Upcycling 2.0: scrappel stirs up the recycling market with commercetools

MUNICH, BERLIN (Germany), April 12, 2018 – scrappel, the online marketplace brings a platform to the market that will make the digital sales process for recyclable materials really easy, transparent, and secure. It is based on the e-commerce platform from commercetools, which made the implementation possible.

More efficiency, transparency, and trustworthiness in materials handling was the goal of an innovation lab involving experts from a variety of areas within the industry. The result is scrappel, a digital marketplace for the trade in non-ferrous metals and scrap iron. The basis for the app’s design and interface was the observation that recycled materials dealers were processing their transactions on messenger services like WhatsApp. Using the agile microservices from the commercetools platform, allowed the scrappel project to be completed quickly and easily.

scrappel was designed first and foremost for use on mobile devices, but a desktop version is available as well. Dealers post their materials available for sale, and the negotiations and purchase agreements are transacted easily and efficiently via a WhatsApp-like interface.

Another big advantage of scrappel: a payment system was implemented with Treuhandservice, which offers the dealers the greatest possible security. This lets them avoid the added costs and low margins that come with providers like PayPal. All of the services required for the app were available through commercetools and can be custom combined. Spanic is more than happy with the result, saying, “From trading as a verified user all the way to payment and transportation, at scrappel we provide our users with the infrastructure they need to reach new customers and still expand their existing business.”

New avenues for e-commerce

With the initiative for the Innovation Lab and the innovative scrappel project that emerged from it, the ALBA Group is breaking new ground in agile project implementation as it moves away from its previously more traditional positioning. Partnering with ARITHNEA to find new solutions, the group commissioned a knowledgeable expert to assist with efficiently shaping the MVP levels and the implementation of the e-commerce backend, using the microservices from commercetools as the basis. They developed the architecture for the app by working in cooperation with adesso mobile solutions GmbH.

It often takes courage to experiment with new business development strategies, but there are opportunities for innovative new connections in the B2B and B2C area. It was already clear when scrappel was launched that the app would find great appeal among the recyclable materials dealers.

With the seamless cooperation between the participants, it only took six months from tender to completion.

More Information about scrappel here.