Daily E-Commerce Pulse Report (Photo by Denny Müller on Unsplash)

Top 2024 resources on marketplaces

Best marketplaces resource in 2024.
Learn more about marketplaces to improve your e-commerce strategy.

  • 10 Marketplaces to Buy and Sell Ecommerce Sites - Here is a list of marketplaces to buy and sell online businesses. There are established and specialty brokers to oversee the entire process, vetting the parties, determining market value, and ensuring secure transactions. There are also free and low-cost boards for buyers and sellers to find each other.
    Topics: domain, profit, platform, marketplaces, buy, sellers, sale, sites, price, sell, contact, ecommerce, business, businesses.
  • 11 Key Metrics to Evaluate Potential Marketplaces - There are dozens of worthwhile marketplaces worldwide. Amazon, Walmart, eBay, and Etsy are examples. What follows are tips for using data to identify (and optimize) marketplaces to sell your products.
    Topics: product, marketplace, sell, amazon, conversion, volume, audience, marketplaces, evaluate, key, potential, products, metrics, cost.
  • 13 Marketplaces for Handmade Goods - Merchants who sell handmade goods can list their products on specialized marketplaces. There, merchants can find potential customers along with a community of like-minded creators and sellers. Here is a list of marketplaces for handmade goods.
    Topics: items, start, sell, price, goods, handmade, products, marketplace, marketplaces, sales, artists.
  • 14 Marketplaces to Hire Freelance Designers, Developers, Writers, Marketers, More - Here is a list of marketplaces to hire freelance designers, developers, writers, finance professionals, social media marketers, and more. There are general marketplaces with huge pools of workers in hundreds of fields as well as specialized marketplaces focused on areas such as design, Amazon stores, and even expert consulting.
    Topics: design, job, project, hire, marketplaces, designers, platform, writers, freelance, fee, freelancers, workers, marketers, price, marketplace, developers.
  • 20 Selling Sites and Marketplaces to Sell Your Stuff Online - The top online marketplaces in the world sold over $2 trillion in 2019, accounting for 57% of global web sales, according to Digital Commerce 360’s analysis. The growth of marketplace sales leaves small business owners asking one question: to sell or not to sell on online marketplaces?  In this guide, we'll walk you though some of the best online selling sites, the benefits of starting your own online store, and how using both can help reach new customers and make more sales. More
    Topics: stuff, online, items, ecommerce, marketplaces, sites, products, marketplace, fees, free, sell, selling, amazon.
  • 2018 Top 25: Our Most Popular Posts of the Year - As the year draws to a close, we’ve compiled a list of the 25 most popular articles published during 2018, based on the number of page views. Popular subjects included social networks, marketplaces,
    Topics: apps, published, tools, articles, marketplaces, popular, mobile, seo, google, posts, shopping.
  • 21 Sessions, Presentations and Workshops You Can’t Miss at IRCE 2019 - IRCE is arguably the ecommerce industry’s biggest and most influential annual event. Representatives from all around the globe flock to…
    Topics: ecommerce, miss, know, site, presentations, cant, irce, online, marketplaces, session, brand, brands, sessions, workshops, selling.
  • 3 Immediate Blockchain Uses for Ecommerce Companies - Blockchain technology offers much potential for ecommerce businesses. Payments, supply chain, and decentralized marketplaces are the three main uses, currently. But many more applications are in the works.
    Topics: uses, cryptocurrencies, merchants, chain, bitcoin, blockchain, cryptocurrency, consumers, ecommerce, marketplaces, companies, immediate, data.
  • 3 Reasons Online Marketplaces Benefit Entrepreneurs — and Should Be Protected - No matter what products you sell or which customer segments you court, online marketplaces can and should be an important part of your growth strategy. They're important to entrepreneurs as individuals and our economy as a whole.
    Topics: economy, entrepreneurs, small, consumers, important, benefit, customer, online, shop, protected, marketplaces, reasons, support.
  • 3 Ways to Scale Ecommerce with Data - Scaling an ecommerce business requires insights into the market, consumers, and products. In this post, I'll address each aspect and how data can help.
    Topics: marketplaces, ways, help, product, google, data, ecommerce, test, ideas, scale, products, trends, competitors, marketing.
  • 40% of new sellers Amazon Europe are based in China - Amazon Marketplace is growing fast worldwide. In one year’s time, there are one million new sellers on the Amazon marketplaces across the globe. Many new sellers are Chinese. In Europe for example, 40 percent of new sellers are based in China. Within less than a year, one million new sellers Continue reading
    Topics: million, china, amazon, marketplace, europe, european, uk, rest, marketplaces, based, sellers.
  • 58 Leading Online Marketplaces Worldwide - In this post, I will list all major worldwide marketplaces — B2C and B2B. I have categorized the marketplaces by their home continent
    Topics: leading, customers, site, million, products, monthly, worldwide, largest, online, marketplace, sellers, roughly, marketplaces, sells.
  • 66% of products from non-EU shops fail safety tests - Two thirds of products bought from the online marketplaces AliExpress, Wish, LightInTheBox, eBay and Amazon have failed safety tests. This is the result of extensive research done by six European consumers’ associations. For over a year, the European consumers’ associations Which (The United Kingdom), Stiftung Warentest (Germany), Altroconsumo (Italy), Consumentenbond… Continue reading
    Topics: tests, noneu, online, fail, safety, shops, products, test, webinar, european, consumers, monoxide, marketplaces, associations.
  • 8 Marketplaces for Themes, Templates, Plugins - Themes, templates, and plugins can simplify the creation and customization of a website. Here is a list of marketplaces to access themes, templates, and plugins. Several of these marketplaces also offer other digital assets, such as graphics, fonts, and videos to create and customize a website.
    Topics: marketplaces, sellers, offers, elements, plugins, marketplace, site, themes, templates, graphics, wordpress.
