With Amazon-style online shopping becoming the new normal for most people, shipping is still lagging behind. Danish-based Moscord has now set up its latest online shopping platform to ease the maritime market into the future of online shopping, writes Samantha Fisk
Online shopping has been viewed as both a sinner and a saint in the years that it has been establishing[ds_preview] itself. Whilst online shopping has created greater ease for consumers to purchase goods, the reverse of this has seen a detrimental effect for the high street shop. But, online shopping is appearing to be the way forward for many and looks to be the way consumers will be shopping in the future.
Shipping has been lacking on keeping up with this phenomenon, although shipping firms such as Maersk have been looking at market places such as Amazon for future business arrangements, the rest of the market still is hesitant to look in the opportunities this type of purchasing platform could bring.
Freddy Ingemann, Founder & CEO, Moscord explains about the new way of purchasing: »We will see what we have seen in all other businesses. You will see changes here of course because of digitalisation and the client seems interested. So, you could call it disruption, but it will happen, it will be leaner, greener. More planned procurement, more contract and catalogue contract-based buying as we see in other industries.«
Today’s shipping business is fragmented in the way it operates and can be frustrating and confusing for both client and supplier, but whether it will adapt to this new way of doing business is yet to be seen. However, Moscord aims at creating smoother processes that will allow the simplification of purchasing supplies and equipment, whilst still working within the requirements of the shipping industry.
»I think at Moscord they have better control of the procurement process from the suppliers than without. They will always know they will get what they order which is not the case today,« adds Ingemann.
One of the many benefits that the Moscord platform aims at giving its customers is the control over purchasing. Like with Amazon, the ease of purchase through clear and easy navigation of the platform through continuity of the purchasing application itself and also tracking of orders is something that Moscord has also built into its own design.
Ingeman notes that: »It’s a big advantage for the purchaser to get more control. They know where the products are coming from. From the supplier’s side they will know who has bought their products.«
The platform will function very similarly to other shopping platforms that we see on the internet today, allowing customers greater access to more products. The platform also has features such as book marking for repeat orders with Moscord also looking to implement a chat function to the site for customers with queries about products. »It’s about bringing the market to the ship,« highlights Ingemann.
Another feature that Ingemann notes about Moscord is that like Amazon, it aims to do to the door delivery, or last mile delivery. According to the CEO this is where a lot of manufacturing companies struggle to be able to get products out to certain locations. Moscord are looking, quite literally, at going the extra mile to provide a service that will deliver products to the door.
The benefits that such a platform can have are also far reaching, as Ingemann points out that it is not just about the streamlining of the purchasing process that there are also other factors such as making the whole purchasing process more transparent. Also, the process is more environmentally friendly, as we see too much transporting of parts around the globe.
Currently, the platform has focused on the supply of parts with names such as Schneider and Danfoss that have already signed up to the platform. Going forward Moscord looks to developing its platform so that it will include both larger products and also food and medical supplies.
Samantha Fisk
