Archive for June 14th, 2011

Is it possible to compress prices in this market? Commodity prices are rising aren’t they?

Tuesday, June 14th, 2011

This is the precise reason why some companies are profitable and others are not. Just because the commodities that are the basis for products we buy are up, is no reason to not try and compress pricing through the use of e-negotiation tools or other more traditional methods. With that said e-negotiation tools will make the process much easier and insure compression in a much shorter period of time.

There is a lot that goes in to the products companies buy and maybe even more in the prices they pay. Two things are certain. There will always be suppliers that want to bid on your business. There will always be suppliers that are willing to invest to get your business. This dynamic is what will allow you to compress prices in an up market.

However, there is work to do on your part in order to make sure you are sourcing the categories or products that make the most sense at any given point in time. Here are two things you can and should do. Check your current contracts. Those that are over two years old with the same supplier will be more likely to drive savings. Check the commodity markets for specific commodities that will impact your pricing. As an example, the price of oil is up so freight will be more expensive. A great place to check commodity data is index mundi. You can check current and historical commodities and product related pricing.

Understanding everything about what you re buying and what drives its prcing and using the proper tools to leverage the supply base can and will result in price savings even in an up market.

We look forward to and appreciate your comments.