  • Amazon amends seller terms worldwide after German antitrust action - Amazon has agreed to make a raft of changes to the business terms it offers sellers on its marketplaces following an intervention by Germany’s Federal Cartel Office (FCO). The regulator instigated an investigation in November last year after receiving a large number of complaints from sellers pertaining to Amazon’s German marketplace, amazon.de: The largest of […]
    Topics: amazon, amazons, european, changes, german, seller, business, antitrust, terms, action, proceedings, worldwide, techcrunch, marketplaces, sellers, amends, product.
  • Amazon has 1.1 million active sellers in Europe - There are over 1.1 million active sellers on Amazon marketplaces located in Europe. That’s an increase of 25 percent, compared to the situation last year. The most percentage growth can be found on Amazon Turkey and Amazon Italy. Someone can be defined as an active Amazon seller, when he or… Continue reading
    Topics: europe, uk, active, marketplaces, growth, million, germany, italy, amazon, sellers, marketplace.
  • Amazon in Europe welcomes 1,461 new sellers per day - Amazon in Europe has welcomed 115,453 new sellers this year. This equates to 1,461 per day. Most new sellers have joined the Amazon marketplaces in the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Germany. If this trend continues, the marketplaces of Amazon in Europe will have welcomed over half a million new… Continue reading
    Topics: europe, popular, welcomed, wiser, amazon, welcomes, day, marketplaces, joined, sellers, successful.
  • - Amazon has a massive impact on retail spending in Germany, both online and offline. More than one-third of all purchases in physical stores are preceded by a search for information on Amazon.This is reported by ECC KÖLN, a subsidiary of the renowned IFH KÖLN (Institut für Handelsforschung), in its periodic…
    Topics: offline, consumers, retail, influences, germany, purchases, online, amazon, shopping, german, marketplaces, physical, temu.
  • - Ecommerce giant Amazon has launched a new offering called the European Expansion Accelerator (EEA). With the new feature, sellers can easily expand to nine Amazon marketplaces across Europe and the United Kingdom. The online marketplace’s new feature has been requested by partner sellers for years. “EEA is a solution our…
    Topics: expand, feature, merchants, european, eea, launches, amazon, tools, marketplaces, program, setup, selling, sellers.
  • - Amazon fills the top two spots in a new list of leading marketplaces in Europe. The ranking is made by the German Bundesverband Onlinehandel (BVOH). The interest group also made a separate top 50 for Germany. That is also led by Amazon. BVOH bases its ranking on various sources, including…
    Topics: german, online, bvoh, marketplaces, data, business, european, various, amazon, ranking, leads, report.
  • As EU’s VAT reform ramps up, marketplaces must focus on compliance to avoid tax risk - On July 1, 2021 there was a big change in the European Union’s Value Added Tax (VAT) law, impacting online retailers, marketplaces and their e-commerce businesses across the EU.
    Topics: sales, vat, thirdparty, online, regulations, focus, merchants, ecommerce, marketplaces, tax, eu, risk, reform, ramps, compliance, eus, techcrunch.
  • B2B industry expert, Brian Beck on what role marketplaces will have in B2B ecommerce [video] - In the coming months, we're going to see the role of marketplaces increase in B2B. And, it's because marketplaces can bring a variety of products. Brian Beck discusses how manufacturers can take a cue from Amazon, and create consumer-like shopping experiences for their B2B buyers.
    Topics: variety, increase, months, products, expert, ecommerce, shopping, brian, role, industry, video, manufacturers, beck, b2b, marketplaces, going.
  • B2B marketplaces will be the next billion-dollar e-commerce startups - Merritt Hummer Contributor Share on Twitter Merritt Hummer is a partner at Bain Capital Ventures, where she invests in the fintech, e-commerce and proptech sectors. Startups involved in B2B e-commerce such as Faire and Mirakl have burst out of the gates in 2020. Almost overnight, these startups transformed into consequential platforms, earning billion-dollar valuations along […]
    Topics: models, ecommerce, marketplaces, payments, techcrunch, business, b2b, buyers, goods, billiondollar, startups, ways, transactions.
  • Balance raises $25M in a Ribbit Capital-led Series A to grow its ‘consumer-like B2B checkout platform’ - Balance, a payments platform aimed at B2B merchants and marketplaces, has raised $25 million in a Series A funding round led by Ribbit Capital. Avid Ventures participated in the financing, in addition to existing backers Lightspeed Ventures, Stripe, Y Combinator Continuity Fund, SciFi VC and UpWest. Other individual investors that put money in the round […]
    Topics: raises, platform, grow, consumerlike, series, terms, payment, geron, merchants, b2b, balance, marketplaces, techcrunch, ribbit, capitalled, payments, company, checkout.
  • - Consumers in Belgium spent 16.3 billion euros online last year. Compared to 2022, this is an increase of almost 11 percent. The strong growth was caused by an increase in sales of online services, like package holidays. These data come from the newest Market Monitor from Becom, the Belgian ecommerce…
    Topics: ecommerce, marketplaces, consumers, total, stores, online, belgian, services, billion, increase, euros.
  • Berlin Brands Group, now valued at $1B+, raises $700M to buy and scale merchants that sell on marketplaces like Amazon - Berlin Brands Group (BBG) — one of the new wave of e-commerce startups hoping to build lucrative economies of scale around buying up smaller brands that sell on marketplaces like Amazon and using technology to run and scale them more efficiently — has picked up a big round of funding to fill out that mission. […]
    Topics: brands, space, merchants, sell, bbg, techcrunch, round, ecommerce, amazon, raises, scale, marketplaces, valued, buy, equity, bain, group, million.
  • BigBuy connects with Amazon Poland and Amazon Sweden - BigBuy has extended its connector for selling on Amazon marketplaces. Now, retailers can start selling BigBuy products on the Amazon marketplaces in Poland and Sweden. With this expansion, all European Amazon marketplaces are covered by BigBuy. One of the services BigBuy offers is the Multi-Channel Integration Platform. It allows sellers… Continue reading
    Topics: platform, multichannel, sweden, bigbuy, amazon, selling, marketplaces, retailers, connects, connector, poland.
