
“What’s another distinct advantage of online sales?” Org asked.
More Customers
“Selling through the O-web will allow FEI to reach a broader customer base than we could through direct sales alone,” Lucy replied. “For instance, it would not be cost-effective to send salespeople to call on farm houses in Olympus’s sparsely-populated rural communities. With O-line selling, however, anyone with an O-web connection can order matches or torches through www.fei.com, no sales visit required. Offering our products O-line can help us establish a presence in these less-geographically-convenient markets, exposing FEI and its products to prospects whom we might have never reached otherwise.”
“I have a feeling we’ve just scratched the surface of how an O-line sales method can help our business,” Zoot observed. “We can talk more about that later. If you’ll excuse me, I’ve got some ‘Thor’ tickets to buy!”
Today’s FIRE! Point
Distribution success starts with ensuring that your company’s products are available wherever potential buyers are looking for them. Not every product is a fit to sell online, but selling through the web can allow you to reach a broader customer base than you could through direct sales alone.
FIRE! In Action
Bonobos Learns that Where You Sell Matters
The men’s pants company targets the average clothes-shopping-averse male consumer by selling exclusively through its website and social media. Bypassing traditional retail channels helped Bonobos earn $1.6 million in net revenue its first year.
Next week: The FEI tribe discusses more advantages of online selling.
- Categories:
- Business Management - Marketing/Sales

Very much alive and now officially an industry curmudgeon, strategic growth expert T. J. Tedesco can be reached at tj@tjtedesco.com or 301-404-2244.