Buying iron-ore is getting more like shopping on Amazon

The world’s biggest iron-ore miners are looking for novel ways of satisfying their customers and protecting market share in the $150-billion global industry.

From selling through a mobile app to portside sales, the likes of BHP, Rio Tinto and Vale are looking for an edge with buyers of the steelmaking raw material in China, the top customer. The need to retain their business is becoming ever more critical amid forecasts that the market is around its peak.