With ClockOnline, Marco Stolze and Soerinder Somai hope to not only make things easier for the growers, but also to bring about a change in mentality within the floral trade industry. The online trading platform makes the auction process cheaper and the logistics more efficient, but is especially designed to bring calmth in the traditionally hectic, early morning trade. For now, winning trust is of paramount importance. With trust, new customers will follow and Clock Online can potentially grow into a true game changer.
At the IPM Essen in Germany, the two gentlemen gave some live demonstrations. Twice a day an auction was organized, one at 6:30AM and one at 10AM. Before, after and in between auctions, products can also be bought (the so-called presale). The grower puts the products up for sale online and sets a minimum price. Once the auction is over, the grower sees what has been sold and collects the plants. In the course of the afternoon, orders are prepared and shipped. Buyers receive their products the next day.
Online ordering
ClockOnline can be accessed simply through an app or throught the website. The interface is just the same as the auction at Royal FloraHolland. The software keeps very close track of time, so that there the first bidder is indeerd the first, no matter where in the world he is based. ClockOnline takes care of the administration. Participantes pay a subscription fee and a small percentage over made transactions.
No auctioneer
A potential disadvantage is that no auctioneer is involved. In the case of human error, any mistakes have to be resolved by the buyer and seller themselves. There also is no quality control, but that is no different than with the existing auction clocks. Responsibility falls entirely on the shoulders of the trading parties.
Growth needed
There seems to be enough interest and registrations run smoothly. There are now more than 70 buyers and more than 110 growers registered, and during the fair the first European growers signed up. However, to get momentum it has to grow. "The biggest advantage of our system is that it brings calm," Soerinder concludes. "That's unique to us, it's inherent to the possibilities that the internet offers. But we have to learn how to use it, and that's certainly true for our trade. For 100 years people have had to show up at the action in the wee hours of the morning, but that's not necessary anymore. It can be different, if you can at least accept that the plants arrive in the evening or the next morning instead of in an hour. If that's accepted, then transport can also take place outside of rush hour traffic, which would benefit everyone. That requires a change in mentality, which is not something that just happens. We hope to get things moving with ClockOnline."
Click here for a short demonstration video.
For more information:
ClockOnline
Soerinder Somai - soerinder@time2save.nl
Marco Stolze - info@clockonline.nl
www.clockonline.nl