/ categories

Everyone who sells from a catalogue, and everyone who has to prove a claim

Two questions arrive from the same direction. A buying agent asks whether you have the part, how many, how fast and at what price for this account. A regulator, a customs officer or a buyer's compliance team asks what exactly is in this shipment. Both are machine questions, and both are answered today by a person reading a web page.

Find your own category, then your own site in the list. The filter narrows the page to what you sell and to the state you are in. The heatmap shows which of the twelve questions your category fails as a group, which is the part no single company can see from the inside.

/ why this page

Nobody can see their own shop window from inside

Every company believes its website is fine, because a person can shop on it. A machine gets a different answer: a block page, a challenge, or a page with no price on it. This page is that view, category by category.

/ why the category matters

Compare inside your category, not against an average

MRO and building materials are several times the size of fasteners, and a compliance category can be forced by a date rather than by a business case. An industry average hides that. Your category does not.

/ why the heatmap

The failures are concentrated, not random

The checks everyone passes are the free ones. Every check that needs a decision about machines fails across a whole industry at once. The heatmap makes that pattern visible in one screen instead of twelve paragraphs.

/ why the filter

You are one of a few hundred, not one of 189

Filter to your tier, your category or the state you are in, and the page becomes your list: the sites next to you, what each of them answers, and the ones already readable that you will be compared against.

tier
a machine is
measured
search
Twelve questions, every category
Share of the sites in the category that pass each check, from our own run of 189 seller sites. Green is passed by most, amber by some, red by almost none.
passed by mostpassed by somepassed by almost nonenothing measured in this category yet
the twelve checks against every category we measured, 2026-10-16
/ tier 1

Sell from a catalogue, and the price depends on who is asking

These are the categories where an agent asking 'do you have it, how many, how fast, what does it cost us, send the document' loses a real order when the answer is a web page built for a person. Account pricing and stock are the two things no marketplace can supply on the seller's behalf.

Industrial distribution and MRO

MRO supplies and consumablescutting tools and abrasivesfasteners and class C partssafety and PPEwelding and industrial gasesmaterial handling and storagefluid power and pneumaticsjanitorial and breakroomelectrical maintenancetooling and fixtures
what an agent asks
  • part number in stock
  • quantity and lead time
  • our price and contract tier
  • datasheet and certificate
  • substitute if out of stock
the market
US MRO 94.7B USD in 2026 on the narrow definition (Mordor), 189.4B USD on the broad one (Morgan Reed). Two definitions, so quote the one you use.
entry point
head of digital commerce or ecommerce director
our own run
16 sites requested as a machine, 8 of them let a machine in, 8 did not, average readiness 4.2 of 10
the sites we measured here
  • eis-inc.com EIS Inc 5.6 of 10, let in
  • afcindustries.com AFC Industries 5.3 of 10, let in
  • mscdirect.com MSC Industrial Supply 5.1 of 10, let in
  • dxpe.com DXP Enterprises 5.1 of 10, let in
  • rs-online.com RS Group Americas 5.0 of 10, let in
  • distributionsolutionsgroup.com Distribution Solutions Group 5.0 of 10, let in
  • kaman.com Kaman Distribution 5.0 of 10, let in
  • globalindustrial.com Global Industrial 5.0 of 10, let in
  • applied.com Applied Industrial Technologies 3.5 of 10, refused
  • fastenal.com Fastenal 3.5 of 10, refused
  • bhid.com BlackHawk Industrial 3.5 of 10, refused
  • kimballmidwest.com Kimball Midwest 3.5 of 10, refused
  • singerindustrial.com Singer Industrial 3.2 of 10, refused
  • grainger.com W.W. Grainger 2.9 of 10, refused
  • vallen.com Vallen 2.9 of 10, refused
  • dgisupply.com DGI Supply 2.9 of 10, refused

