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Computer & Software Stores Industry Report

Overview

The US computer and software store (computer store) industry includes about 10,000 stores with combined annual revenue of about $16 billion. No major companies dominate the industry.

SIC: 5734

NAICS: 443120

Sample Questions & Answers

How have retail price trends affected the company's merchandising strategy?

Rapidly declining retail prices for computers, peripherals, and software can squeeze margins, even when companies account for decreasing manufacturer prices. Intense competition and consumer demand for affordability have resulted in falling price...

How has the company developed ways to compete with multiple types of alternative retailers?

Computer stores face intense competition from a variety of sources, including consumer electronic stores, Internet and catalog retailers, computer and peripheral manufacturers, office supply stores, and mass merchandisers. As the general population...

To read this full Call Prep Question and others, purchase the full report.

General Report Description

Save valuable research time, increase confidence on sales calls, and get the competitive edge to win more business with Hoover's Industry Report. Proprietary editorial analysis synthesizes hundreds of sources into an easy-to-digest format so that you can quickly understand a client's business challenges. Insight into critical business issues, industry trends and opportunities, and financial benchmarks is an integral part of each report.

Sections Included in Report

Industry Overview
Quarterly Industry Update
Business Challenges
Trends and Opportunities
Call Preparation Questions
Financial Information
Industry Forecast
Website and Media Links
Glossary of Acronyms

Industry Report Highlights:

Recent Developments
Stay up to date on crucial industry news that may affect your strategy.
Trends & Opportunities
Identify avenues for expansion and get prospects thinking about growth opportunities that justify investing in your product.
Call Preparation Questions
Gain instant rapport with prospects during your sales calls using done-for-you call preparation questions.
Industry Forecast
Identify growth and integrate projections in your own business planning.

Business Challenges
Engage your prospects with solution selling that makes their life easier by first understanding their pain points.
Executive Insight
Identify the correct decision maker and tailor your presentation to his or her needs, and maximize the effectiveness of your pitch.
Financial Information
Increase your credibility and support your presentations by adding verifiable industry metrics.
Web Links & Acronyms
Speak the Prospect's language by demonstrating an understanding of industry trade associations and jargon.

Computer & Software Stores Industry Report

Professional Services Sector Industry Report

Overview

The US professional services industry includes about 770,000 firms with combined annual revenue of more than $1 trillion. Major firms include Booz Allen Hamilton, Computer Sciences Corporation (CSC), Gensler, IBM, Jacobs Engineering Group, Omnicom, PricewaterhouseCoopers, and Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom. The industry is highly fragmented: the 50 largest firms account for less than 20 percent of revenue.

SIC: 8743, 8999, 0781, 0741, 7335, 4731, 5199, 6541, 7221, 7291, 7311, 7312, 7313, 7319, 7331, 8742, 7336, 7361, 7371, 7373, 7376, 7379, 7389, 7819, 8111, 8711, 8712, 8713, 8721, 8731, 8732, 8734, 8741

NAICS: 541940, 541990, 541110, 541120, 541191, 541199, 541211, 541213, 541214, 541219, 541310, 541430, 541490, 541511, 541512, 541513, 541519, 541611, 541612, 541613, 541614, 541618, 541620, 541690, 541711, 541712, 541720, 541810, 541820, 541830, 541840, 541850, 541860, 541870, 541890, 541910, 541921, 541922, 541930, 541320, 541330, 541340, 541350, 541360, 541370, 541380, 541410, 541420

Sample Questions & Answers

How does the firm adapt to lower demand during economic slowdowns?

Many corporate customers cut outside expenses or delay major projects when profits are low. The revenue of many professional firms dropped during the late 2000s recession; particularly hard-hit were advertising, engineering, and IT services firms.

How does the firm mitigate the risk that customers will sue?

Because of the greater involvement of professional firms in the operations of corporate customers, firms face greater risk of blame or liability if their advice proves faulty. Customers are quicker to blame advisers, and regulators are more likely to...

To read this full Call Prep Question and others, purchase the full report.

