Online referral system points to distributor stock

Distributor Referral is a new online inventory checking system, which links up distributors and customers.

Distributor Referral (DREF) is Tyco Electronics' new online inventory checking system, which links up distributors and customers.

DREF enables "Internet visitors" to check for Tyco Electronics inventory at the distributor's location.

It links up a distributor's inventory using a virtual private network (VPN) connection.

Once set up, the VPN incurs no query costs to the distributor or Tyco Electronics.

Through a secure log-in, customers on the Tyco Electronics website will be able to identify which distributors are carrying stock of the product they are looking for.

They will see a screen that lists the distributors on the system, a yes or no to whether the distributor has stock of the part, and a contact number for each distributor.

Tyco Electronics personnel will be able to identify which distributors are carrying the parts they are looking for as well as the quantity of free stock that they have in real time.

Ian McFadyen, Industry Manager for Distribution from Tyco Electronics, comments: "DREF is a Tyco Electronics initiative that will seamlessly integrate our inventory with those of all our distributors, offering our customers a real-time view of stock availability throughout the UK and eventually Europe".

Up and running in the USA, DREF is in its early stages in the UK.

It is currently rolling out with Farnell first, with a whole host of distributors expected to link up in the near future.

DREF is also expected to roll out into key European markets and potentially the end game is to provide this innovative e-commerce facility globally.

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