Electrical, data and security distribution

wire and cableswitchgear and transformerslighting and controlsdatacom and structured cablingsecurity and fireutility and grid productsautomation and drivescontractor tools and consumables
what an agent asks
  • stock by branch
  • cut lengths and reel availability
  • contractor price
  • UL and compliance documents
  • substitution on discontinued items
the market
US electrical distribution projected at 180.1B USD in 2026, 190.7B USD in 2027 and near 200B USD by 2028 (DISC, May 2026). Top 10 distributors hold about 56 percent of industry sales.
entry point
vice president of digital or chief information officer
our own run
12 sites requested as a machine, 3 of them let a machine in, 9 did not, average readiness 3.8 of 10
the sites we measured here
  • vanmeterinc.com Van Meter 5.6 of 10, let in
  • borderstates.com Border States 5.0 of 10, let in
  • elliottelectric.com Elliott Electric Supply 5.0 of 10, let in
  • graybar.com Graybar 3.5 of 10, refused
  • wesco.com Wesco 3.5 of 10, refused
  • soneparusa.com Sonepar USA 3.5 of 10, refused
  • stateelectric.com State Electric Supply 3.5 of 10, refused
  • cityelectricsupply.com City Electric Supply 3.5 of 10, refused
  • kendallelectric.com Kendall Electric 3.5 of 10, refused
  • summitelectric.com Summit Electric Supply 3.5 of 10, refused
  • rexelusa.com Rexel USA 2.9 of 10, refused
  • platt.com Platt Electric 2.9 of 10, refused

Plumbing, HVACR, PVF and waterworks

plumbing fixtures and fittingspipe, valves and fittingshydronicsHVAC equipmentrefrigeration and cold chainwaterworks and municipalwater treatmentirrigation
what an agent asks
  • schedule 40 or 80 availability
  • pressure rating and standard
  • branch stock and delivery window
  • spec sheet and submittal
  • equivalent part
the market
North American HVAC and refrigeration distribution estimated at about 74B USD by Watsco in its 2026 filings. Waterworks and PVF consolidate around a handful of national players.
entry point
ecommerce or branch operations director
our own run
11 sites requested as a machine, 4 of them let a machine in, 7 did not, average readiness 4.0 of 10
the sites we measured here
  • master.ca The Master Group 5.3 of 10, let in
  • fwwebb.com F.W. Webb 5.0 of 10, let in
  • dnow.com DNOW 5.0 of 10, let in
  • coreandmain.com Core & Main 5.0 of 10, let in
  • ferguson.com Ferguson 3.5 of 10, refused
  • carrierenterprise.com Carrier Enterprise 3.5 of 10, refused
  • johnstonesupply.com Johnstone Supply 3.5 of 10, refused
  • bakerdist.com Baker Distributing 3.5 of 10, refused
  • remichel.com RE Michel 3.5 of 10, refused
  • watsco.com Watsco 3.2 of 10, refused
  • winsupply.com Winsupply 2.9 of 10, refused

Power transmission, bearings and motion control

bearingspower transmission componentshydraulicspneumaticsseals and gasketslinear motiongearboxes and reducerselectric motors and drives
what an agent asks
  • interchange from a competitor part number
  • shaft and bore dimensions
  • seal kit for a serial number
  • price and lead time
  • drawing or CAD file
the market
Part of the MRO and industrial equipment complex; the vertical runs on part numbers, interchange tables and application engineering rather than price alone.
entry point
director of ecommerce or product information
our own run
9 sites requested as a machine, 2 of them let a machine in, 7 did not, average readiness 3.3 of 10
the sites we measured here
  • gates.com Gates Corporation 5.0 of 10, let in
  • timken.com Timken 5.0 of 10, let in
  • motion.com Motion (Genuine Parts) 3.5 of 10, refused
  • parker.com Parker Hannifin 3.5 of 10, refused
  • sunsource.com Sunsource 3.5 of 10, refused
  • nskamericas.com NSK Americas 3.5 of 10, refused
  • skf.com SKF 3.2 of 10, refused
  • bdiexpress.com BDI Express 2.9 of 10, refused
  • schaeffler.com Schaeffler 0.0 of 10, refused

Fasteners and class C components

standard fastenersengineered and special fastenersanchors and concrete fastenersrivets and insertsstainless and exotic alloysvendor managed inventory programmeskitting and bins
what an agent asks
  • thread and length by standard
  • material and coating
  • price per thousand
  • certificate of conformance
  • bin replenishment for a site
the market
North America industrial fasteners at 22.29B USD in 2026 (Mordor). Long tails of thousands of part numbers per supplier, and the first category where agents already buy.
entry point
chief revenue officer or VP of digital
our own run
5 sites requested as a machine, 1 of them let a machine in, 4 did not, average readiness 3.8 of 10
the sites we measured here
  • wurthindustry.com Wurth Industry North America 5.0 of 10, let in
  • hillmangroup.com The Hillman Group 3.5 of 10, refused
  • optimas.com Optimas Solutions 3.5 of 10, refused
  • endries.com Endries International 3.5 of 10, refused
  • efc-intl.com EFC International 3.4 of 10, refused

