Frequently Asked Questions About Our Products & Services
Q. What is MarketLink?
MarketLink is a global open Market Exchange that supports full-life-cycle trandsactions amongst pre-qualified members. All product description, logistics, and terms of sale, to include finacial committments are captured and managed by the system. MarketLink is a members only service and all members must meet pre-defined quality and financial guidelines. All information necessary to for you locate, evaluate, negotiate, and consummate transactions online is supported by MarketLink.
Q. What is PartnerLink?
PartnerLink allows companies to establish Private Trade Network with existing trade partners. PartnerLink is designed to facilitate full-life cycle transactions amongst buyers, sellers, and traders that have existing trade relationships. As a sales force automation tool, PartnerLink allows buyers, sellers, and traders to instantaneously communicate, collaborate, and negotiate what they want to buy or sell with everyone in the trade netowork simultaneously. All necessary product details, logistics and financial terms are supported by the system.
Q. What is a Private Trade Network?
A Private Trade Network is a group of buyers, sellers, and traders that have a pre-existing relationship. PartnerLinkprovides a collaborative transaction environment for buyers, sellers, and brokers/traders to conduct business online. The Lumber Market recognizes that many of the effeciencies a company can gain by using the Internet, can be applied directly to existing trade partners. This philosophy is the driving force behind our creation of PartnerLink. A Private Trade Network is established when a buyer, seller, or trader licences the PartnerLink system and adds their existing trade partners to their Private Trade Network.
Q. How can I benefit from using PartnerLink & MarketLink?
Whether you buy, sell, or trade hardwood lumber products on MarketLink, the benefits are numerous. Users of our system can expect to achive some of the following:
- Connect with your business partners faster and more efficiently.
- Create new business relationships, and expand your market reach.
- Minimize misunderstandings in day-to-day transactions.
- Quickly locate hard-to-find products.
- Efficiently move your inventory, and source needed products.
- Reduce the time and expense of purchasing and selling product
- Improve the efficiency, flexibility, and speed of your supply chain
- Improve the productivity of your purchasing and sales departments.
- Manage existing trade relationships
Q. Will The Lumber Market provide software?
The Lumber Market develops Internet based technology. All of our systems are accessible over the Internet in a format known as Software as a Service (SaaS). SaaS system do not require you to install software. Everything is done over the Internet. After your licing agreement is fialized registration is approved, all your company needs is a computer and Internet connection.
Q. What types of companies use PartnerLink and MarketLink?
PartnerLink and MarketLink are for companies that buy, sell, and trade hardwood lumber products in full truck and railcar load quantities. Our system is designed for furniture manufacturers, cabinet manufacturers, millwork/moulding manufacturers, flooring manufacturers, sawmills with kilns, sawmills without kilns, concentration yards, wholesalers/brokers/agents, and distribution yards. The Lumber Market offers different membership types based on your business classification. How your company plans to use our technology will affect whether you purchase a icense or membership.
Q. What types of licenses and memberships are available for PartnerLink & MarketLink?
There are three types of membership options if you choose to use the Marketlink system. MarketLink is an open Market Exchange accessible to pre-qualified companies. As a result, you may or may not know or have done business with before with the companies you buy and sell from on the system. Depending on your business classification, and whether you intend to buy, sell, or both, will determine which membership option you choose. The following membership options are available on the MarketLink system for pre-qualified members::
- Buyer: Becoming a MarketLink Buyer entitles your company to create an unlimited number of RFQ's that are dynamically matched to pre-qualified Sellers that are capable of filling your RFQ requirements. In addition, the MarketLink system will dynamically send Sales Offers to your company from pre-qualified MarketLink Sellers that match your company profile.
- Seller: Becoming a MarketLink Seller entitles your company to create an unlimited number of Sales Offers that are dynamically matched to pre-qualified Buyer that match your companies Sales Offer requirements. In addition, the MarketLink system will dynamicall send your company RFQ's created by MarketLink Buyers that match your company profile.
- Broker/Trader: Becoming a MarketLink Trader entitles your company to create an unlimited number of Sales Offers and RFQ's that are dynamically matched to pre-qualified Sellers & Buyer that match your companies Sales Offer or RFQ requirements. In addition, the MarketLink system will dynamicall send your company Sales Offers & RFQ's created by MarketLink Sellers & Buyers that match your company profile.
PartnerLink requires an annual licensing agreement. This system allows your company to establish a Private Trade Network with existing trade partners. PartnerLink is designed to facilitate full-life cycle transactions amongst buyers, sellers, and traders that know and trust one another, and do business together today. PartnerLink provides a bi-directional link between you and your trade network provding instaneous notficiation, collaboration, and negotiation of products for sale or purchase.
