Mr Nikiforov, the person behind the Slabs.Market project gave an interview to Stonenews.eu and he talked about what inspired him and his team to launch a platform like this one.
He also answered our questions about the future of the website.
Mr Nikiforov, Slabs.Market is a one-of-a-kind platform that allows slab sellers to access the website and helps connect suppliers and sellers. What inspired that concept?
I want to share my stone experience with others, and the most valuable lesson I’ve learned while working with stones and clients is that there are no good or bad stones. It’s a big mistake to think about nature’s creations in terms of “quality” or “guarantee”, as we do with manufactured things. Stone is a natural creation, and all we have to do is choose the ideal one for our needs. In some cases, what does not satisfy one customer turns out to be the perfect option for other projects.
With this principle in mind, it’s simple to realize that all we need to do is provide clients with a wide range of options most conveniently and transparently possible.
It’s nice to see that some companies have their online stock. The only issue is the lack of prices which are available on demand. It’s inconvenient as we waste time checking the prices, downloading (typically low-resolution) images, and sending them to clients. It takes a significant amount of time and money.
We prefer, and I believe that is the only fair way, to let customers choose what they want in one marketplace with open prices and a wide variety of natural stones. As I’ve mentioned, there is no such thing as a bad or good sense of aesthetics. It is entirely up to the client to choose (don’t get me wrong, I’m talking about colours and visual characteristics, not technological aspects that require specialized help, which we provide on Slabs.Market).
What inspired you to create this platform?
With 20 years of project experience, it was clear that the weak link was finding the appropriate stone (slabs) for the customer. Natural stone is the only material on the planet with such a wide range of colours and tone changes from piece to piece. We launched at a period when the internet was slow and inaccessible. Therefore, there were no modern messengers. It was very difficult to understand anything when I received photos of slabs from 100 to 200k bytes via email. Today, we have 5G in our pockets and high-resolution cameras on our phones, so we are closer to providing an accurate colour aesthetic on our phones.
As a photography hobbyist, I can assure you that there is no competition between analogue old-school and modern digital tools, and I sometimes wonder why people underestimate the value of quality photography equipment. These are tools that provide increased flexibility, speed, and quality.
So, my advice is: if you can afford high-speed internet, 4k – 8k HDR displays, 100M Pixel digital cameras, or even slabs scanners, try out a modern approach to slabs selling and buying. You may, of course, go old school and buy flight tickets for every piece of stone you need, which I respect, but there is always a chance of being disappointed and seeing something different from what you expected. Isn’t it best to prepare high-resolution images and video reviews first and then plan trips?
Slab producers gain the same benefits from going digital. To begin with, I feel that many producers have hidden jewels that they should share with the world to be recognized. Additionally, consider how much time is lost by compressing photos and distributing them on demand to various buyers via email, messengers etc. Following that, spend time presenting slabs during a face-to-face visit to the stock, which usually requires at least two people (one manager and one crane operator) plus a crane.
“Don’t work hard if you can work smart” – a simple and effective concept that reflects the attitude of the slabs market.
What was your background in the industry before starting Slabs.Market?
In April 2000, we started the company Mpamop.ru (the Russian word for “marble”) in Moscow and began trading stones. After a few years, we decided to start our cut-to-size production, primarily for domestic projects based on slabs. It is now a workshop equipped with the latest Italian CNC technology and software. We are now mostly digital, from measurement to designs, vein matching, client confirmation, and final cutting.
Slabs.Market currently offers more than ten distinct types of slabs. Are there thoughts of adding more?
That is not entirely correct; there is a distinction between stone categories, such as marble, granite, etc. They are grouped into sections to explain important stone characteristics in decorative stone usage and selection. However, they do not fully describe the geology of stones. Granite, for example, is known to be acid-resistant and difficult to scratch due to its hardness.
In this case, I believe ten categories are enough, but we shall see how the market develops. For example, “porphyry,” “basalt,” and “alabaster” do not appear on our website, but if they did, they would have separate categories. So far, this is unnecessary since we have not seen many such slabs from suppliers.
Are there any plans to expand the platform to other industries, such as machinery?
No, no such plans exist. Because our hearts have fallen in love with stone, we will continue to devote our project solely to slabs and stones.
To conclude, we understand how hard stone specialists operate in quarries, manufacturing, and slab distribution, with mind-blowing tasks including machinery, papers, safety, clients, etc.
We encourage people to work smarter where possible, which motivated us to bring the platform to life in the first place: to make life easier and more efficient for everyone, especially with the modern possibilities the world has to offer.
I would like to thank Stonenews.eu for the opportunity to introduce myself to their audience.