Building materials and construction supply

roofingdrywall and ceilingslumber and engineered woodconcrete accessories and rebardoors, frames and hardwareinsulationwaterproofing and sealantssite work and drainage
what an agent asks
  • quantity on hand at the nearest yard
  • delivery window to a jobsite
  • project or account price
  • submittal and test report
  • alternate spec
the market
Largest single vertical in North American distribution by revenue; the Big 50 alone discloses tens of billions in construction-facing sales.
entry point
chief digital officer or head of ecommerce
our own run
5 sites requested as a machine, 3 of them let a machine in, 2 did not, average readiness 4.6 of 10
the sites we measured here
  • bldr.com Builders FirstSource 5.7 of 10, let in
  • abcsupply.com ABC Supply 5.6 of 10, let in
  • 84lumber.com 84 Lumber 5.0 of 10, let in
  • whitecap.com White Cap 3.5 of 10, refused
  • becn.com Beacon Building Products 3.2 of 10, refused

Electronics, connectors and automation components

semiconductorspassives and electromechanicalconnectors and cable assembliesembedded and single board computingpower suppliesindustrial automation and PLCsensors and instrumentationnetwork infrastructure
what an agent asks
  • stock and price breaks by quantity
  • lifecycle and obsolescence status
  • datasheet and RoHS or REACH statement
  • alternate or cross-reference
  • cut tape or reel options
the market
Distribution here is the most machine-ready part of the industry: API-first catalogues, stock counts and datasheets are already the norm, which makes it the reference standard every other vertical is measured against.
entry point
head of digital or product data manager
our own run
16 sites requested as a machine, 4 of them let a machine in, 12 did not, average readiness 4.0 of 10
the sites we measured here
  • te.com TE Connectivity 6.2 of 10, let in
  • rockwellautomation.com Rockwell Automation 5.1 of 10, let in
  • panduit.com Panduit 5.0 of 10, let in
  • wago.com WAGO 4.7 of 10, let in
  • digikey.com Digi-Key 4.1 of 10, refused
  • avnet.com Avnet 3.5 of 10, refused
  • rsgroup.com RS Group 3.5 of 10, refused
  • farnell.com Farnell 3.5 of 10, refused
  • futureelectronics.com Future Electronics 3.5 of 10, refused
  • mouser.com Mouser 3.5 of 10, refused
  • amphenol.com Amphenol 3.5 of 10, refused
  • arrow.com Arrow Electronics 3.5 of 10, refused
  • phoenixcontact.com Phoenix Contact 3.5 of 10, refused
  • newark.com Newark 3.5 of 10, refused
  • weidmueller.com Weidmuller 3.5 of 10, refused
  • molex.com Molex 3.5 of 10, refused

Electrical equipment and equipment manufacturers

switchgear and protectionmotors and driveslightingwiring devicesenclosures and connectorspower qualitygrid and utility equipment
what an agent asks
  • which distributor has it
  • technical selection by parameters
  • price and lead time
  • certificate and declaration
  • CAD and dimension drawings
the market
The manufacturing side of the same spend: these companies publish the catalogue every distributor copies, and their product data quality sets the ceiling for the channel.
entry point
head of channel or digital product information
our own run
6 sites requested as a machine, 3 of them let a machine in, 3 did not, average readiness 4.6 of 10
the sites we measured here
  • legrand.us Legrand North America 7.4 of 10, let in
  • siemens.com Siemens 5.1 of 10, let in
  • se.com Schneider Electric 4.7 of 10, let in
  • eaton.com Eaton 3.5 of 10, refused
  • abb.com ABB 3.5 of 10, refused
  • hubbell.com Hubbell 3.2 of 10, refused