Q. How does The Lumber Market ensure that sale or purchase offer goes to only those businesses who are capable or likely to respond?
MarketLink identifies capable companies by matching characteristics of the lumber with each company's profile. As a result, the more information you provide, the better the Exchange will adapt to the needs of your business. The Exchange provides a bi-directional like between you and a global market of buyers, sellers, and brokers/traders. Every detail necessary to conduct trandactions online, such as product, packaging, shipping, and the terms of the sale, is captured and managed by our system.
Q. What will The Lumber Market provide to help businesses get started on the exchange?
After purchasing a membership on the MarketLink Exchange or PartnerLink - Private Trade Network license, The Lumber Market, will send a Welcome Packet that will include a letter from the CEO, a Quick Start Guide, and contact information for customer support. As with all of our products, The Lumber Market provides the following support and services free of charge with each membership and licensing agreement:
- Account Setup
- System Hosting
- Customer Support
- Company Training
- Free System Upgrades
- Transaction Reporting
- Free Advertising & Marketing
- New Buyers & Sellers Every Month
Q. Can I control who receives messages for the loads that I post on the exchange?
When creating a load of lumber, users can choose to send a notification to businesses in the company's approved list, his/her preferred list, or The Lumber Market's member list. Regardless of the distribution list chosen, the system only notifies companies who have capabilities to buy and/or sell the type of lumber specified in the load. If a user chooses to send a load to an approved or preferred list, and less than three (3) capable businesses are identified, the system notifies the user and prompts him/her to re-submit the load to a larger audience.
Q. What is a load?
A load is a full truck or railcar load of hardwood products created by either a buyer or seller. PartnerLink and MarketLink fully supports mixed loads and enables you to describe the attributes for each product that you add to a load for sale to include logistics and finaicial terms. .
If you submit a load for purchase, PartnerLink and MarketLink create a Request for Quote (RFQ). If you submit a load for sale, PartnerLink and MarketLink create a Broadcast Offer (BCO). Deending on which product you use, when you submit a load for sale or purchase, PartnerLink and and MarketLink notifies capable trading partners. Every detail necessary to describe the product, logistics, and terms of sale is captured and managed by the system and negotiable between participants during the transaction process.
Q. What is an RFQ?
An RFQ is created by a Buyer and stands for a "Request for Quote". At the time you submit a load for purchase, MarketLink generates an RFQ and sends your information to pre-qualified sellers on the MarketLink Exchange. RFQ's include a comprehensive product description, packaging requirements, shipping details, and terms of sale.
When you submit an RFQ on PartnerLink, your RFQ is sent to members of your Private Trade Network. RFQ's include a comprehensive product description, packaging requirements, shipping details, and terms of sale. PArtnerLink provides a bi-directional like between you and your existing trade partners. PartnerLink dynamically matches your RFQ requirements based on your partners ability to meet your needs.
Q. What is a BCO?
A BCO is created by a Seller and stands for "Broadcast Offer". At the time you submit a load for Sale using PartnerLink or MarketLink; a BCO is sent to qualified buyers based on the product description, packaging, shipping, and terms of sale. PartnerLink matches your BCO requirementskg with members of your Private Trade Network, while MarketLink dynamically matches your BCO requirements to qualified buyers based on their purchasing profile.
Q. How do I ensure that my company only receives loads with products that pertain to my business?
MarketLink and PartnerLink match characteristics of products in a load with your company's product profile. We match based on species, grade, region, thickness, and dryness. This ensures that you only receive loads that are relevant to your business. At any time, you can change your product profile to increase or decrease the types of loads your company receives.
Q. Can I control who receives my loads?
Yes. MarketLink and PartnerLink allow you to isolate transactions with your existing trade partners, or you have the option to send your offers to all qualified members on the Market Exchange. Regardless of which option you choose, MarketLink and PartnerLink are designed to dynamically match your offeres based on species, grade, region, thickness, and dryness. MarketLinkand PartnerLink only notifiy companies with product profiles that match the products in your load.
Q. How can I get started on MarketLink and/or PartnerLink?
The Lumber Market is actively promoting it's MarketLink Exchange, and the PartnerLink - Private Trade Network sales automation tool. Currently, we are offering a 20% discount off our annual membership and licensing fees. Please Fill Out Our Online Registration Form To Get Started Today! For additional information, please call us toll free at 855-210-9430, or direct at 404-483-1179.
