Platform to Trade Tech Equipment
Business Computing, New Straits Times - 5 January 2004
Prasanna Raman
SOME organisations invest millions of ringgit in computer purchases only to realise a couple of months later that the equipment are unable to meet their computing requirements. As a result, the organisations have little choice but to send the machines to the scrapyard.
Aware of how much wrong investments could cost, Basis Bay Sdn Bhd, an information technology (IT) solutions provider, set up e-Basis Bay Sdn Bhd.
The subsidiary, which is also a Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC)-status company, operates http://www.ebasisbay.com, a computer trading portal that allows enterprises to sell their computer hardware and peripherals, so as to not incur massive losses by just writing off their wrong investments.
Similarly, individuals who have bought laptops and personal computers as well as peripherals and later wish to upgrade their machines with more computing power or features need not worry about their investments going down the drain.
According to e-Basis Bay's managing director Praba Thiagarajah, ebasisbay.com is more than just a computer trading portal where new and used hardware can be bought and sold as the services rendered include installation, support as well as maintenance.
"Not only can organisations and individuals sell and buy equipment on the portal, our portal also provides a platform for vendors, brokers and other companies to trade their equipment," Praba says, adding that the e-commerce portal also opens the opportunities for vendors and manufacturers to sell their equipment.
Praba says vendors may use ebasisbay.com to list surplus stock, special offers or simply list the equipment they wish to sell, thus getting a new channel for them to sell equipment.
"In some cases, the availability of computer parts and equipment are scarce and deemed unavailable. Through an extensive network internationally, ebasisbay.com will be able to provide parts and computer equipment efficiently for any organisation," he adds.
Ebasisbay.com, according to Praba, will provide organisations the ability to purchase computer equipment, not only more effectively and quicker, but also more cost-efficient, because the regional location of the stock will be made known on the portal.
For buyers and sellers who may be sceptical on the condition of the equipment they wish to purchase online, E-Basis Bay will do an audit on the equipment. This will be done through its regional offices in Singapore, Thailand, Hong Kong and the Philippines, Praba says.
"We will offer support services to end users through our technically qualified partners. These support services include refurbishment, installation, extended warranty, help desk support, and maintenance," he adds.
As for the integrity of buyers and sellers involved in the trading process, Praba says ebasis bay.com will verify the identity and business worthiness of the users before a sales process is executed and help mitigate the potential risks of online transactions.
Another major issue that online buyers have to contend with is logistics.
"We're partnering up with logistics providers like DHL and Transware who will help us move the equipment from point A to B, freeing the buyer from the hassle of finding a logistics provider who will do the job well enough," Praba says.
Security, he adds, is another area that buyers and sellers can be assured of. "Our trading is done on a secure site, verified by Verisign, and payment can also be transacted securely on our portal."
Individuals can also choose the currency they wish to trade in, Praba says.
He adds that although prices are determined by the sellers, users will be able to purchase hardware equipment at a fair price as market forces will help determine the pricing of the computer hardware. The equipment for sale are listed extensively by product types and ranges on the portal.
Among the categories for the enterprise users are mainframes, mid-range, minicomputers, data storage products, personal computers, tape drives, hubs, display workstations, storage equipment, printers and consoles.
According to Praba, there are more than 1,000 categories and sub-categories of products and hardware listed to help buyers and sellers find exactly what they're looking for.
He says since the portal had its soft launch last August, its hit rates have been growing day-by-day.
"For the first two months after the launch, we've had some 10,000 hits. Since introducing our site at the Comdex show, weve begun to have listings from the US as well."
Other plans outlined for the portal include a help desk and e-mail support to facilitate end-user requirement, Praba says.
Users, he adds, will also get to place questions and discuss technical as well as non-technical issues on the forum platform.