  • Bloomreach CEO: Future of Retail Is Marketplaces, Brands - Raj De Datta, CEO and co-founder at Bloomreach, said it succinctly, "The future of retail is marketplaces which require scale. But, the future of retail is also brands. The industry is seeing an explosion of small brands setting up shop online."
    Topics: future, small, retail, sales, retailers, ceo, marketplace, bloomreach, sell, brands, datta, ecommerce, marketplaces.
  • - The current retail landscape is evolving at a rapid pace, forcing both brands and retailers to adapt quickly, explains Simon Clarkson.
    Topics: ensure, consumers, marketplaces, search, retail, information, retailers, product, brands, right, leveraging, landscape.
  • CS-Cart releases renewed marketplace software - Ecommerce software provider CS-Cart has released a new edition of its marketplace software, called Multi-Vendor Plus. The solution, aimed at lager marketplace businesses, has several new features for both online marketplace owners and vendors. CS-Cart develops software for creating online multi-seller marketplaces and the more traditional single-seller online shops. Since Continue reading
    Topics: online, releases, marketplaces, cscart, owners, vendor, vendors, marketplace, software, renewed, multivendor, products, solution.
  • ChannelEngine raises $50M for an operating system that helps retailers sell through marketplaces - Marketplaces are the order of the day when it comes to selling online, providing a one-stop shop for shoppers, and for retailers looking to target as many would-be buyers as possible, while also creating more economies of scale in areas fulfillment and delivery. Amazon has become the name synonymous with marketplace selling, but it’s far […]
    Topics: ecommerce, channelengine, sell, system, raises, operating, helps, global, marketplaces, techcrunch, help, brands, marketplace, retailers, selling, 50m.
  • Cross-border Selling Strategies: Marketplaces, Customer Service, and Regional Needs - Why sell internationally? Buyers all over the world are looking for both products that aren’t available in their domestic market…
    Topics: buyers, business, customers, marketplaces, customer, experience, products, crossborder, shipping, service, dont, product, online, selling.
  • Dutch 10XCrew acquires marketplace agency Vorwärts - Online marketing agency 10XCrew from the Netherlands has acquired Vorwärts, a German Amazon agency. Both companies are specialized in direct-to-consumer strategies and online marketplaces like Amazon and Bol.com. The acquisition of Vorwärts, which took place on January first, shows the international ambition of 10XCrew. As a marketplace agency, Vorwärts supports… Continue reading
    Topics: agency, support, acquires, strategies, marketplaces, expanding, acquisition, online, amazon, dutch, 10xcrew, marketplace, vorwärts.
  • - The European Union is implementing the Digital Services Act and the Digital Market Act, which impact online marketplaces and social media platforms. This package of rules will create a safer digital space for users and fight rogue sellers. Earlier this year, the EU implemented a new law stating that online…
    Topics: eu, rules, online, users, sellers, services, implements, need, marketplaces, act, platforms, digital.
  • - Online marketplaces such as Amazon, eBay and Vinted will now have to report sales made on their platforms by end users to the tax office. This is part of a new EU law. Private sellers will be reported when they make over 2,000 euros or have over 30 transactions per…
    Topics: countries, law, platforms, eu, report, sales, marketplaces, users, sellers, user, tax.
  • EU’s digital rule-book reboot could fumble dark patterns ban and trader checks, warns BEUC - When the European Commission presented its Digital Services Act (DSA) proposal in December 2020, it listed beefed up consumer protections as a headline goal for the flagship update to the bloc’s rules for digital services. But now, as negotiations over the draft law are in the final stretch, where EU co-legislators hash out the detail […]
    Topics: rulebook, council, eu, warns, platforms, online, trader, patterns, marketplaces, fumble, eus, data, techcrunch, dark, dsa, reboot, digital, presidency.
  • Ebay and Amazon: 90% of UK online marketplace spend - The total spend via UK online marketplaces is forecast to reach over 30.4 billion euros in 2019. It’s also expected to rise 15.2 billion euros over the next five years. This corresponds to an increase of 50.1 percent. And it’s mostly Amazon and eBay who dominate the online marketplaces market.… Continue reading
    Topics: retail, amazon, second, online, marketplace, marketplaces, items, uk, ebay, spend, hand.
  • Ecommeleon announces seed funding - Ecommeleon, a German startup aimed at sellers on online marketplaces, has announced a successful seed funding round. The money will be used to support the spin-off of ecommerce service provider InterCultural Elements with its final development and initial market launch. In September, InterCultural Elements announced plans to spin-off an internally… Continue reading
    Topics: funding, marketplaces, company, market, ecommerce, seed, sellers, ecommeleon, retailers, online, announces, data, tgfs, product.
  • Ecommerce financer Storfund provides €825 million of funding - Storfund, which shortens the cash cycle of online sellers, secured 30 million euros of capital from the Private Debt team of Swiss bank Union Bancaire Privée (UBP) and private investors. This year, the company wants to provide 1 billion dollars (825 million euros) of cash advances to online marketplace merchants.… Continue reading
    Topics: wants, marketplaces, capital, funding, private, storfund, growth, online, ecommerce, provides, million, marketplace, financer, liquidity.
  • Europe wants to better protect sellers on marketplaces - The European Parliament, the Council of the European Union and the European Commission want rules to make it easier for businesses and traders to use online marketplaces and platforms. They have now agreed to set up seven new rules to improve the fairness of online platforms’ trading practices. The new… Continue reading
    Topics: marketplaces, europe, trading, guide, business, online, better, protect, sellers, wants, rules, union, platforms, european.
