CHICAGO, April 28 /PRNewswire/ -- W.W. Grainger, Inc. (NYSE: GWW),
announced today that sales through its Web site, Grainger.com(TM), have
achieved an annualized run rate of $70 million. Grainger.com achieved sales
of $10.1 million for first quarter 1999, a 339 percent increase over the first
quarter 1998. In April 1999, sales exceeded the $13.5 million recorded to the
entire year of 1998. Grainger's Chairman and CEO, Richard L. Keyser released
Internet sales figures at Grainger's Shareholders' Meeting today.
Grainger.com offers more than 210,000 maintenance, repair and operating (MRO)
supplies online.
To date, Grainger has invested more than $25 million in electronic
commerce. "Grainger's focus on the Internet is part of our multi-channel
strategy. Just as our branches are conveniently located near most North
American businesses, Grainger.com is a click away from every business," stated
Keyser.
Donald Bielinski, Grainger group president, believes the company is
well-positioned to capture share in the fast growing business-to-business
Internet market. A recent Forrester Research, Inc. study projected this
market will reach $1.3 trillion by 2003. "The size of the market, Grainger's
leadership in Internet commerce and our expertise in MRO combine to represent
a significant growth opportunity," says Bielinski.
"We're capturing share online," says Daniel Hamburger, president, Grainger
Internet Commerce. "According to our studies, sales to customers who order on
Grainger.com are growing in excess of 32 percent, and average dollars per
order are nearly twice that of offline orders."
Grainger's Internet success has led to the development of the recently
announced OrderZone.com(SM). OrderZone.com is a new multi-distributor Web site
that brings an innovative Internet solution to business customers by
streamlining the purchasing process across multiple suppliers. The Web site
lets customers purchase a wide variety of products and services using one
order form and one invoice. OrderZone.com is scheduled to launch in May.
W.W. Grainger, Inc. (GWW) with 1998 sales of $4.3 billion, is the leading
North American provider of maintenance, repair, and operating (MRO) supplies,
services, and related information to businesses and institutions. GWW shares
are traded on the New York and Chicago stock exchanges. For more information,
visit Grainger online at http://www.grainger.com.
This document contains statements that are not historical facts and are
forward-looking. The forward-looking statements are based on the Company's
current expectations and some of them are subject to risks and uncertainties
the outcome of which could result in actual future performance being
materially different from the performance indicated. They should be read in
conjunction with the Company's most recent annual report, as well as the
Company's Form 10-K and other reports filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission, containing a discussion of the Company's business and of various
factors that may affect it.
SOURCE W.W. Grainger, Inc.
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http://www.grainger.com
Company News On-Call:
http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/953850.html or fax,
800-758-5804, ext. 953850
CONTACT:
Staci Dolgin-Rubinstein of Grainger Internet
Commerce, 847-573-2666
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