Build.com
Encyclopedia
Build.com is an online home improvement company based in Chico, California
Chico, California
Chico is the most populous city in Butte County, California, United States. The population was 86,187 at the 2010 census, up from 59,954 at the time of the 2000 census...

.

History

In September 2000, Christian Friedland and David Boctor were working on their Computer Science
Computer science
Computer science or computing science is the study of the theoretical foundations of information and computation and of practical techniques for their implementation and application in computer systems...

 master’s project at California State University, Chico
California State University, Chico
California State University, Chico is the second-oldest campus in the twenty-three-campus California State University system. It is located in Chico, California, about ninety miles north of Sacramento...

. At the time, Friedland was employed at a local plumbing distributor and felt he could give customers access to a better selection of plumbing fixtures made available online. He and Boctor created an easy-to-browse online format and soon FaucetDirect.com was launched and operated out of Friedland’s college apartment.

In 2005, the company changed its name to ImprovementDirect.com, and in 2010, it launched Build.com as its new brand name.

Network of stores

The Build.com Network of Stores is:
  • Build.com (complete offering of all categories listed below)
  • FaucetDirect.com (plumbing products, like faucets, toilets and sinks)
  • LightingDirect.com (indoor and outdoor lighting products and ceiling fans)
  • HandleSets.com (door hardware and cabinet hardware)
  • PullsDirect.com (cabinet handles and pulls)
  • VentingDirect.com (ventilation)
  • VentingPipe.com (ventilation and piping)

About the company

Build.com employs more than 270 people (at December 2011), and is a subsidiary of Wolseley (builders' merchant)
Wolseley (builders' merchant)
Wolseley plc is a global building materials supplier company headquartered near Reading, United Kingdom. It is the world's largest heating and plumbing distributor to the professional market and has approximately 47,000 employees in 25 countries...

.

The achievements and business models of Build.com have caught the attention of Internet Retailer Magazine (considered an authority in the online retail space), which has featured many of Build.com’s executive team members in a number of its articles.

And since 2007, Build.com has been named to Internet Retailer Magazine’s annual Top 500 List of online retailers:
  • 2007—No. 165
  • 2008—No. 148
  • 2009—No. 127
  • 2010—No. 97
  • 2011—No. 80

Company culture and values

Outside of work, Build.com encourages its employees to participate in group sports, volunteer work and other social activities.
The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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