Automotive and heavy duty aftermarket

hard partscollision and refinishheavy duty and fleettires and wheelstools and equipmentchemicals and lubricantsaccessories
what an agent asks
  • fits this vehicle by VIN or year and engine
  • price by account
  • stock at the nearest store
  • core charge
  • warranty terms
the market
Aftermarket distribution is already deep into fitment data, and it is where coded part data (ACES and PIES) has been mandatory for years, so the readiness question is narrower here.
entry point
vice president of ecommerce or data
our own run
7 sites requested as a machine, 2 of them let a machine in, 5 did not, average readiness 3.8 of 10
the sites we measured here
  • partsauthority.com Parts Authority 5.0 of 10, let in
  • rockauto.com RockAuto 4.7 of 10, let in
  • autozone.com AutoZone 3.5 of 10, refused
  • oreillyauto.com O'Reilly Auto Parts 3.5 of 10, refused
  • napaonline.com NAPA Auto Parts 3.5 of 10, refused
  • lkqcorp.com LKQ Corporation 3.4 of 10, refused
  • advanceautoparts.com Advance Auto Parts 2.9 of 10, refused

Medical, dental, lab and life sciences

medical surgical suppliesdentallab consumables and reagentslab equipmentpharmaceutical wholesalehome health and durable medical equipmentvaccines and cold chain
what an agent asks
  • lot and expiry
  • storage and handling conditions
  • GS1 or UDI identifier
  • contract price and GPO tier
  • recall status
the market
The largest distributors by revenue in North America are in pharmaceuticals and healthcare, and the catalogue is regulated down to the lot.
entry point
chief information officer or supply chain director
our own run
7 sites requested as a machine, 3 of them let a machine in, 4 did not, average readiness 4.2 of 10
the sites we measured here
  • cencora.com Cencora 5.7 of 10, let in
  • thermofisher.com Thermo Fisher Scientific 5.4 of 10, let in
  • henryschein.com Henry Schein 5.0 of 10, let in
  • cardinalhealth.com Cardinal Health 3.5 of 10, refused
  • fishersci.com Fisher Scientific 3.5 of 10, refused
  • mckesson.com McKesson 3.2 of 10, refused
  • avantorsciences.com Avantor 3.2 of 10, refused

Food, foodservice equipment and packaging

foodservice distributionfoodservice equipment and partsdisposables and JanSanprimary packagingsecondary and transport packaginglabels and codingingredients and dry goods
what an agent asks
  • case pack and dimensions
  • nutrition and allergen data
  • temperature requirements
  • order minimum and lead time
  • sustainable or recycled content claim
the market
Food distribution is the largest revenue pool in the index, and packaging is the quiet one: every product in every other category is shipped in it.
entry point
director of ecommerce or supply chain
our own run
9 sites requested as a machine, 5 of them let a machine in, 4 did not, average readiness 4.5 of 10
the sites we measured here
  • berlinpackaging.com Berlin Packaging 6.2 of 10, let in
  • tricorbraun.com TricorBraun 6.0 of 10, let in
  • gfs.com Gordon Food Service 5.6 of 10, let in
  • sysco.com Sysco 5.0 of 10, let in
  • uline.com Uline 4.7 of 10, let in
  • imperialdade.com Imperial Dade 3.5 of 10, refused
  • bunzl.com Bunzl North America 3.5 of 10, refused
  • usfoods.com US Foods 3.5 of 10, refused
  • veritivcorp.com Veritiv 2.9 of 10, refused

Chemicals, gases and lubricants

commodity chemicalsspecialty chemicalsindustrial gaseslubricants and greasesfuels and coolantswater treatment chemicalsadhesives and sealants
what an agent asks
  • CAS number and grade
  • packaging size and hazmat class
  • price per drum
  • SDS and transport documents
  • equivalent product
the market
Sold by specification rather than by look, which makes it the most machine-friendly of the process industries: an agent that can read a spec sheet can already buy.
entry point
director of digital or commercial operations
our own run
4 sites requested as a machine, 3 of them let a machine in, 1 did not, average readiness 4.7 of 10
the sites we measured here
  • brenntag.com Brenntag 5.3 of 10, let in
  • airgas.com Airgas 5.0 of 10, let in
  • linde.com Linde 5.0 of 10, let in
  • univarsolutions.com Univar Solutions 3.5 of 10, refused