  • European brands: relying on marketplaces isn’t sustainable - 54 percent of European brands think their ecommerce potential is crippled by their logistical capabilities. And that’s why many retailers and brands turn to online marketplaces. But they also think that relying on marketplaces isn’t sustainable and want to shift the balance more to their own ecommerce channels. Accenture and… Continue reading
    Topics: relying, marketplaces, isnt, sales, european, think, sustainable, companies, brands, online, direct.
  • Even in 2020, 360-degree Product Photos Boost Conversions - A long-time ecommerce conversion tactic — 360-degree product photography — is making an appearance on major retail marketplaces, large B2B sites, online furniture stores, and automobile marketplaces, indicating, perhaps, that it still represents an opportunity to increase sales.
    Topics: photos, conversions, photography, sales, ecommerce, boost, sellers, 360degree, online, views, marketplaces, product, image.
  • Fintech startup SellersFunding raises $166.5M in equity, credit round to support e-commerce sellers - SellersFunding created a lending and financial services platform to streamline global commerce for thousands of marketplaces, including working capital, cross-border cash management and taxes.
    Topics: company, pero, sales, credit, payments, sellers, marketplaces, techcrunch, equity, ecommerce, startup, fintech, small, round, fees, million, support, raises, sellersfunding.
  • Gartner 2023 Predicts: Brands Must Focus On Composability, AI, and Building Consumer Trust - The eCommerce industry is constantly evolving to meet market demands and economic conditions. Each year Gartner makes market predictions and recommendations based on research and trends.  Here’s what Gartner predicts: “By 2026, the speed of digital innovation will improve by 60%, relative to 2022, for organizations that have established mechanisms to reuse composable digital commerce modules.”  “By 2026, 30% of sales organizations will use virtual assistants for improving seller’s efficiency and effectiveness, compared to less than 1% currently.” “By 2027, 20% of customers who ordered from enterprise marketplaces in 2022 will retreat from them due to ethical concerns and lack of trust.” Read on for a deeper dive into these predictions. Improve Cost-Effectiveness with Modular and Composable Technologies      By 2026, the speed of digital innovation will improve by 60%, relative to 2022, for organizations that have established mechanisms to reuse composable digital commerce modules." .otro-blockquote{ font-size: 1.2em; width:100%; margin:50px auto; font-family:gilroy; font-style:italic; color: #555555; padding:1.2em 30px 1.2em 75px; border-left:8px solid #08415c ; line-height:1.6; position: relative; background:#EDEDED; } .otro-blockquote::before{ font-family:gilroy; content: "\201C"; color:#08415c; font-size:6.5em; font-weight: 600; position: absolute; left: 2px; top:-20px; } .otro-blockquote::after{ content: ''; } .otro-blockquote span{ display:block; color:#08415c; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; margin-top:1em; } The current global economic tensions are leading to margin compression in which the cost to make a product or deliver a service rises faster than the sales of the product or service. Inevitably, this leads to lower profit margins. The brands that seek to  survive and overcome it must increase revenue or create cost efficiencies.  Composable technologies increase the pace of innovation and the cost efficiency of investing in it because the components are reusable. This means that brands do not have to develop similar functionality across different applications or duplication development work across multiple business teams. Core commerce modules can be reused across applications, which increases speed-to-market and saves time and money on development work. Modular commerce applications are also deployed and updated independently, improving agility and again increasing speed-to market Gartner predicts that organizations that centrally develop and maintain composable modules will see great improvements in innovation. Innovation is something that brands cannot afford to slow down in today’s economy with higher competition and fewer buyer purchases. Elastic Path powers Composable Commerce for brands with the multi-factor, multi-brand, multi-business model, multi-geo. Start Free Trial Brands Should Consider Leveraging AI for Seller-Efficiency      By 2026, 30% of sales organizations will use virtual assistants for improving seller’s efficiency and effectiveness, compared to less than 1% currently.”      By 2027, 20% of customers who ordered from enterprise marketplaces in 2022 will retreat from them due to ethical concerns and lack of trust.” With concerns of an economic slowdown,  Gartner suggests implementing AI and ML-powered virtual assistants (VA) to save seller time and effort. These VAs can be used to automate simple common sales tasks such as managing CRM data, sales lead nurturing and answering buyer’s FAQs. While more complex tasks, like speaking  with customers on a personal level  and contract negotiations  would be left to the sellers. Sellers can also leverage VAs and AI-capabilities for scheduling the next meeting, demoing the product or following up with stakeholders. Virtual assistants are also becoming popular for B2C brands for tasks such as capturing leads, product recommendations and product demos. Virtual chatboxes are also gaining traction for retailers to help reduce cart abandonment and create a more streamlined and interactive experience as shown in the example below. Brands Must Rebuild Consumer Trust      By 2027, 20% of customers who ordered from enterprise marketplaces in 2022 will retreat from them due to ethical concerns and lack of trust.” .otro-blockquote{ font-size: 1.2em; width:100%; margin:50px auto; font-family:gilroy; font-style:italic; color: #555555; padding:1.2em 30px 1.2em 75px; border-left:8px solid #08415c ; line-height:1.6; position: relative; background:#EDEDED; } .otro-blockquote::before{ font-family:gilroy; content: "\201C"; color:#08415c; font-size:6.5em; font-weight: 600; position: absolute; left: 2px; top:-20px; } .otro-blockquote::after{ content: ''; } .otro-blockquote span{ display:block; color:#08415c; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; margin-top:1em; } With poor customer experiences on marketplaces, consumers will begin to distrust marketplaces for future purchases.  A poor experience with one seller can create a domino effect and damage consumer confidence in other sellers.  A study from Qualtrics found that 50% of consumers decreased or entirely cut spending with a brand after a bad customer experience. That same report found that globally, organizations risk 6.7% of their revenue or $3.1, when they lose customers due to poor experiences. Marketplace operators will need to offer features that reestablish trust and monitor seller behavior such as tracking seller reviews, authenticating reviews, and validating the authenticity of products. They also need to establish processes to authenticate seller and product information and monitor suspicious behavior. The more protocols that are put in place to prevent negative and fraudulent customer experiences, the more trust consumers will have in purchasing from those brands. You can read the full report on Gartner's 2023 predictions here.  
