Five Maine locations, family-owned since 1844
How S.W. Collins made buying local easier for contractors
S.W. Collins connected Toolbx with ECI Spruce so contractors can check account pricing, place orders and pay invoices outside branch hours.
Lumber and building materials · 5 locations across Maine
What changed
- $5.2M
- In online payments in the past 12 months
- 465
- Pro customers registered for online access
- 49%
- Of online-paying credit accounts returned four or more times
- 40%
- Of online orders placed outside regular business hours
From Toolbx platform data, October 2026.
S.W. Collins has served Maine communities since 1844. Today, the family-owned building supply dealer operates five locations and employs more than 100 people.
The team knew it could compete with larger dealers on pricing, inventory and service. Some customers, however, still assumed the big boxes would be cheaper or more convenient.
“Some customers had a perception that we’re priced too high, that we can’t compete with big box. We’re a family-owned business. How can we compete with them?”
The challenge was visibility. Contractors couldn’t always see their account pricing or confirm what was in stock without calling or visiting a location. Placing an order or paying an invoice also had to fit into the working day.
Clara and her team wanted to put that information directly in their customers’ hands.
Giving contractors access to their accounts online
In February 2025, S.W. Collins launched an ecommerce platform powered by Toolbx and integrated with ECI Spruce.
Contractors can now sign in to see their account pricing and current product availability. They can place orders, check balances, review account history and pay invoices online.
Our team joined S.W. Collins at its contractor show to help customers register and get comfortable with the platform. That collaboration continued after launch, with feedback from Clara and her team going directly to our product team.
Our ideas and feedback are actually listened to, and they make it to the product team. A few months later, we see actual changes that reflect that feedback.
Making online access part of the routine
As of October 2026, 465 pro customers have registered for online access.
Customers have made $5.2 million in online payments during the past 12 months. Nearly half of the credit accounts that have paid online have returned to make four or more payments.
Many customers are using the platform when S.W. Collins’ locations are closed. Forty percent of online orders and 30% of online payments arrive on weekends or outside the hours of 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
That flexibility fits the way contractors work. They can check pricing after leaving a job site, place the next day’s order from home or pay an invoice when they sit down to catch up on paperwork.
It also gives customers a clearer view of what S.W. Collins offers. They can see their pricing, check available inventory and make an informed decision without waiting for the next business day.
The biggest impact Toolbx has had on us is it’s really enabled us to connect with both new and existing customers on opportunities that we might not have otherwise had.
Extending the S.W. Collins experience online
For S.W. Collins, online access has become another part of how the team looks after its customers.
Contractors can take care of everyday account tasks on their own schedule. When they need product advice or help with an order, the S.W. Collins team is still only a call or visit away.
We asked Clara what she would tell another dealer considering Toolbx.
If another dealer was to ask me if Toolbx was worth it, I would say absolutely.
