BuildDirect

BuildDirect
Home Improvement E-Tailer
Headquarters Vancouver, British Columbia
Key people
 Jeff Booth CEO
Website www.builddirect.com

BuildDirect is a technology company headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia. It is one of the world's leading online marketplaces for heavyweight home improvement products.[1] The company was founded in 1999 by Jeff Booth and Rob Banks, and directly connects buyers (consumers and contractors) with sellers (suppliers and manufacturers). Categories include, but are not limited to, flooring, tile, decking, building materials, outdoor, kitchen & bath, mouldering & accessories and doors.[2] The company is also credited with building the first supply chain for heavy goods.[3]

History

Prior to co-founding BuildDirect, Jeff Booth was a builder.[4] After experiencing complexities and inefficiencies while working as a home builder, Booth, along with friend Rob Banks, founded BuildDirect in October 1999 with the stated goal of "simplifying the home improvement industry."[2][5] The first few years focused on shipping heavyweight home improvement materials, and then in 2002, the pair launched www.Builddirect.com.[6] The company grew rapidly, doubling in size.[7] During the financial crisis in 2008, the company nearly went out of business but survived by reinventing the business model to include suppliers lending their product on consignment to BuildDirect warehouses.[3] In 2010, BuildDirect built the world's first supply chain for shipping heavy goods "anywhere to anywhere", and in 2016, the company launched the BuildDirect Home Marketplace.[8][3] The company initially sold home building materials but has since diversified to include other products such as furniture, landscaping, and outdoor living items.[9] Since January 2014, the company has secured more than CAD $70 million in funding and is backed by both U.S. and Canadian investors.[10]

Building a supply chain for heavy goods

With orders five to ten times the size and weight of the average shipment accepted by UPS and FedEx, BuildDirect had to build a new system for shipping heavy materials at scale.[11] The company utilizes an existing network of primary transporters including freight, rail, and truck to import products to North America, move them to warehouses and deliver them to customers. BuildDirect also leverages technology and a competitive bidding process to calculate efficient and cost-effective delivery methods.[4]

Use of predictive analytics

BuildDirect has built its own proprietary analytics and forecasting tools. BuildDirect Demand Rank™, BuildDirect Product Rank™ and BuildDirect Inventory Rank analyze data to identify in real-time consumer interest in a product, its competitiveness in the marketplace and the locations it will best perform.[12] Access to this demand data enables suppliers to make targeted decisions, unlock potential in new markets and get a head start on inventory planning, production and shipping.[11]

BuildDirect Home Marketplace

The BuildDirect Home Marketplace is an online platform that provides homeowners quick and easy access to a wide selection of products at the best value.[8] With no constraints on shelf space, Home Marketplace can showcase an infinite number of products. The platform also offers a self-service model for suppliers to onboard and feature their products, to a much larger customer base. [8]

Locations

BuildDirect has many distribution points across North America, with 6 super warehouses in Vancouver B.C., Los Angeles, Dallas, Atlanta, Chicago, and New Jersey. The company headquarters is located in Vancouver, B.C.[13]

Awards

References

  1. ↑ "BuildDirect aims to be Amazon of building supplies". The Globe and Mail. https://plus.google.com/+globeandmail. Retrieved 2015-12-23. External link in |publisher= (help)
  2. 1 2 "Canadian Company Capabilities - BuildDirect". Industry Canada. December 3, 2013. Retrieved 30 December 2013.
  3. 1 2 3 "How BuildDirect Took on Home Depot". Inc.com. 2014-11-21. Retrieved 2015-12-23.
  4. 1 2 Waddell, Nick (November 27, 2012). "Jeff Booth, CEO of BuildDirect, talks to Cantech Letter - Cantech Letter". cantech. Retrieved 30 December 2013.
  5. ↑ "BuildDirect Newsroom". www.builddirect.com. Retrieved 2015-12-23.
  6. ↑ Holliday, Brent (June 4, 2012). "BuildDirect: A Case Study in Perseverance". Financial Post. Retrieved 20 March 2014.
  7. ↑ Rockel, Nick (26 February 2013). "Building on Big Data". Financial Post. Retrieved 20 March 2014.
  8. 1 2 3 Lardinois, Frederic. "BuildDirect Wants To Become The Amazon Of The Home Improvement Industry, Launches Marketplace". TechCrunch. Retrieved 2016-02-10.
  9. ↑ "BuildDirect® - Flooring, Decking, Siding, Roofing, and More". www.builddirect.com. Retrieved 2015-12-23.
  10. ↑ "BuildDirect | CrunchBase". www.crunchbase.com. Retrieved 2015-12-23.
  11. 1 2 "Dot-Com Survivor BuildDirect Bets The House To Battle Lowe's and Home Depot". Forbes. Retrieved 2015-12-23.
  12. ↑ OMERS. "OMERS Ventures". www.omersventures.com. Retrieved 2016-02-10.
  13. ↑ "BuildDirect® - Flooring, Decking, Siding, Roofing, and More". www.builddirect.com. Retrieved 2015-12-23.
  14. ↑ Brodie, David (13 December 2006). "BuildDirect Awarded for Exporting Excellence". PR Web. Retrieved 20 March 2014.
  15. ↑ "2012 JDR Industry Blogger Awards". Jackson Design & Remodeling. 2012. Retrieved 20 March 2014.
  16. ↑ "2014 List of the Aon Best Small and Medium Employers in Canada" (PDF). Aon Hewitt.
  17. ↑ "2015 List of the Aon Best Small and Medium Employers in Canada" (PDF). Aon Hewitt.
  18. ↑ "2015 Technology Impact Award Winners Announced". www.bctia.org. Retrieved 2015-12-22.

External links

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