Auction Challenges & Solutions for B2B
There are also some common challenges for online these auctions, so we've developed solutions to help you address these.
Product Fulfillment and Shipping Options for B2B Auctions
A challenge for B2B is often the fulfillment of items. Depending on what type of item it is, and it could be a fairly complex or expensive item, there may be intermediate steps that are necessary.
For example, if it's a house, it may be necessary to have extra steps, such as an inspection process or other standard processes. There may still need to be the ability to have some negotiating time period and closing process. Even though there's bidding going on, it depends on the nature of the auction process. Similarly, with a really expensive piece of jewelry, it may be necessary to get it certified or appraised.
On the fulfillment side of things, it can be really interesting to fill large pieces of surplus equipment, for example, because the shipping might vary.
We also need to incorporate language into the auction website, so that the purchaser understands the shipping options and cost will vary based on their selection. The online auction website isn't taking ownership of the shipping costs portion but can help facilitate that.
Clarity can certainly help coordinate with the company on what their processes are and establish a workflow that makes sense for companies and their customers. They'd be able to see standard options, for example, if they need intermodal shipping.
If retailers need large freight shipments, we can help with the logistical coordination, or they can select their own logistics solution. In doing the latter, suppliers would need to get information about what to send and how to send it, as well as estimates and quotes on those things from their logistics provider. It's also fairly common for businesses to deal with customs and duties in international shipping, so there needs to be a process to deal with that.
Being able to deal with these things from a feature perspective tends to help up front. We can tell the potential buyer that the country they have listed will probably result in paying customs and duties, or their freight is probably going to be relatively expensive, for example. Customer returns—and product conditions that can changes during shipping—can be another problem, especially considering the considerable freight charges.