Credit is the risk in this trade. A contractor with an unpaid balance and a full trolley is a decision somebody has to make at the counter, and it should be visible before the conversation rather than after it.
Cable prices follow the metal. Copper moves enough that a quotation issued last month can be below cost today, so prices need a date attached and quotes need an expiry.
Rule changes strand inventory. Products that no longer satisfy a current requirement become difficult to sell, and knowing how many are on the shelf when the change is announced decides whether they are cleared or written off.
Speed at the counter is the product. Knowing which aisle, which shelf and how many are left is what turns a five-minute visit into a customer who comes back tomorrow instead of ordering online tonight.