Probrand launches online marketplace

Probrand has launched an online marketplace with the ambition of establishing a firm grip on a potentially different route to the customer.

The firm merged its reseller and managed services businesses last year and set about building an enterprise marketplace platform. The switch is now ready to be flicked with 300,000 products online with live price and stock level updates.

“Our marketplace is a direct response to business buyers wanting a new way to buy IT products and services. They want ease, transparency and savings via consumer style self-service that delivers business pricing and process," said Probrand supply chain director, Ian Nethercot.

“Suppliers want the same to unlock opportunity. We see a channel to supply IT and have open conversations with resellers, MSP’s, distributors, vendors and ERP providers looking to maximise the buy and supply opportunities our marketplace presents," he added.

Probrand pointed to the significant number of customer buying decisions that started online and the lack of effectiveness that cold calls now have.

Alongside the product listing the platform also gives customers the chance to configure their own marketplaces with the option to add other categories to establish it as a procurement tool.

“We have transformed a pipeline business into a software-defined platform business that is now well positioned to support others on their digital journey.”

Matt Ruskin, channel manager at Lenovo UK and Ireland, said: "The Probrand marketplace delivers efficiency and scale, driving and protecting the channel. We have already seen the added value it brings. The business has put digital at its core to deliver value to both sides of the buy-supply community."

There have been attempts in the past to provide customers with the chance to look at products online but the channel has so far never quite matched the success of Amazon and eBay.