Direct Channels Have National Bankers Supply Counting Its Money

Developed in 2002, the company’s Web site, www.banksupplies.com, has been a key factor in the cataloger’s turnaround. When someone visits the site, the company uses Web analytic tools to track those consumers, adding them to its housefile.

Operating in a niche market, knowing who was going to its site was essential, according to Shields. And the strategy has proven effective. Web-based sales have nearly doubled each year from $45,000 in 2002 to nearly $700,000 last year, and approaching $1 million this year.