Heard in the Channel: TTI improves online buying tools

Dec. 2, 2013
TTI enhances its multi-part upload tool; plus, Freescale readies for the holidays, element14 prepares for end-of-year awards and Sager sponsors Toys for Tots

Top 50 electronics distributor TTI, Inc. announced an improvement to its TTI Multi-Part Upload tool recently. Now, users can copy and paste their bill of materials (BOM) to initiate the upload process.  Once the uploading process is completed, they can choose familiar options such as Buy Now, Quote Request, Download a Quick Quote, or Add to Project List.

“Enhancing the Multi-Part Upload feature allows our customers to manage their bill of materials more quickly and efficiently online,” says Kevin Schubert, TTI’s vice president global Internet business. “This enhancement supports our development efforts with the goal of providing ongoing improvements in efficiency and ease-of-use for our customers.”

TTI also announced updates to its Part Search function. The site now predicts key words as the user starts typing. This intelligent search function can speed up the process and reduce the amount of clicks needed before finding the correct item.

The enhancements follow similar online improvements at TTI earlier this year. In June, the distributor announced its enhanced Lead Time Tool—allowing customers to view manufacturer lead-time information, including a rolling time frame that shows historic trending.

Holiday shopping Freescale-style

In other industry news, Freescale Semiconductor launched a holiday gadget guide designed to ease the shopping process for tech-minded gift givers. The site lists some of the newest tech and consumer electronic gifts powered by Freescale technology—from high-tech cameras to smart watches and more. Kobe e-readers, the Garmin Forerunner 10 GPS running watch, and Sonos wireless speakers are just a few of the featured offerings.

Distributor Sager Electronics is also getting into the holiday spirit by participating once again in the U.S Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots campaign. Sager’s Middleborough, Mass., corporate headquarters is an official drop-off station for new, unwrapped toys that will be donated to area charities as part of the Toys for Tots program. Sager’s service centers across the country are also participating in the program.

The Toys for Tots Program collects new, unwrapped toys throughout the months of October, November and December each year.  The toys are distributed as Christmas gifts to less fortunate children in the community in which the campaign is conducted.  For more information about the program, visit www.toysfortots.org. Sager is collecting toys for the program through December 21.

And in other industry news:

  • The element14 community will honor members with its 2013 Member Awards. Through December 6, members of the element14 community are invited to vote for Product of the Year, Project of the Year, Technology of the Year and Member of the Year. Winners will be announced the second week in December.
  • Mouser Electronics announced the launch of its new Wireless Charging Technology site. Part of the distributor’s Applications & Technologies resource offering, the site provides information on wireless charging technology as well as the components and development tools needed for design projects.
  • Mouser also announced its participation in the International Wireless Power Summit 2013, being held this week in Austin, Texas. The event takes place at the Downtown Omni Hotel in Dallas, December 4-6 and is focused on business strategies and technology developments in wireless power.
  • Avnet Electronics Marketing introduced the I/O Carrier Card, an extension of the MicroZed™ Evaluation Kit and System-on-Module (SOM) that offers hardware and software designers a proven, cost-effective prototype platform based on the Xilinx® Zynq®-7000 All Programmable SoC.  For information on the I/O Carrier Card and MicroZed go to www.microzed.org.

EVENTS

14th Annual ISM Indirect/Services Conference
December 5-6, 2013
Phoenix, Ariz.

SAE 2013 Counterfeit Parts Avoidance Symposium-South
December 10, 2013
Irving, Texas

University of Industrial Distribution
March 9-12, 2014
Indianapolis, Ind.

CARTS International
March 31 – April 4, 2014
Santa Clara, Calif.

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