Abstract

The caselet examines the unique e-commerce operations of Metaljunction Services Ltd., which have revolutionized the way metals are sold and purchased in India. The caselet details how MSL catered to both ends of the value chain, namely, e-selling (through metaljunction.com) and e-procurement services (through commerce junction.com). The caselet also discusses the various other initiatives taken by the company, like online financial services, the setting up of coaljunction.com to provide e-selling services to coal companies and the launch of an online store for selling branded and non-branded fixed price prime steel. The latter part of the caselet deals with the various promotional initiatives taken by MSL to bag the position of the world’s leading e-marketplace for steel.

Learning Objectives

The case is structured to achieve the following Learning Objectives:

• The importance and advantages of e-marketplace for selling commodities
• The e-selling and e-procurement services of Metaljunction Services Ltd.
• The various initiatives of Metaljunction Services Ltd., to promote itself and become the world’s leading e-marketplace for steel
• and The transactional relationship of Metaljunction Services Ltd., with its clients and the channel partners of its clients

Keywords

Metaljunction Services Ltd., Tata Steel, Steel Authority of India Ltd., Tata Teleservices Ltd., SAIL, ITC Limited, E-commerce, E-marketplace, E-procurement, E-selling, Value chain, Sales chain, Commercejunction.com, Metaljunction.com, Working capital, Online financial services, Channel partners, Coaljunction, Det Norske Veritas, E-sourcing