Pastel opens latest e-marketplace

Johannesburg, 03 Sept 2001

E-marketplaces continue to attract attention and the latest company to move into this space is Pastel Software, makers of accounting and payroll software.

Announcing the launch of TradeZone, Pastel MD Stephen Corrigan said: "South African business communities are crying out for a convenient and cost-effective electronic medium that empowers them to identify and exploit local, African and international opportunities."

TradeZone is aimed at both small and large companies, said Corrigan, and for a subscription fee the service promises to provide traders with qualified trade leads, as well as a set of tools to facilitate the trading process. TradeZone is accessed through the PlanetPastel portal and is supported by I-Net Bridge

"A surprising number of countries are using Internet technology to operate in our backyard with the result that our local markets are becoming increasingly competitive," said Corrigan. "No company can afford to rest on its past achievements. With this in mind we introduced TradeZone as another cornerstone of our strategic plan to give companies a competitive advantage through a business software solution that goes beyond accounting."

Buyers using TradeZone have the option of selecting from two packages: Source Link and Buyer Lite.

Source Link is the professional procurement package for larger organisations and links buyers and suppliers on a daily basis, provides quote-back, ordering and monitoring facilities and can be integrated with the current suppliers` database and product range.

Source Link cuts down inefficiencies in the procurement process. Benefits include a wide base of suppliers; access via fax, e-mail and cellphones; competitive quotes; the ability to track enquiries or tenders through the system; security controls; comprehensive reporting; and standardised quotation reports.

The Buyer Lite package is a similar procurement package but designed for the needs of smaller organisations. It is an entry-level product for small, low-volume businesses or for larger businesses that want to enter e-procurement on a low-risk, low-cost scale.

For suppliers, TradeZone publishes tenders and enquiries, including those from state and provincial tender boards, mining houses, city councils and municipalities, works departments, Telkom, prisons, defence force, and hospitals. Tenders and enquiries are broken down into geographic areas and product groups. Suppliers receive information relevant to their business needs on a daily basis via e-mail, online Web or fax.

"Both the buyer packages as well as the supplier package are very user-friendly and can be operated simply by following the online prompts," says Corrigan. "Any business with Internet access can log on to PlanetPastel.com and access TradeZone. The facility is free to buyers. Suppliers are charged varying rates depending on the option they select but can receive the service from as little as R399 a month."