By Agnes Shanley, ePlant E-commerce has been a great equalizer, bringing the ability to purchase products and services to anyone with an Internet connection. In addition, equipment integration, refurbishment and customization can pose major challenges, making trust a vital factor. For another, the online market will be limited, at least in the short term.
Online solutions vary.
AssetTrade offers features that allow companies to redeploy underutilized assets, typically commodity equipment, online. EquipNet, meanwhile, offers this capability for major capital equipment items. Traditional offline channels have become increasingly important. Not only can all companies accept orders in traditional paper or fax form, but print vehicles and advertising are still seen as critical. Last March, for example, Freemarkets bought the Chicago-based Surplus Record Machinery and Equipment Directory, which publishes a comprehensive listing of used equipment in English and in Spanish.