Coburn Supply Achieves 15X ROI With Pricing Optimization

Profile

For 90 years, Coburn's Supply Company has remained a family-owned distributor of commercial and residential plumbing, electrical, waterworks, and HVAC products and services. Coburn's has more than 50 locations and three centrally located distribution centers serving Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Tennessee — providing a large variety of quality products efficiently.

Coburn's Supply Company, founded over four decades ago, has established itself as the premier provider in the plumbing, heating, air conditioning, electrical, builder products, and appliances sectors. With a robust network of branches across multiple regions, Coburn's prides itself on offering high-quality products and exceptional customer service.

As market conditions evolved, Coburn's faced increasing pressure to maintain its competitive edge while managing complex pricing strategies across its diverse product range. Prior to partnering with epaCUBE, Coburn's wrestled with ineffective pricing strategies, relying on outdated tools that were both time-consuming and inefficient.

The Problem

• Fragmented pricing across categories
• Outdated pricing tools
• Slow rebate processing
• Limited pricing visibility

Challenges

Coburn's faced multiple challenges in their pricing strategy. The primary issue was an ineffective matrix and strategy implementation. The lack of cohesion and consistency resulted in fragmented pricing across various product categories — confusing customers and leading to lost revenue opportunities.

Outdated tools interfered with the company’s ability to respond swiftly to market changes. Furthermore, the diverse range of products and the unique demands of different regional markets added layers of complexity. Each region had its own market dynamics, making a one-size-fits-all pricing strategy unworkable.

Pricing Optimization

Coburn's worked alongside epaCUBE to roll out a Global Price Matrix Model in December 2020. This comprehensive model covered 300 product categories and was successfully implemented within just 3–4 months. The new matrix provided a cohesive pricing framework, eliminating inconsistencies and setting the stage for improved profitability.

By June 2021, automation and advanced analytics capabilities translated into impressive weekly margin gains. epaCUBE also facilitated market-specific strategies, allowing Coburn's to tailor pricing to the unique demands of regions like Houston and Nashville. Stakeholder buy-in from top management aligned the pricing vision with overall business goals.

Rebate Management

Since adopting epaCUBE’s Claimback Rebate Manager software, Coburn's Supply has experienced remarkable success in streamlining their financial processes. Previously, it took weeks to compile and submit claimback amounts to vendors each month.

Now, that process has been reduced from weeks to just a couple of days. The software automates the entire process, including generating proof of purchase information. Even when customers are enrolled in multiple rebate programs, the software allows setting priorities for which contracts to claim against — ensuring maximum efficiency and accuracy.

Results

The collaboration between epaCUBE and Coburns Supply provided substantial results, structurally transforming the company’s operational efficiency and financial performance.

• Consistent weekly margin gains
• Faster response to market changes
• Improved operational efficiency
• Strong ROI within 24 months

Conclusion

The strategic collaboration between epaCUBE and Coburns Supply Company led to a significant transformation in Coburns’ pricing processes, highlighting the vital role of consistency, efficiency, and data-driven decision-making in achieving sustainable growth.

Leveraging epaCUBE’s advanced pricing solutions, Coburns implemented a cohesive global price matrix and market-specific approaches. This not only improved operational efficiency and profitability but also fostered a culture of innovation and adaptability.

As a result, Coburns is now well-positioned for long-term success in a competitive market — demonstrating how strategic partnerships and advanced technology can drive substantial improvements and growth.