General Report Description

Save valuable research time, increase confidence on sales calls, and get the competitive edge to win more business with Hoover's Industry Report. Proprietary editorial analysis synthesizes hundreds of sources into an easy-to-digest format so that you can quickly understand a client's business challenges. Insight into critical business issues, industry trends and opportunities, and financial benchmarks is an integral part of each report.

Sections Included in Report

Industry Overview
Quarterly Industry Update
Business Challenges
Trends and Opportunities
Call Preparation Questions
Financial Information
Industry Forecast
Website and Media Links
Glossary of Acronyms

Industry Report Highlights:

Recent Developments
Stay up to date on crucial industry news that may affect your strategy.
Trends & Opportunities
Identify avenues for expansion and get prospects thinking about growth opportunities that justify investing in your product.
Call Preparation Questions
Gain instant rapport with prospects during your sales calls using done-for-you call preparation questions.
Industry Forecast
Identify growth and integrate projections in your own business planning.

Business Challenges
Engage your prospects with solution selling that makes their life easier by first understanding their pain points.
Executive Insight
Identify the correct decision maker and tailor your presentation to his or her needs, and maximize the effectiveness of your pitch.
Financial Information
Increase your credibility and support your presentations by adding verifiable industry metrics.
Web Links & Acronyms
Speak the Prospect's language by demonstrating an understanding of industry trade associations and jargon.

Professional Services Sector Industry Report

Retail Sector Industry Report

Overview

The US retail industry includes about 1 million outlets with combined annual revenue of about $4 trillion. Major companies include Wal-Mart, Home Depot, Kroger, Costco, and Target. While large companies dominate some retail sectors (such as mass merchandisers and grocery stores), other sectors (such as auto dealers and convenience stores) are fragmented. Many specialty retailers are single-store operations.

SIC: 5983, 5984, 5989, 5992, 5993, 5994, 5995, 5999, 7389, 5211, 5231, 5251, 5261, 5271, 5311, 5331, 5399, 5411, 5421, 5431, 5441, 5451, 5461, 5499, 5511, 5521, 5531, 5541, 5551, 5561, 5571, 5599, 5611, 5621, 5632, 5641, 5651, 5661, 5712, 5713, 5714, 5722, 5731, 5734, 5735, 5736, 5912, 5921, 5932, 5941, 5942, 5943, 5944, 5945, 5946, 5947, 5948, 5961, 5962

NAICS: 445299, 445310, 446110, 446120, 446130, 446191, 446199, 447110, 447190, 448110, 448120, 448130, 448140, 448150, 448190, 448210, 448310, 454319, 454390, 448320, 451110, 451120, 451130, 451140, 451211, 451212, 451220, 452111, 452112, 452910, 452990, 453110, 453210, 453220, 453310, 453910, 453920, 453930, 453991, 453998, 454111, 454112, 454113, 454210, 454311, 454312, 441110, 441120, 441210, 441221, 441222, 441229, 441310, 441320, 442110, 442210, 442291, 442299, 443111, 443112, 443120, 443130, 444110, 444120, 444130, 444190, 444210, 444220, 445110, 445120, 445210, 445220, 445230, 445291, 445292

Sample Questions & Answers

How sensitive is the company's business to the economy?

Economic factors, including personal income, consumer confidence, job growth, and interest rates, can greatly affect consumer spending and the retail sector. During recessionary periods, retail sales growth can slow drastically and even decline.

How does the company compete with large retailers?

In many retail segments, large companies dominate and hold the majority of the market. Even specialty retailers in fragmented markets must compete with mass merchandisers and warehouse clubs that offer a smaller selection of comparable merchandise at...

To read this full Call Prep Question and others, purchase the full report.

General Report Description

Save valuable research time, increase confidence on sales calls, and get the competitive edge to win more business with Hoover's Industry Report. Proprietary editorial analysis synthesizes hundreds of sources into an easy-to-digest format so that you can quickly understand a client's business challenges. Insight into critical business issues, industry trends and opportunities, and financial benchmarks is an integral part of each report.