    Topics: organizations, marketplaces, gartner, innovation, composable, sales, predicts, product, brands, customers, commerce, seller.
  • German marketplaces warn dealers: get a VAT certificate - Online marketplaces such as eBay, Amazon and Etsy are warning connected retailers who are subject to VAT in Germany. They should provide the marketplaces with proof of their VAT registration with a special certificate. The deadline for submission expires on the 1st of October. Starting 1 October, EU-based online retailers… Continue reading
    Topics: marketplaces, registration, retailers, certificate, dealers, need, warn, germany, vat, sellers, german, provide.
  • Get Ready for a Marketplace Bloodbath - As the retail industry continues its digital transformation, consumer brands and traditional retailers are churning out Amazon-like marketplaces that could lead to new battles over products and customers. Oriental Trading Company, Inc., a discount party-supply chain, recently announced that it would launch an online marketplace.
    Topics: datta, marketplaces, amazon, marketplace, products, brands, bloodbath, need, retail, trading, ready, selection.
  • GoDaddy acquires Sellbrite to launch cross-marketplace tools - GoDaddy is making it easier for small businesses to list their products across Amazon, eBay, Etsy, Jet and Walmart.com today with the launch of GoDaddy Marketplaces. As part of the launch, GoDaddy is also announcing that it has acquired Sellbrite, the company whose technology is powering these new capabilities. Greg Goldfarb, GoDaddy’s vice president of […]
    Topics: working, connect, launch, gocentral, website, products, marketplaces, acquires, goldfarb, terms, godaddy, crossmarketplace, sellbrite, tools.
  • - Swedish fast-fashion label H&M is partnering with Indian marketplaces Jabong and Myntra to sell online.
    Topics: brands, trading, marketplaces, yearshm, exclusive, hm, teams, indian, myntra, swedish, online, jabong.
  • How to Build a Sales Channel Strategy Around Your Online Store Without Losing Customers - We take a deep look into the different types of sales channels and how you can set your business up to be more resilient in the long term.More
    Topics: customers, strategy, channels, business, store, build, marketplaces, brand, sales, online, channel, losing, shopify.
  • How to Find an Online Business for Sale: 6 Marketplaces to Buy & Sell Online Businesses - Want to operate your own online business but want to skip through the formative years of generating traffic & profit? Purchase an online business for sale!
    Topics: buyers, marketplaces, sale, business, buying, sellers, process, shopify, buy, businesses, youre, online, sell.
  • How to Start an Online Marketplace - Start an online marketplace just like Amazon, Etsy or Airbnb! Learn all about online marketplaces, how to start one & how to successfully run one.
    Topics: start, resources, youre, services, marketplace, customers, tips, sell, marketplaces, model, merchants, business, success, online.
  • International Marketplace Network opens for all retailers - The International Marketplace Network (IMN), an alliance of major European ecommerce platforms, is now open for all traders. After a one-year test phases, European online marketplaces Real.de, Cdiscount, eMAG and ePrice are launching the International Marketplace Network. The International Marketplace Network is an initiative from four major ecommerce platforms in… Continue reading
    Topics: marketplace, retail, opens, retailers, marketplaces, realde, ecommerce, online, imn, network, international, technical.
  • Jungle Scout raises $110M, acquires Downstream Impact to help 3rd parties sell on marketplaces like Amazon - There has been a rapid proliferation of roll-up companies armed with wallets full of money to consolidate promising smaller merchants that sell on Amazon and other marketplaces, the idea being to create economies of scale to help them sell more effectively and grow. Today, a company that is somewhat doing the opposite — building tools […]
    Topics: building, parties, techcrunch, advertising, scout, impact, marketplaces, tools, amazon, jungle, help, growing, company, downstream, raises, companies, sell.
  • - Many online shoppers buy on platforms such as Amazon or Ebay. German price comparison platform Idealo conducted an analysis. The result: about 80 percent of the cases, other online shops offer better prices than leading marketplaces. In this analysis Idealo examined how often Amazon, Ebay, Otto and Kaufland offered the…
    Topics: product, expensive, idealo, ebay, otto, marketplaces, best, large, amazon, online, platform, offered, price.
  • Largest marketplace sellers account for 88% of GMV - Large marketplace sellers play an essential part on online platforms. They contributed 88 percent of marketplaces’ Gross Merchandise Value during the first quarter of this year. But small and medium-sized sellers are on the rise: they doubled their contribution in that same period and even tripled in the past year.… Continue reading
    Topics: largest, gmv, online, retailers, marketplace, marketplaces, seller, ecommerce, account, payment, thirdparty, sellers, whitepaper.
  • Marketplace startup Boulevard closes 2.5 million - British marketplace seller and tech startup Boulevard has raised 2.5 million euros in seed capital. The company, only having started their supply chain services last year, will use the funds to diversify and further develop their in-house software. The investment comes at a time when marketplaces continue to thrive in… Continue reading
    Topics: chain, wants, million, marketplaces, supply, tech, euros, marketplace, startup, boulevard, closes, online.
  • Marketplaces Are Taking Over Ecommerce. Here's What Retailers Can Gain by Joining the Movement Now. - It's not too late to transition to the marketplace model. In fact, it's even more advantageous during moments of economic uncertainty. Here's why.
    Topics: marketplaces, thirdparty, enterprise, model, transition, product, retailers, marketplace, economic, operator, spending.
  • - Last year, the total online cross-border market in Europe generated a turnover of 265 billion euros. At least 63 percent, 167 billion euros, was generated by marketplaces. These data include global cross-border sellers, such as Amazon and AliExpress. These data come from the fourth edition of the “TOP 100 Cross-Border…
    Topics: marketplaces, euros, generated, generate, crossborder, online, united, billion, europe, turnover, expected, global.
