Abstract:

Managing the transportation process requires effective tools which can be used, among other ends, to establish business relationships, conclude transactions and settle payments for services (Othmani, Bouslama 2015). All these and other needs are met by electronic freight exchanges. Although most businesses with extensive freight needs already use such services, it remains unclear whether they are driven by necessity or convenience. It is important to analyze whether electronic freight exchanges have any shortcomings hindering the transportation process, and if so, determine who is at the losing end of these drawbacks, where they stem from, and whether they can be reduced or remedied to better optimize freight management. Many articles highlight the mainly positive impact of electronic freight exchanges on transport-related processes, and only a few point out the pain points. Many businesses may either overlook or ignore these red flags, making it pivotal to identify and raise awareness among users about potential threats of electronic freight exchanges along with ways to mitigate them in order to best reap the benefits offered by such platforms.