RegioCart
Integrated e-marketplace with delivery, tracking, invoicing and accountability services
Description
RegioCart (short for “regional shopping cart”) was an online marketplace designed to support regional agri-food markets in Germany by facilitating direct digital sales between producers and consumers. The platform enabled transactions related to sales, delivery scheduling, invoicing, accounting, and payments. It was tailored for local agri-food producers—including farmers, butchers, beekeepers, winemakers, and bakers—and featured intuitive tools for sellers to manage product listings, delivery windows, and order deadlines. The platform complied with Regulation (EU) 1169/2011 on food information and included automatic invoice generation and integrated accounting.
Technology
The RegioCart integrated cloud software solution and could be accessed via a browser or an Android mobile application available on Google Play, and was integrated with MangoPay, a modular infrastructure technology for e-payments.
Target
The main users of the platform were regional, organic and non-organically certified agri-food producers, sellers, consumers and delivery companies.
Business model
RegioCart was financially supported by EU and national government donors, including the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Transport, Agriculture and Viticulture of the Rhineland-Palatinate region, as the winner of an innovative startup competition. Registration on the online marketplace was free; however, sellers paid a commission amounting to 10 percent of the net order value for any completed transactions, as well as value-added tax (VAT) and EUR 0.50 (net) to cover service and transaction costs (e.g. e-payments via MangoPay). The online marketplace did not charge delivery or deposit fees, which were to be covered by the seller.
Impact
RegioCart is no longer active, but its overall goal of RegioCart was to support local and regional food markets, benefitting consumers and sellers alike by reducing the number of intermediaries.
Partners
Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection; European Social Fund; Ministry of Economic Affairs, Transport, Agriculture and Viticulture of the Region Rhineland-Palatinate;
Four Betters
Better production
Better nutrition
Better environment
Better life