  • Mirakl Connect lets sellers list products on multiple e-commerce marketplaces - Mirakl is launching a new product called Mirakl Connect. As the name suggests, this central dashboard lets you control which marketplace you’re working with, and which seller you want to list on your marketplace. Mirakl is a French startup that recently raised a $70 million funding round. The company works with e-commerce platforms so that […]
    Topics: lets, list, ecommerce, connect, company, products, techcrunch, marketplaces, multiple, thirdparty, marketplace, sellers, mirakl.
  • Mirakl raises $70 million to manage the marketplace of your e-commerce website - French startup Mirakl raised a $70 million funding round. Bain Capital is leading the round, with existing investors 83North, Felix Capital and Elaia Partners also participating. If you’ve bought a few products from a third-party seller on an e-commerce website that isn’t Amazon or Alibaba, chances are you’ve used Mirakl in the past. The company […]
    Topics: website, marketplaces, million, manage, raises, round, marketplace, sellers, ecommerce, thirdparty, startup, company, mirakl, product.
  • Multi-Channel Retailing and the Buyer’s Journey: Opportunities and Challenges - Most online sellers begin their journey from one sales channel, setting up shop through a website or marketplace. Multi-channel retailing…
    Topics: multichannel, sales, opportunities, shopping, marketplaces, channel, shoppers, channels, sellers, retailing, buyers, product, challenges.
  • My Mall: “the fastest growing marketplace in Sweden” - My Mall claims to be one of the fastest growing marketplaces in Sweden at the moment. Last month, sales increased by almost 1,200 percent, compared with the same month last year. And during the first half of 2021, it also showed a similar increase. My Mall is still not very… Continue reading
    Topics: marketplaces, growing, swedish, marketplace, online, sellers, company, fastest, sweden, sales, month, mall, ecommerce.
  • New U.S. Regulations on Counterfeit Goods Target Marketplaces - On January 24, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security issued a report signaling the federal government’s intention to crack down on ecommerce sales of counterfeit goods. In the report, the federal government all but declares that ecommerce is a threat to national security.
    Topics: regulations, fake, target, counterfeit, amazon, thirdparty, marketplaces, ecommerce, sellers, report, products, goods.
  • Number of online marketplaces in DACH region more than doubled - The amount of online marketplaces in Germany, Austria and Switzerland has increased significantly in the past five years. In 2015, there were only 81 online marketplaces, but nowadays there’s 173 of them. Five years ago, only two online marketplaces were really significant within the DACH region (which consists of Germany,… Continue reading
    Topics: region, online, platforms, number, dach, marketplaces, poster, amazon, doubled.
  • Online Stores Like Amazon Are Robbing Your Brand — Here's How AI Can Stop Them - AI has enormous potential for sellers and vendors on marketplaces. By using AI to learn about customers, adjust rates, optimize pricing and manage inventory, brands can improve their competitive advantage, drive sales and increase overall profitability on online platforms.
    Topics: sellers, platforms, marketplace, products, sales, robbing, online, ai, brand, marketplaces, brands, stop, amazon.
  • Online marketplaces in UK increase in popularity - Online shoppers in the United Kingdom are four times more likely to order from online marketplaces than direct from retailers. Over half of the 69 percent of shoppers who regularly buy online, do so via online marketplaces. Online marketplaces in Europe are getting more and more popular, and that’s also… Continue reading
    Topics: marketplaces, popularity, online, shoppers, scale, uk, quickly, retailers, united, product, consumers, increase.
  • Online marketplaces pledge to remove unsafe products - Four major online marketplaces that are active in Europe – Alibaba, Amazon, eBay and Rakuten France – have signed the Product Safety Pledge from the European Commission. This commitment means they will remove dangerous and unsafe products from their online marketplaces faster. The four popular ecommerce companies will now respond Continue reading
    Topics: unsafe, working, pledge, product, remove, marketplaces, products, dangerous, safety, online, rakuten.
  • - Most online companies in Germany are located in the Western regions North Rhine Westphalia (22 percent) and Bavaria (17 percent). Only 1.75 percent come from the Eastern regions Thuringia and 1 percent from Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. These data come from the first E-Commerce Atlas Germany, a study by Ibi Research, Amazon…
    Topics: companies, trade, east, west, study, million, online, germany, average, ecommerce, marketplaces, sellers, differs, turnover.
  • Origin launches protocol for building cheaper decentralized Ubers & Airbnbs - The sharing economy ends up sharing a ton of labor’s earnings with middlemen like Uber and Airbnb, and $38 million-funded Origin wants the next great two-sided marketplace to be decentralized on the blockchain so drivers and riders or hosts and guests can connect directly and avoid paying steep fees that can range up to 20 percent […]
    Topics: blockchain, build, marketplaces, cheaper, origin, launches, ubers, decentralized, building, airbnbs, marketplace, users, smart, protocol, system.
  • Pattern bags $225M; CEO says e-commerce accelerators ‘will win the day’ over aggregators - Pattern’s platform works with brands to accelerate sales by buying inventory, figuring out gaps are in sales, optimizing it across marketplaces and identifying insights for boosting margins.
    Topics: win, marketplaces, ecommerce, day, accelerators, 225m, global, brands, ceo, bags, aggregators, million, pattern, techcrunch, wright, sales, market.
  • PideDirecto bags $5.25M; aims to be ‘Shopify with 30-minute deliveries’ - Since its launch a year ago, the company has grown 32% month over month, has approximately 1,000 brand clients and processed over 500,000 orders.
    Topics: fawzi, aims, build, samir, shopify, 525m, bags, brands, delivery, businesses, marketing, deliveries, marketplaces, techcrunch, company, sales, pidedirecto, 30minute.
