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ECaribou.com releases Internet-use survey

A recent survey conducted by eCaribou.com, Inc., has revealed that the use of the Internet by hvacr service companies for purchasing parts and equipment has initially been led by the nation’s larger businesses. Of the top 15% service companies, 60% are regularly transacting business online.

The company said that the barriers to purchasing on the Internet appear to be falling. Although the survey revealed that Internet access is the main reason hvacr contractors do not purchase online, the number of owners who have made their companies Internet-accessible has increased over 300% since 1997.

“The Internet is just beginning to make an impact on the hvacr industry in terms of being a reliable and complete source for e-commerce and technical information,” said James Townsend, executive vice-president of business development for eCaribou.com.

“As we continue to build the industry’s largest online marketplace, we have discovered that the industry’s market leaders are quickly adopting online purchasing as their standard method of doing business, as they discover the tremendous time- and cost-saving advantages associated with e-commerce.

“We are excited by the growth of e-commerce, but we also look forward to the future, where the greatest need for the hvacr industry lies in providing technical information and additional purchasing capabilities to small- and medium-sized service companies.”

For more information, visit eCaribou.com.