Metals, plastics and industrial materials

carbon steelstainless and alloysaluminiumtube and pipeplate and barplastics sheet, rod and filmcompositesprocessed and fabricated parts
what an agent asks
  • heat number and mill certificate
  • available sizes and cut tolerance
  • price by weight and grade
  • certification to a standard
  • lead time for processing
the market
Service centres trade on availability and cut-to-size, with mill certificates as the document that must travel with every order.
entry point
VP of commercial or operations
our own run
6 sites requested as a machine, 3 of them let a machine in, 3 did not, average readiness 4.4 of 10
the sites we measured here
  • reliance.com Reliance 5.6 of 10, let in
  • kloecknermetals.com Kloeckner Metals 5.1 of 10, let in
  • ryerson.com Ryerson 5.0 of 10, let in
  • thyssenkrupp-materials.com thyssenkrupp Materials 3.5 of 10, refused
  • professionalplastics.com Professional Plastics 3.5 of 10, refused
  • eplastics.com E&T Plastics 3.5 of 10, refused

Agricultural, turf and equipment dealers

agricultural inputsdealer parts and serviceturf and landscapeirrigationheavy equipment attachmentsprecision ag technology
what an agent asks
  • part for this serial number and model year
  • stock at the nearest dealer
  • price and freight
  • substitute when discontinued
  • warranty position
the market
Dealer networks where the parts catalogue is the business: a machine down in a field is a parts order within the hour, by phone today.
entry point
director of aftermarket or parts operations
our own run
2 sites requested as a machine, 2 of them let a machine in, 0 did not, average readiness 5.0 of 10
the sites we measured here
  • finning.com Finning Cat 5.0 of 10, let in
  • rdoequipment.com RDO Equipment 4.9 of 10, let in

Tools, safety and cutting tools

hand toolspower tools and accessoriescutting tools and abrasivessafety and PPEmeasurement and layouttool storage and organisationabrasives and finishing
what an agent asks
  • is this tool on the battery platform I already own, and which kit fits it
  • is this consumable compatible with the tool I bought last year
  • what is the price on my account and is it in stock at my branch
the market
Power tool and accessory sales sit inside the MRO and construction spend; the category runs on battery platforms and consumables, which is a subscription business wearing a catalogue.
who to call
VP of digital or ecommerce director
entry point
head of digital commerce
our own run
7 sites requested as a machine, 4 of them let a machine in, 3 did not, average readiness 4.4 of 10
the sites we measured here
  • kennametal.com Kennametal 5.3 of 10, let in
  • boschtools.com Bosch Professional 5.0 of 10, let in
  • milwaukeetool.com Milwaukee Tool 4.7 of 10, let in
  • snapon.com Snap-on 4.7 of 10, let in
  • dewalt.com DeWalt 4.0 of 10, refused
  • rshughes.com R.S. Hughes 3.8 of 10, refused
  • makitatools.com Makita 3.5 of 10, refused
/ tier 2

Must prove a claim about a specific batch, not about a catalogue

The second product. Here the agent, or the customs officer, or the buyer's compliance team asks not what you sell but what this exact shipment is: origin, test, chain of custody. Regulators have attached dates to it.

Batteries and energy storage

industrial and forklift batterieslithium cells and packsLFP and stationary storagelead acidBMS and power electronicssecond life and recycling
what an agent asks
  • carbon footprint declaration
  • recycled content share
  • state of health and test history
  • transport class and UN number
  • passport identifier
date attached
EU battery passport required from 18 February 2027 for batteries above 2 kWh
our own run
6 sites requested as a machine, 3 of them let a machine in, 3 did not, average readiness 4.2 of 10
the sites we measured here
  • enersys.com Enersys 5.0 of 10, let in
  • clarios.com Clarios 5.0 of 10, let in
  • leoch.com Leoch Battery 5.0 of 10, let in
  • saft.com Saft 3.5 of 10, refused
  • catl.com CATL 3.5 of 10, refused
  • evebattery.com EVE Energy 3.5 of 10, refused

