Component Buyer Tip #4: Evaluating Shortage Suppliers on Quality and Timeliness of Information

Research shows that buyers spend a full 40 percent of their time on shortages: a mere 1 percent of their annual spend. Why? Largely because of the need to watch their grey market suppliers like a hawk. Too often, a grey market supplier, either broker or independent distributor, will claim to be able to fill a buyer’s shortage, but may not always have the correct date code, lot code or even the...