Forum Universe as a market place for car refinish portfolio B2B and B2C

Desired outcome

A global market place for car refinish products, specialized for pain and non-paint programme. Offering everything what potential body shop with painting programme needs. The platform where every dealers (distributor, importer, even producer) can take a part and sell/distribute their goods to the end client.

Initial Problem Description

Firstly, there is no specialized market place for the car refinish portfolio globally, one of the main problem is that end clients (body shops) are not aware about the product offered on the market. Having "black holes" in certain countries which are not sufficiently covered by official importers of well known world brands. Another issue is that there is no transparent platform regarding prices for selected products. Products are not well segmented by (1) quality; (2) functionality; (3) usability (4) price level. The main issue is that the end client (body shops) does not posses needed information and offered portfolio at one place. There are various distributors with e-shops fragmented by brands.

Context

Mr. Smith is a purchase manager of body shop "PAIN MY CAR", the company is using supplier "ABC", which represent world know brand "THE PAINT". Mr. Smith is thinking about alternative solutions (products) which exists, but he is having and issue to find information regarding the offer and price on one place. In case there would be such market place available globally Mr. Smith could see: (1) All available brands for certain area; (2) All available solutions as type of technology; (3) prices online; (4) distribution timing; (5) all relevant info at once place. The same is valid for B2C segment.

Connection to cross-cutting areas

Definitely with digitalization, since "brick and mortar" dealers (distributors, importers) could place their offer online and process the orders via platform as dropshipping model. Therefore, there is order & receive a goods on your address model in place. Meaning, we can cut old fashion way of sales (sales reps, visits, shops...).

Input

Trends in B2B and B2C segment in car refinish industry are slowly moving to digital platforms. Entire product information, offered prices, distribution channels and technical information will be soon transformed to digital platforms. In real life the only "analog" or "physical" way will be actual distribution of goods and using materials (pain and non-paint) on vehicles and other.

Expectations

Expected is following: (1) Finding technical way to set up a platform; (2) Finding and addressing all possible legislation barriers; (3) Finding a way to promote and sell the future platform among target clients; (4) Platform shall be scalable, meaning finding a way to list your product as a dealer from anywhere in the world; (5) Crucial is listing and commercial logic which from which will benefit A) Founder of Platform; B) Dealer (the one with listed portfolio); C) End client

Desired Team Profile

Team profile shall be consisted by members with strong knowledge in IT, specialized in B2B, B2C global platform for e-Commerce. Therefore all the payments systems, billing, international business and scalability. Second there shall be strong background in Marketing, meaning the ways to promote a platform among target audience. The last but not the last Sales/Business Development, the team shall find a model which will bring to all stakeholder benefits of joining such platform. Meaning, posses Entrepreneurial spirit, eagerness to target and acquire potential client as user of platform.

Additional Information

There are such platforms available globally for for wider product category, but not for the car refinish area. It is important to analyse current platforms, apply good practices and develop it's own way of platform which will be prepared for targeted clients which are in car paint business. The current business model of distribution is globally still very archaic, therefore it's time for some new business models which exists in other areas (FMCG, electronic consumer goods,..).

Related Keywords

• Industrial manufacturing, Material and Transport Technologies
• Digitalization
• Other
• Transportation