Solar, wind and clean tech

modulescells and wafersinvertersracking and trackerspolysilicon and ingotsstorage systems
what an agent asks
  • polysilicon source and traceability
  • factory audit and social compliance
  • test certificates and IEC reports
  • declared value and origin
  • batch to shipment mapping
date attached
UFLPA entity list enforcement on solar supply chains: 43 companies added 3 August 2026, 187 listed in total
our own run
6 sites requested as a machine, 4 of them let a machine in, 2 did not, average readiness 4.6 of 10
the sites we measured here
  • firstsolar.com First Solar 5.0 of 10, let in
  • enphase.com Enphase Energy 5.0 of 10, let in
  • jinkosolar.com JinkoSolar 4.9 of 10, let in
  • sma.de SMA Solar 4.7 of 10, let in
  • trinasolar.com Trina Solar 4.4 of 10, refused
  • longi.com LONGi 3.5 of 10, refused

Electronics, toys and consumer products

consumer electronicstoys and children's productssmall appliancesfurnituresporting goodscosmetics
what an agent asks
  • certificate and test report for the batch
  • which tests were run and by whom
  • lab accreditation
  • children's product certificate
  • recall and incident history
date attached
CPSC electronic filing of certificate data from 8 July 2026 for regulated consumer products
our own run
6 sites requested as a machine, 2 of them let a machine in, 4 did not, average readiness 4.0 of 10
the sites we measured here
  • mattel.com Mattel 5.9 of 10, let in
  • hasbro.com Hasbro 4.7 of 10, let in
  • lego.com LEGO 3.8 of 10, refused
  • sony.com Sony Electronics 3.5 of 10, refused
  • whirlpool.com Whirlpool 3.5 of 10, refused
  • spinmaster.com Spin Master 2.9 of 10, refused

Food, agriculture and forest products

coffee and cocoasoy and palmtimber and papercattle and leatherfresh produceseafoodpackaged food
what an agent asks
  • geolocation of the plot
  • deforestation-free evidence
  • chain of custody per lot
  • critical tracking event data
  • importer reference
date attached
EUDR from 30 December 2026 for coffee, cocoa, soy, palm, timber, rubber and cattle; FSMA 204 from 20 July 2028
our own run
6 sites requested as a machine, 5 of them let a machine in, 1 did not, average readiness 4.8 of 10
the sites we measured here
  • ofi.com ofi (Olam Food Ingredients) 5.0 of 10, let in
  • westfraser.com West Fraser 5.0 of 10, let in
  • canfor.com Canfor 5.0 of 10, let in
  • tyson.com Tyson Foods 5.0 of 10, let in
  • weyerhaeuser.com Weyerhaeuser 5.0 of 10, let in
  • barry-callebaut.com Barry Callebaut 3.5 of 10, refused

Medical devices and pharmaceuticals

class I and II devicesIVD and reagentsimplantssingle use surgicalcombination productsdrug products
what an agent asks
  • UDI-DI and lot
  • sterilisation method and expiry
  • certificate and declaration of conformity
  • vigilance and recall status
  • label in the required languages
date attached
UDI and EU MDR requirements; eIFU and vigilance reporting
our own run
4 sites requested as a machine, 3 of them let a machine in, 1 did not, average readiness 4.6 of 10
the sites we measured here
  • bd.com Becton Dickinson 5.1 of 10, let in
  • bostonscientific.com Boston Scientific 5.0 of 10, let in
  • siemens-healthineers.com Siemens Healthineers 5.0 of 10, let in
  • medtronic.com Medtronic 3.2 of 10, refused

Construction products and machinery

cement and concretesteel products for constructioninsulationglassmachinery and equipmentlifting and access equipment
what an agent asks
  • declaration of performance
  • EPD and embodied carbon
  • CE marking scope
  • technical file reference
  • digital instruction set
date attached
EU CPR declarations and digital product passports under ESPR; EU Machinery Regulation from 2027 with digital instructions
our own run
4 sites requested as a machine, 2 of them let a machine in, 2 did not, average readiness 4.2 of 10
the sites we measured here
  • holcim.com Holcim 5.0 of 10, let in
  • jlg.com JLG Industries 5.0 of 10, let in
  • caterpillar.com Caterpillar 3.5 of 10, refused
  • cemex.com Cemex 3.2 of 10, refused