Sections Included in Report

Industry Overview
Quarterly Industry Update
Business Challenges
Trends and Opportunities
Call Preparation Questions
Financial Information
Industry Forecast
Website and Media Links
Glossary of Acronyms

Industry Report Highlights:

Recent Developments
Stay up to date on crucial industry news that may affect your strategy.
Trends & Opportunities
Identify avenues for expansion and get prospects thinking about growth opportunities that justify investing in your product.
Call Preparation Questions
Gain instant rapport with prospects during your sales calls using done-for-you call preparation questions.
Industry Forecast
Identify growth and integrate projections in your own business planning.

Business Challenges
Engage your prospects with solution selling that makes their life easier by first understanding their pain points.
Executive Insight
Identify the correct decision maker and tailor your presentation to his or her needs, and maximize the effectiveness of your pitch.
Financial Information
Increase your credibility and support your presentations by adding verifiable industry metrics.
Web Links & Acronyms
Speak the Prospect's language by demonstrating an understanding of industry trade associations and jargon.

Retail Sector Industry Report

Wholesale Sector Industry Report

Overview

The wholesale distribution industry in the US includes about 300,000 companies with combined annual sales of about $5 trillion. Large distributors include SYSCO (foods); McKesson (drugs); and Avnet (electronics). Distributors specialize by product. The industry is highly fragmented: the 50 largest distributors generate about 25 percent of industry revenue.

SIC: 5012, 5013, 5014, 5015, 5021, 5023, 5031, 5032, 5033, 5039, 5043, 5044, 5045, 5046, 5047, 5048, 5049, 5051, 5052, 5063, 5064, 5065, 5072, 5074, 5075, 5078, 5082, 5083, 5084, 5192, 5193, 5194, 5198, 5085, 5087, 5088, 5091, 5092, 5093, 5094, 5099, 5111, 5112, 5113, 5122, 5131, 5136, 5137, 5139, 5141, 5142, 5143, 5144, 5145, 5146, 5147, 5148, 5149, 5153, 5154, 5159, 5162, 5169, 5171, 5172, 5181, 5182, 5191

NAICS: 424480, 424490, 424510, 424520, 424590, 424610, 424690, 424710, 424720, 424810, 424820, 424910, 424920, 424930, 424940, 424950, 424990, 425110, 423310, 423320, 423330, 423390, 423410, 423420, 423430, 423440, 423450, 423460, 423490, 423510, 423520, 423610, 423620, 423690, 423710, 423720, 423730, 423740, 423810, 423820, 423830, 423840, 423850, 423860, 423910, 425120, 423110, 423120, 423130, 423140, 423210, 423220, 423920, 423930, 423940, 423990, 424110, 424120, 424130, 424210, 424310, 424320, 424330, 424340, 424410, 424420, 424430, 424440, 424450, 424460, 424470

Sample Questions & Answers

How do changes in interest rates affect the company's profits?

Because many distributors finance their inventories, they're sensitive to interest rates. On average, distributors hold inventory equal to 35 days sales, but machinery distributors may hold products for more than 50 days. Food and petroleum product...

How much business has the company lost due to retailers buying directly from manufacturers?

Big retailers like Wal-Mart, Home Depot, and Costco buy much of their merchandise directly from manufacturers, bypassing distributors. Because they buy in large quantity and operate their own warehouse systems, these retailers don't need distributors.

To read this full Call Prep Question and others, purchase the full report.

General Report Description

Save valuable research time, increase confidence on sales calls, and get the competitive edge to win more business with Hoover's Industry Report. Proprietary editorial analysis synthesizes hundreds of sources into an easy-to-digest format so that you can quickly understand a client's business challenges. Insight into critical business issues, industry trends and opportunities, and financial benchmarks is an integral part of each report.

Sections Included in Report

Industry Overview
Quarterly Industry Update
Business Challenges
Trends and Opportunities
Call Preparation Questions
Financial Information
Industry Forecast
Website and Media Links
Glossary of Acronyms

Industry Report Highlights:

Recent Developments
Stay up to date on crucial industry news that may affect your strategy.
Trends & Opportunities
Identify avenues for expansion and get prospects thinking about growth opportunities that justify investing in your product.
Call Preparation Questions
Gain instant rapport with prospects during your sales calls using done-for-you call preparation questions.
Industry Forecast
Identify growth and integrate projections in your own business planning.

