over the Web said they were not
planning to do so in future.
The most commonly cited reasons were that there was simply no
need to consider this option, or that they had never really thought
about it. Other popular reasons included satisfaction with current
suppliers, a preference for a more personal service, and concerns
over security. For some
there are issues around the amounts that they feel comfortable
spending via the web. A
German geographic consulting company said:
“Buying over the Internet may be OK for less expensive items; but
we have reservations over buying more costly software such as
CAD”.
Web
window shopping
Clearly those companies that use the
web to compare products, prices and services of different suppliers
are going to be the ones tempted to actually buy on the Internet.
However only a small proportion seems to be routinely using
the Web for this purpose; a quarter of companies are regular surfers
for better products, services or deals.
A third of our sample said they never use the Internet for this purpose,
and nearly a half only do so occasionally.
Conclusion
Chris Turner,
Managing Director of The Business Advantage Group Plc, observes: “The
finding that 15% of our sample has purchased CAD/CAM products over
the web is no great surprise given the traditionally conservative
approach of CAD/CAM using sectors towards adopting new ways of
working. The rate at
which this figure increases over time will be the key factor, and we
will conduct a similar survey next year to track this.
A quarter of on-line purchasers we spoke to bought directly
from software vendors. We’ll
certainly keep a close eye on this and the reaction from the
value-added reseller channel.”
“Many of the responses from
companies who are not considering buying over the web indicated low
overall levels of awareness about the potential benefits of
e-commerce. The majority of these will not have developed a wider
e-business strategy. When pulled by customer demand or pushed by
competitor pressure to consider this option, the notion of obtaining
products and services over the Internet will follow naturally. We
should therefore expect a steady increase in direct Web sales,
rather than a rapid uptake. However
the growth rate for actual purchases is sure to be checked by
alternative options provided by Internet subscription models, or
ASPs.”
| "However,
the fact that half of those who have bought over the Web
chose a new supplier does send out a strong message.
The proportion of CAD/CAM users actively seeking new
products on the Internet may be quite small at present –
but without a strong Web presence and an on-line purchasing
or renting option, these companies may not find you – or
worse, they may become ex-customers.
The CAD vendors have realised that they must have an
Internet strategy - channel players must follow suit.” |
In
the next issue of CAD SPAGHETTI
we will look at what users base their buying decision on and
whether trialing might persuade them to try a different
product/service. |
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