With more than 700 marketplaces, including around 400 in Europe, the digital marketplace continues to grow. The year 2024 should again record records in terms of sales volume, turnover and new specialized players.
Marketplace: clear progress in BtoB
Last year, the marketplace recorded a growth rate of +100%. Its turnover has thus been multiplied by 2, going from 113 billion dollars in 2022, to 224 billion dollars in 2023. By the end of 2024, observers expect a further expansion of e-platforms. -commerce in BtoB uses.
1st channel for exploring the BtoB offer
It has been several years since BtoB players took to the digital fold. Certain sectors, such as construction or industry, have adopted this reflex slowly, but surely. From now on, e-commerce is the preferred destination for BtoB buyers to search for a specific product or find out about new products on the market. In OroCommerce's 2023 report, 72% of B2B buyers surveyed place the discovery of new products as a major advantage of marketplaces.
Top BtoB sales channel
Marketplaces represented 1.3% of total BtoB sales in 2023, and are used by most professional buyers. In an intershop survey, 35% of companies say they use e-commerce as their primary sales channel, ahead of other more traditional channels such as physical sales, remote sales by videoconference or even telephone calls.
1 quarter of B2B buyers go through the marketplace
The OroCommerce 2023 report notes that 24% of BtoB buyers carried out transactions on marketplaces in 2023 and that this trend is likely to increase in 2024.
Another study carried out by Digital Commerce 360 confirms this enthusiasm and reveals that nearly 60% of respondents have made more than 1 in 4 purchases on marketplaces.
Amazon business: the dominant marketplace
Amazon Business is positioned as the dominant BtoB marketplace. One in 4 transactions is carried out on the e-commerce giant's platform and around 3 in 5 buyers make more than a quarter of their BtoB purchases on Amazon Business.
More platforms by the end of 2024
New specialized e-commerce platforms are expected to develop during 2024. There were 750 in 2023 and Digital Commerce 360 expects to number a thousand by 2025.
Still many buyers to convert
Despite the breakthroughs observed in recent years, 63% of buyers still say they prefer traditional channels (OroCommerce study). This figure does not necessarily reflect the practice of companies, but reflects a strong expectation for the improvement of marketplaces so that they can be more widely adopted as a preferred channel.
Variety of marketplace offerings in BtoB
Today, marketplaces are aimed at companies positioned in various sectors of activity. BtoB sellers benefit from better visibility to target a considerably expanded target audience. For the buyer, it is easier to compare the prices and properties of the different products offered on the same platform.
General marketplaces for all sectors
General marketplaces offer a variety of products and services that may be of interest to all businesses, regardless of their sectors of activity. This is the type of offer offered by Amazon Business, Cdiscount Pro or Rakuten Business, for example.
Marketplaces specialized in a field of activity
These are the type of marketplaces that are expected to grow in 2024 and in the years to come. These platforms specialize in a very specific market sector, which allows them to offer a finer, more qualitative offer, to better meet the real needs of players in their market.
Vertical marketplaces also target a type of structure (VSE, SME, public sector, etc.) or a particular segment of customers. For example, a platform like Mercateo focuses on one product family: industrial supplies. For a player like Business France, the target is narrowing around the national market.
Find your marketplace in 2024
With the diversification of the offer in specialized marketplaces, B2B players should be able to make an even finer selection of products and services adapted to their core business.
To find your marketplace in 2024, several section criteria are possible. There is of course that of the range of products and services with ever greater specialization which benefits both buyers and sellers. The criterion of notoriety remains important for sellers in order to measure the positive impact of the marketplace in terms of image and reputation.
This gain in visibility must, however, be evaluated taking into account the fees and commissions charged by the marketplace in question. Packages offered to B2B sellers may also include services you may or may not need, such as customer support management. The best thing is to be able to test the platform in order to have your own experience.