Business Challenges
Engage your prospects with solution selling that makes their life easier by first understanding their pain points.
Executive Insight
Identify the correct decision maker and tailor your presentation to his or her needs, and maximize the effectiveness of your pitch.
Financial Information
Increase your credibility and support your presentations by adding verifiable industry metrics.
Web Links & Acronyms
Speak the Prospect's language by demonstrating an understanding of industry trade associations and jargon.

Wholesale Sector Industry Report

Information Technology Services Industry Report

Overview

The US information technology (IT) services industry includes about 100,000 companies with combined annual revenue of about $290 billion. Major companies include Computer Sciences Corporation (CSC), Unisys, and the technology consulting arms of IBM and Hewlett-Packard. The computer facilities management segment of the industry is highly concentrated: the 50 largest companies generate about 80 percent of revenue. The rest of the industry is concentrated: the 50 largest companies account for about 50 percent of revenue.

SIC: 7376, 7373, 7371, 7379

NAICS: 541511, 541512, 541513, 541519

Sample Questions & Answers

How does the company manage shifts in corporate technology spending?

Because spending for IT services comes mainly from corporation upgrades, much of it can be postponed during economic downturns. A large percentage of annual US capital investment is computer-related, exposing IT spending to economic cycles

How vulnerable is the company to nontraditional competition?

As computer and communication hardware and software become commodity-type products with lower margins, their manufacturers are providing more integration and maintenance services, in competition with traditional IT companies. Often manufacturers,...

To read this full Call Prep Question and others, purchase the full report.

General Report Description

Save valuable research time, increase confidence on sales calls, and get the competitive edge to win more business with Hoover's Industry Report. Proprietary editorial analysis synthesizes hundreds of sources into an easy-to-digest format so that you can quickly understand a client's business challenges. Insight into critical business issues, industry trends and opportunities, and financial benchmarks is an integral part of each report.

Sections Included in Report

Industry Overview
Quarterly Industry Update
Business Challenges
Trends and Opportunities
Call Preparation Questions
Financial Information
Industry Forecast
Website and Media Links
Glossary of Acronyms

Industry Report Highlights:

Recent Developments
Stay up to date on crucial industry news that may affect your strategy.
Trends & Opportunities
Identify avenues for expansion and get prospects thinking about growth opportunities that justify investing in your product.
Call Preparation Questions
Gain instant rapport with prospects during your sales calls using done-for-you call preparation questions.
Industry Forecast
Identify growth and integrate projections in your own business planning.

Business Challenges
Engage your prospects with solution selling that makes their life easier by first understanding their pain points.
Executive Insight
Identify the correct decision maker and tailor your presentation to his or her needs, and maximize the effectiveness of your pitch.
Financial Information
Increase your credibility and support your presentations by adding verifiable industry metrics.
Web Links & Acronyms
Speak the Prospect's language by demonstrating an understanding of industry trade associations and jargon.

Information Technology Services Industry Report

Internet & Mail-Order Retail Industry Report

Overview

The Internet and mail-order retail industry in the US includes about 20,000 companies with combined annual revenue of about $270 billion. Major companies include Lands’ End, LL Bean, Amazon, Overstock, and Hanover Direct. The industry is concentrated: the top 50 companies account for about 70 percent of industry revenue. Over the past five years, the bulk of the industry's revenue has shifted from catalog to Internet sales. While most brick-and-mortar retailers have an online presence and many also offer catalog sales, this profile focuses on retailers who use the Internet or catalogs as their sole or primary sales channel.

SIC: 5961

NAICS: 454111, 454113

Sample Questions & Answers

How does the current economic environment affect the company's sales outlook?

Catalog and Internet retailers sell primarily discretionary goods and services, so demand varies with changes in personal income. Consumers delay or cut back on computers, new clothing, home furnishings, and other discretionary items when the economy...

How does the company compete with online sales by traditional retailers?

