There are many multi-channel management tools available for managing your eBay sales, but last week I discovered a new one, Intact from Blue Rock Systems which is a software solution designed primarily for wholesale, distribution and merchants.
Intact is ideal for businesses such as builders merchants and electrical or plumbing wholesalers. Whilst primarily these are business to business sellers they often have a trade counter which is open to the general public. This type of business have different stock control requirements to many online retailers and the two key differentiators are often the amount of warehouse space required to store their products and the shipping requirements – it’s not easy to deliver a couple of pallets of bricks via a standard courier!
Where Intact gets really interesting is their eBay connection module called Bluebay. Intact already has the ability to publish live stock to a merchant’s website and customers can log in to view account information, order status and invoice information as well as check stock availability. The Bluebay module takes Intact onto eBay seamlessly importing orders and updating eBay when they’re dispatched.
I rather like the Blue Rock Systems offering, mainly because it gives businesses that may not be eBay’s traditional retailer type business the ability to easily trade on the marketplace. I’m fed up with going to my local B&Q just to discover that they don’t sell 8 by 4 foot boards, or running down to Jewsons to discover that they’ve not got the plumbing widget I need in stock.
It’s time that I could purchase everything from bricks to cement and from timber to copper pipe on eBay, and then either have it delivered or go and pick it up the same day. Amazon have already launched Amazon Supply in the US indicating that there’s a gap in the market for business supplies. eBay aren’t a retailer so any solutions which can attract building supply chain merchants with live local inventory to the site has to be a good thing.
If you’re interested in finding out more about Intact and Bluebay they would be more than happy to talk to you. Blue Rock Systems have offices in Southampton and Nottingham.
One Response
I am glad that Bluebay is listed on Tamebay. My company was an early adopter of BlueBay and we are thrilled with it. We are a multi million pound eBay seller and if it can cope with our volumes it can work anywhere.
We have been running Intact and Bluebay for over a year now and I would recommend the solution to any business who sells in a multi channel environment. Intact allows us to process our website, eBay, telephone and counter sales in one place and our ability to fulfil orders has increased substantially, meaning we are able to continue our rapid growth.
Mike Parker
Technical Director
Buyaparcel.com