  • - More and more individual businesses are selling on marketplaces or do dropshipping. This caused a massive growth of these platforms. Brands and retailers see it as a huge opportunity toreach new audiences or work together with other retailers.This is according to data from marketplace solution provider Mirakl. It surveyed 1,500…
    Topics: businesses, products, growth, surveyed, selling, marketplace, drive, sellers, offer, marketplaces, retailers.
  • Serious changes are coming to the E.U. VAT - As I write this in mid-December, there is no Brexit trade agreement between the U.K. and the E.U. Businesses in the U.K. have no idea what will happen on January 1, when the U.K. formally exits from the E.U. However, the real problem for U.K. and other merchants will be adjusting to changes in the E.U.'s value-added tax.
    Topics: goods, vat, country, serious, uk, changes, consumers, retailer, coming, retailers, eu, marketplaces, help.
  • Shogun, a front-end e-commerce page builder, nabs $67.5M as retailers look for alternatives to marketplaces - E-commerce marketplaces continue to play a major role in how consumers buy goods online and how retailers show off and sell goods to those consumers, accounting globally for 47% of all e-commerce sales. But today, one of the startups that has built technology to help retailers build and run more direct relationships — by way […]
    Topics: headless, marketplaces, ecommerce, retailers, taylor, way, shogun, look, frontend, used, merchants, customers, nabs, builder, help, page, techcrunch, build.
  • Should I Consider Adding a Marketplace to My Business Model? - As we continue to assess the implications of the COVID pandemic on consumer buying behaviors and expectations, brands will need to constantly evaluate their Go-To-Market strategies in order to remain relevant and be successful. In light of these new realities, Gartner has analyzed the market implications and published predictions you should consider as application leaders in their Predicts 2021 Report. So far we have addressed recommendations from the report that speak to the use of digital commerce platforms for B2B companies, shifts in product offerings and multiple go-to-market approaches. Up next, we will focus on the marketplace prediction. Gartner states “By 2023, 30% of enterprise marketplaces will transition into a majority third-party seller model for better profitability.”   What is a Third Party Seller Model? The emphasis on “enterprise marketplaces” is very crucial, because this doesn’t speak to our more renowned online marketplaces like Amazon, eBay and Alibaba, but rather to businesses that have mostly operated in analog mode before entering the digital space like Walmart. These types of businesses have or will essentially change their business model to open their ecosystem, provide new capabilities, and generate new sources of revenue. However, in the report, Gartner specifically calls out the “third-party seller model for better profitability,” and we think this directly correlates to consumers' drive and need for convenience.   The Drive for Convenience As consumers become smarter with their purchases, they spend more time researching their products by looking at the different offerings, assessing customer reviews, and comparing pricing. Many consumers are looking for a way to avoid the "review rabbit hole" by streamlining the process and cutting down on endless searching and scrolling. They shoppers welcome marketplaces as one of their first sources of information in their purchase cycle. According to a consumer survey by emarketer, about half of all searches start on marketplaces. When done right, Marketplaces, especially those who support a third party model, take user experience a notch above traditional digital commerce avenues. Not only are consumers able to save a trip to a physical store, but now they have a one stop shop to compare similar products without switching from site to site. This type of ease of use, convenience, and accessibility continues to attract shoppers presenting an opportunity for many brands to capitalize on.   How Will a Third Party Model Help Your Business? While it is widely known that sellers increase impressions and conversions by participating in a third party model marketplace, being the operator can carry even larger benefits. As the operator you can expect: Increase catalog size. Opening up your model allows for third parties to contribute their growing catalog of products and services to your existing one. This creates variety for consumers searching the marketplace and maximizes your selling potential. Customers are more likely to browse on a platform that doesn’t limit their choice of a provider. As such, even if they never considered a specific product or provider before, the mere access to it creates the potential for a new purchase.   Experience fewer out of stock scenarios. Demand for your products can be a great thing, except for when the supply doesn’t match- we all know you can’t sell what you don’t have. The third party model facilitates the fuelling of your marketplace inventory, to limit the chances of experiencing “out-of-stock” scenarios.   Lower fulfillment and inventory cost. In addition to the reduction of “out-of-stock” scenarios, third parties bear the cost of producing and fulfilling inventory. This will be especially beneficial if the cost of production of your products are high. If you aren't the one producing the products, you can re-route those funds to create awesome customer experiences that beat out the competition/ win the hearts & minds of more customers.   Customer loyalty. While many individual retailers are heavily competing to retain customers, it has been found that consumers prefer marketplaces over brands’ websites for repeat purchases. It was reported that while 50% of first purchases start at the retailer, 47% of shoppers choose marketplaces for repeat purchases. This gives you an opportunity to optimize your model to cater to returning customers.   New sources of revenue. As the operator of a marketplace, you will have more opportunities to grow revenue aside from direct selling. You could choose to: Charge a percentage or fixed fee for every transaction to merchants Employ a subscription or membership fee to consumers Run advertisements throughout the marketplaces No longer will you be limited to your direct sales and marketing efforts because now you have a team of vendors all working for your marketplace. Marketplaces can provide better buying experiences that keep customers coming back, so it’s no surprise that Gartner believes this model will lead to higher profitability. However, operating a third party model enterprise marketplace will require you to view competitors in a different light, reevaluate your strategy for the user experience, and consider the best interest of all participants of your ecosystem. A Composable Commerce approach can help you to quickly add a marketplace to your existing digital strategy through its open ecosystem. To learn more about the recommendations from Gartner, download the report here.
    Topics: consumers, purchases, operator, consider, gartner, adding, party, business, marketplaces, marketplace, revenue, products, model.
  • Should Merchants Launch Their Own Marketplaces? - For manufacturers, distributors, and enterprise retailers, owning a marketplace could be a competitive advantage and a key to business growth.
    Topics: marketplace, customers, launch, customer, forno, business, example, marketplaces, merchants, products, sellers, nussenbaum.
