Since most of the world already does a lot of their shopping online, the question on the mind of HVAC contractors who are thinking about starting an online store of their own, might just be where to start. They can start by either selling online internally, or by collaborating with a strategic partner. At C&C Heating and Air Conditioning, they partner with Contractor Commerce. Dayna Hottle, general manager at C&C, said the partnership eliminates the need for them to stock filters, as they ship directly to the end consumer, ensuring delivery in just a few days. Contractors also have to decide what to sell. What they should sell is really on a case-by-case basis, based on what makes the most sense for their business. Paul Redman, vice president of sales and success at Contractor Commerce, divides the types of products contractors can sell online into three categories: products a third-party professional company would fulfill for a contractor, products that can be shipped to a customer’s home (maybe even as an installed service), and then recurring revenue services like memberships or subscriptions. Contractors then have to market their online store.

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