B2B marketplaces in the e-commerce environment

What is a B2B marketplace?

A B2B marketplace is a platform that connects two companies. There are in particular :

• Services marketplaces;
• Rental marketplaces;
• Network marketplaces;
• E-procurement marketplaces.

The place of b2b platforms in digital transformation

Having grown exponentially since 2017, Gartner predicts that by 2022 75% of B2B purchases will go through marketplaces. It’s a model that is spreading across all industries, even the hardest to digitalize:

• The medical sector with Diaceutics.

• WeFarmUp, which connects farmers

• Connecting Freelance, to help companies find an SAP consultant.

These B2B marketplaces make professional purchasing easier: products and services are now more accessible thanks to functionalities specially dedicated to B2B. To meet the expectations of B2B buyers, it is necessary to create a user experience similar to what they would find in their private purchases while taking into account the specific requirements of B2B.

The key features of a B2B marketplace

Indeed, some features are necessary to maximize exchanges between companies:

• Secure payment portals: in a company, large amounts are often involved in transactions. It is therefore important to use a secure payment gateway that ensures a successful transaction. For example, you can use PSPs like MangoPay, Lemonway or Stripe.

• Currencies and languages: creating a marketplace should be a development opportunity for a company. It must be compatible at the national level but also at the international level. This requires the ability to change the currency according to the country of purchase and the translation of the content available on the platform.

• Price management: depending on the customer or the period, a seller may want to vary the prices of its services on the platform. Thus, it is important that the price can be modified even by the minute.