Traditional retailers are becoming the dominant online retailers by leveraging high consumer awareness. Consumers are moving to large brands that have online capability and that they're familiar with. Internet retailing has been growing rapidly.

To read this full Call Prep Question and others, purchase the full report.

General Report Description

Save valuable research time, increase confidence on sales calls, and get the competitive edge to win more business with Hoover's Industry Report. Proprietary editorial analysis synthesizes hundreds of sources into an easy-to-digest format so that you can quickly understand a client's business challenges. Insight into critical business issues, industry trends and opportunities, and financial benchmarks is an integral part of each report.

Sections Included in Report

Industry Overview
Quarterly Industry Update
Business Challenges
Trends and Opportunities
Call Preparation Questions
Financial Information
Industry Forecast
Website and Media Links
Glossary of Acronyms

Industry Report Highlights:

Recent Developments
Stay up to date on crucial industry news that may affect your strategy.
Trends & Opportunities
Identify avenues for expansion and get prospects thinking about growth opportunities that justify investing in your product.
Call Preparation Questions
Gain instant rapport with prospects during your sales calls using done-for-you call preparation questions.
Industry Forecast
Identify growth and integrate projections in your own business planning.

Business Challenges
Engage your prospects with solution selling that makes their life easier by first understanding their pain points.
Executive Insight
Identify the correct decision maker and tailor your presentation to his or her needs, and maximize the effectiveness of your pitch.
Financial Information
Increase your credibility and support your presentations by adding verifiable industry metrics.
Web Links & Acronyms
Speak the Prospect's language by demonstrating an understanding of industry trade associations and jargon.

Internet & Mail-Order Retail Industry Report

Computer & Office Equipment Wholesalers Industry Report

Overview

The US computer and office equipment distribution industry includes about 18,000 establishments (single-location companies and units of multi-location companies) with combined annual revenue of about $265 billion. Major companies include Ingram Micro, ScanSource, Tech Data, and Westcon Group, as well as divisions of diversified electronics distributors such as Arrow Electronics and Avnet. The industry is concentrated: the top 50 companies account for about 75 percent of revenue.

SIC: 5045, 5044

NAICS: 423420, 423430

Sample Questions & Answers

How are anticipated changes in the US economy expected to impact the company?

Sales of office and computer equipment depend on a growing economy and rising corporate profits. Revenue for computer wholesalers fell by about 20 percent during the recession of the late 2000s. During economic downturns, businesses and consumers can...

How does the company protect itself from falling prices?

The value of computer and office equipment distributor inventories can rapidly decrease. Because of innovation, manufacturers frequently improve products and cut prices. Distributors may have price protection agreements with some suppliers, but try...

To read this full Call Prep Question and others, purchase the full report.

General Report Description

Save valuable research time, increase confidence on sales calls, and get the competitive edge to win more business with Hoover's Industry Report. Proprietary editorial analysis synthesizes hundreds of sources into an easy-to-digest format so that you can quickly understand a client's business challenges. Insight into critical business issues, industry trends and opportunities, and financial benchmarks is an integral part of each report.

Sections Included in Report

Industry Overview
Quarterly Industry Update
Business Challenges
Trends and Opportunities
Call Preparation Questions
Financial Information
Industry Forecast
Website and Media Links
Glossary of Acronyms

Industry Report Highlights:

Recent Developments
Stay up to date on crucial industry news that may affect your strategy.
Trends & Opportunities
Identify avenues for expansion and get prospects thinking about growth opportunities that justify investing in your product.
Call Preparation Questions
Gain instant rapport with prospects during your sales calls using done-for-you call preparation questions.
Industry Forecast
Identify growth and integrate projections in your own business planning.

Business Challenges
Engage your prospects with solution selling that makes their life easier by first understanding their pain points.
Executive Insight
Identify the correct decision maker and tailor your presentation to his or her needs, and maximize the effectiveness of your pitch.
Financial Information
Increase your credibility and support your presentations by adding verifiable industry metrics.
Web Links & Acronyms
Speak the Prospect's language by demonstrating an understanding of industry trade associations and jargon.

Computer & Office Equipment Wholesalers Industry Report