Case Study: RS Components achieves rapid e-commerce growth and 30% lower processing costs with SAP Ariba

Driving Compliance and Business Growth through Collaborative E-Commerce

RS Components, part of Electrocomponents plc and a leading high-service distributor of electronics and maintenance, needed a market-leading, cost-effective e-commerce approach that would add value for customers while meeting diverse technical and geographical requirements. The company also aimed to increase contract and channel compliance and gain the tools and resources to be seen as a trusted business partner rather than just another seller.

To do this RS launched its first fully transactional website in 1998 and adopted best-practice e-commerce technologies, leveraging the Ariba Network and PunchOut to support automated processes, local content, e-procurement and e-invoicing. Today RS transacts over 50% of its business electronically—selling more than £500 million annually online with an order every 10 seconds—has cut order processing and catalog distribution costs by 30%, completed over 2,000 e-commerce integrations, and strengthened its position as a trusted, globally integrated partner.

RS Components

Cliff Ratcliff

e-Applications Manager