Chemicals and restricted substances

commodity and specialty chemicalsplastics and additivescoatings and inkselectronics materialscleaning products
what an agent asks
  • REACH and RoHS statement per part
  • SVHC content above threshold
  • SDS revision number
  • full material composition
  • country of origin per CAS
date attached
REACH and SCIP database obligations, RoHS and REACH declarations for every part in a bill of materials
our own run
3 sites requested as a machine, 3 of them let a machine in, 0 did not, average readiness 5.1 of 10
the sites we measured here
  • basf.com BASF 5.6 of 10, let in
  • dow.com Dow 5.0 of 10, let in
  • clariant.com Clariant 4.7 of 10, let in

Textiles, apparel and footwear

apparelfootwearhome textilestechnical textilesleather goodsuniforms and workwear
what an agent asks
  • fibre composition per batch
  • chemical test reports
  • origin and mill reference
  • care and durability data
  • recycled content claim
date attached
Digital product passport under ESPR, with textiles among the first delegated categories
our own run
4 sites requested as a machine, 3 of them let a machine in, 1 did not, average readiness 4.7 of 10
the sites we measured here
  • vfc.com VF Corporation 5.1 of 10, let in
  • milliken.com Milliken 5.0 of 10, let in
  • nike.com Nike 5.0 of 10, let in
  • hanes.com Hanesbrands 3.5 of 10, refused
/ tier 3

Sell the answer to someone else's catalogue problem

Intermediaries who get paid to know what is in a catalogue or a shipment, and who need machine-readable data to do it at scale. They buy the same core: a catalogue that can be asked a question, and a record that can be verified.

Inspection, testing and certification

factory auditsproduct testingsocial compliancepre-shipment inspectioncertification bodieslab networks
what an agent asks
  • report for this batch
  • accreditation scope
  • who inspected and when
  • result against which standard
  • digital signature on the report
who to call
QIMA, SGS, Bureau Veritas, Intertek, TUV, Cotecna, and the smaller accredited labs
our own run
5 sites requested as a machine, 2 of them let a machine in, 3 did not, average readiness 4.1 of 10
the sites we measured here
  • qima.com QIMA 5.0 of 10, let in
  • bureauveritas.com Bureau Veritas 5.0 of 10, let in
  • sgs.com SGS 3.5 of 10, refused
  • tuvsud.com TUV SUD 3.5 of 10, refused
  • intertek.com Intertek 3.5 of 10, refused

Customs brokers, freight and trade services

customs brokeragefreight forwardingtrade complianceduty and tariff engineeringwarehousing and 3PLtrade finance
what an agent asks
  • HS classification and origin
  • duty and tariff estimate
  • document set for a shipment
  • landed cost
  • compliance flags
who to call
Flexport, DSV, Kuehne and Nagel, Expeditors, regional brokers
our own run
4 sites requested as a machine, 4 of them let a machine in, 0 did not, average readiness 5.2 of 10
the sites we measured here
  • flexport.com Flexport 5.7 of 10, let in
  • kuehne-nagel.com Kuehne and Nagel 5.6 of 10, let in
  • expeditors.com Expeditors 4.9 of 10, let in
  • dsv.com DSV 4.7 of 10, let in

Compliance and supply chain data platforms

supplier compliance monitoringrestricted substance managementconflict mineralsforced labour screeningESG ratingsproduct compliance data
what an agent asks
  • where a claim came from
  • which document supports it
  • coverage of a bill of materials
  • change history
  • audit trail
who to call
Source Intelligence, Assent, Sedex, EcoVadis, Sphera, and ESG data vendors
our own run
4 sites requested as a machine, 4 of them let a machine in, 0 did not, average readiness 5.0 of 10
the sites we measured here
  • assent.com Assent 5.1 of 10, let in
  • sourceintelligence.com Source Intelligence 5.0 of 10, let in
  • ecovadis.com EcoVadis 5.0 of 10, let in
  • sedex.com Sedex 5.0 of 10, let in

