RapNet Gets a Tech Interface-Lift

RAPAPORT... RapNet launched a new site on Tuesday, promising asafer, simpler and smarter way of trading diamonds online.  The aspects of RapNet that users enjoy will stay, but theredesigned platform will be easier to navigate, getting those users to theirdesired diamonds with fewer clicks. There are also handy tools such as a pricecalculator, the ability to compare up to 10 diamonds at once, and on-screenfiltering of search results. The new site is built on technology that will make it easierto add more features should RapNet choose to introduce them - such asimprovements to money-transfer methods and supply-chain traceability. Crucially, it will be harder to defraud users, explainedRapNet chief operating officer Saville Stern (pictured). Traders will beable to communicate using an on-site messaging service, rather than having toexchange emails - an increasingly common target for fraudsters trying to foolpeople with fake correspondence. "It's a safer and easier way to find things, and it looksnicer," said Stern. "It's the same RapNet you know, but an easier platform touse, more secure, and built for what's next." Users' RapNet inboxes will also be simpler for them tosearch, and will be centralized - meaning traders won't have to juggle severalcommunication methods, such as email, Skype and WhatsApp. Additionally, theplatform will organize messages into threads, conveniently grouping parts ofthe same conversation together. The new Rapnet.com site should ensure a more productiveexperience for users of the diamond industry's primary trading platform. This article was first published in the Januaryissue of Rapaport Magazine.