Pilot of buyer’s card number deleted from the clock will be followed up

Evaluation of the effect of deleting the buyer’s card number from the clock on the size of the transaction, the price-setting and the auction process.

What is the effect of deleting the buyer's card number from the clock on the size of the transaction, the price-setting and the auction process?

At the end of 2012, during the first pilot of ''Card number deleted from the clock'' for the Chrysanthemum clock in Aalsmeer, the effect of this on e.g. the price-setting, transparency and the auction process was evaluated. Groups of growers and customers had long expressed the wish to auction without the buyer's card number displayed at the clock. The underlying idea is that the clock has become too transparent. The pilot, which ran smoothly, demonstrated that deleting the buyer's card number does not inhibit the purchasing behaviour and may benefit the price-setting. Buyers and growers, both proponents and opponents, were positive about the course of the pilot.

The analysis revealed indications that the price-setting was positively influenced. A number of interviewed buyers stated that they felt that the starting price was a bit higher and the price course more stable. As there was only one product in the pilot, at 1 location and for a relatively short period of three weeks, a confirmation of these results and thus a follow-up to the pilot are required before we can come to a definitive decision on extending this possibility to more clocks at more locations. Now that it is technically possible to conduct this trial at other clocks and other locations, we are busy preparing the next pilot for the cut flowers auction in Naaldwijk. In the second half of August, we plan to start this pilot at the rose clocks in Naaldwijk.

The FPC has approved this follow-up. Just before launching the new pilot, detailled information will be distributed to the various customer groups. Buyer's card number deleted from the clock is one of the innovative pilots of FloraHolland to modernise the clock.