Procurement suites, marketplaces and networks

source to pay suitespunch-out cataloguesB2B marketplacessupplier networksbuying groups and cooperativese-procurement integration
what an agent asks
  • punch-out catalogue in a standard format
  • contract price by account
  • stock and lead time
  • tax and freight rules
  • invoice and payment terms
who to call
SAP Ariba, Coupa, JAGGAER, GEP, Ivalua, Amazon Business, Thomasnet, Zoro, buying groups such as AD and IMARK
our own run
5 sites requested as a machine, 2 of them let a machine in, 3 did not, average readiness 4.1 of 10
the sites we measured here
  • zoro.com Zoro 5.3 of 10, let in
  • jaggaer.com JAGGAER 5.1 of 10, let in
  • thomasnet.com Thomasnet 3.5 of 10, refused
  • coupa.com Coupa 3.5 of 10, refused
  • business.amazon.com Amazon Business 3.2 of 10, refused

Distributor software, ERP and product information

ERP for distributionPIM and MDMecommerce platforms for B2Bsearch and merchandisingintegration and middleware
what an agent asks
  • does this ERP expose a catalogue API
  • how a connector is deployed
  • what data model the client runs
  • who owns the item master
who to call
Epicor, Infor, SAP Business One, PIM vendors, and the integrators who run distribution IT
our own run
4 sites requested as a machine, 2 of them let a machine in, 2 did not, average readiness 4.3 of 10
the sites we measured here
  • akeneo.com Akeneo 5.7 of 10, let in
  • infor.com Infor 4.9 of 10, let in
  • epicor.com Epicor 3.4 of 10, refused
  • salsify.com Salsify 3.4 of 10, refused

Private equity roll-ups

distribution platformsindustrial servicesfacility servicesspecialty distributionadd-on integration
what an agent asks
  • how many ERPs are in the portfolio
  • is there one item master
  • what does data standardisation cost per site
  • how long to integrate an acquisition
who to call
Sponsors consolidating distribution, and their operating partners
our own run
not measured yet. On the list for the next run.

Trade associations, media and analysts

associations and foundationstrade pressbenchmarking and researchevents and training
what an agent asks
  • is our own site readable to a machine
  • can a member get a score per site
  • what is the industry median
  • can the benchmark be reproduced
who to call
NAW, MDM, Industrial Distribution, Electrical Wholesaling, Supply House Times, and the benchmark publishers
our own run
6 sites requested as a machine, 5 of them let a machine in, 1 did not, average readiness 5.1 of 10
the sites we measured here
  • naw.org NAW 5.7 of 10, let in
  • mdm.com Modern Distribution Management 5.7 of 10, let in
  • anglera.com Anglera Index 5.7 of 10, let in
  • ewweb.com Electrical Wholesaling 5.0 of 10, let in
  • supplyht.com Supply House Times 4.9 of 10, let in
  • inddist.com Industrial Distribution 3.5 of 10, refused
/ tier 4

Outside the United States, same problem with different paperwork

Widening later, not now. The mechanism is identical, the compliance driver is often stronger, and the buyer speaks a different language.

European and UK distributors

electricalindustrialfastenersHVACbuilding materialspackaging
what an agent asks
  • same six questions, plus VAT and local compliance documents
who to call
Sonepar, Rexel, RS Group, Wurth, Bunzl, and national champions
our own run
2 sites requested as a machine, 0 of them let a machine in, 2 did not, average readiness 3.5 of 10
the sites we measured here
  • rsgroup.com RS Group 3.5 of 10, refused
  • bunzl.com Bunzl North America 3.5 of 10, refused

China exporters, trading companies and factories

electronicsbatteries and storagesolarfurnituretoyshardware and toolspackagingauto parts
what an agent asks
  • can a foreign buyer's agent read the catalogue
  • test reports and certificates
  • batch traceability
  • export documents
who to call
component and consumer goods exporters, their trading arms, and the platforms they sell through
our own run
not measured yet. On the list for the next run.

Gulf, India and Southeast Asia

electrical and MEPoil and gas supplyconstruction materialsfood and agripharma
what an agent asks
  • bid-ready product data
  • origin and conformity
  • delivery to site
who to call
regional distributors and contractors in markets where the government buyer is already demanding digital documents
our own run
not measured yet. On the list for the next run.

Repeated, not a single reading. The same twelve checks ran over these 189 sites three times on the same day: 185 answered identically every time, four changed, and the panel headline moved by two sites. The four that changed are named on the evidence page, with what they answered each time.

Your category is not here, or you are named on this page as not answering machines. Both are useful. Write to hq@arliwork.com and we will run the same twelve checks on your domain and publish the result next to the others, customer or not.