  • - Marketplaces have become dominant in global ecommerce, accounting for 60 percent of online spending last year. In Europe, specialized marketplaces in particular are benefiting from this growth.This is stated in a new report by OC&C Strategy Consultants. According to the agency, consumers worldwide spent 4.1 trillion dollars on online marketplaces…
    Topics: specialist, europe, strategy, gaining, ground, online, wangoo, marketplaces, generalists, generalist, growth, occ, specialized.
  • Swell takes in $20M to develop more adaptable headless commerce infrastructure - Starting an e-commerce business is large marketplaces can be an easy process, but what the team at Swell began to notice was that the model could only take a business so far.
    Topics: 20m, building, company, team, ceo, techcrunch, end, headless, swell, develop, commerce, businesses, marketplaces, adaptable, takes, infrastructure, ingram, shopify.
  • Target announces launch of its curated, third-party marketplace, Target+ - Target this morning announced Target+, a new initiative designed to expand the assortment on Target.com with merchandise from third-party sellers. But unlike with Walmart and Amazon’s marketplaces, Target is taking a more curated approach as to how sellers will be added to its program. The retailer says it’s starting with “thoughtfully selected” additions in areas […]
    Topics: stores, products, target, items, announces, marketplace, marketplaces, merchandise, launch, amazon, curated, walmart, thirdparty, sellers.
  • The Emergence of B2B Raw Material Marketplaces - Business-to-business marketplaces are among ecommerce's leading growth trends, yet many industries remain under-served, especially for raw materials.
    Topics: materials, business, marketplaces, emergence, material, buyers, sellers, aminjavaheri, knowde, raw, b2b, web.
  • - The Platform Group has taken over Hood Media. This gives TPG control over Hood.de, one of the ten largest online marketplaces in Germany according to the new owner. The acquisition was financed from its own resources.Founded in 1999, Hood.de provides sales space for nearly five thousand active sellers in over…
    Topics: germany, acquires, platform, marketplace, group, hoodde, taken, media, sellers, tpg, marketplaces, hood.
  • The most visited online marketplaces by country - Amazon is a major online marketplace that’s also very dominant in Europe. But do you know the most visited online marketplaces by country? Do you know which eBay-owned marketplace is the leader in the Netherlands? And do you know Schibsted? Website Builder Expert has revealed the top ecommerce marketplaces in Continue reading
    Topics: marketplaces, marketplace, ecommerce, naspers, country, amazon, visited, ebay, olx, schibsted, online.
  • The next service marketplace wave: Vertical market-networks - Ivan Smolnikov Contributor Ivan Smolnikov is the CEO and founder of Smartcat, the market network platform for the translation industry. The last few decades have produced many successful marketplaces. We went from goods marketplace pioneers such as eBay and Amazon to simple service marketplaces such as Uber, Lyft, Doordash, Upwork, Thumbtack, TaskRabbit, and Fiverr. But […]
    Topics: translation, workflow, network, wave, marketplace, marketnetworks, service, successful, marketplaces, services, provide, suppliers, vertical, techcrunch.
  • Thrasio expands budget to grow across Europe - Thrasio, a company that acquires Amazon FBA brands and then scales them, will expand its recent 200 million euros commitment to 500 million euros. It will use this money to acquire ecommerce businesses in Germany and further expand its growth across Europe. One of its latest acquisitions is that of… Continue reading
    Topics: money, scaling, million, expands, thrasio, budget, wins, grow, international, marketplaces, raised, europe, amazon.
  • Top 10 fashion brands on Amazon analyzed - What are the best sellers in the clothing category on the four most popular Amazon marketplaces in Europe? How is the ratio between known and unknown brands? And on which other European marketplaces do brands sell their clothing in addition to Amazon? You can’t get around Amazon in Europe. The… Continue reading
    Topics: brands, marketplaces, popular, products, online, fashion, amazon, lengow, analyzed, brand, italy.
  • Top 20 of cross-border marketplaces from Europe - The total cross-border market of European-owned marketplaces represents a turnover of 9 billion euros. This corresponds to a fifth of what’s generated by all cross-border marketplaces in Europe, with Amazon generating 28 billion euros. Here’s the top 20. Amazon is the biggest marketplace in Europe, but when we look at… Continue reading
    Topics: ecommerce, conversions, billion, europe, total, euros, europeanowned, marketplaces, crossborder.
  • Top Market-Driven B2B eCommerce Trends of 2021 - B2B eCommerce has rapidly been changing over the past few years, and 2021 is no exception. With the disruption of COVID-19, new trends have emerged, and the eCommerce landscape is transforming. B2B companies are implementing new strategies to adapt to a changing market and take advantage of a growing online customer base, characterized by rising mobile usage, new expectations for personalization and self-service, and increasing demand for digital connectivity. Below are some of the major Market-Driven B2B eCommerce trends of 2021, as well as some key calls to action for B2Bs to optimize their eCommerce strategy. 1) M-Commerce is on the rise: Mobile has continued to transform the B2B landscape, with more and more consumers demanding seamless, aesthetic, and flexible mobile experiences. Rather than simply comparing product offerings and services across businesses in an industry, consumers are increasingly comparing the digital experiences they have had and have come to expect. Google recently partnered with The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) to research how mobile has been impacting B2B customers and organizations. Key data shows that:   Mobile influences an average of over 40% of revenue in leading B2B organizations. 50% of current B2B search queries are made on smartphones, with BCG expecting that figure to grow to 70% by 2020. Daily mobile usage per B2B worker is expected to increase from 2 hours to 3 hours, driven by millennials, Gen Z, and the increasing use of smartphones by older workers. More than 90% of B2B buyers reporting a superior mobile experience claim that they would be more likely to repurchase from the same vendor, while only 50% claim so when reporting a poor mobile experience. The effect of mobile on B2B eCommerce is expected to continue accelerating, with B2B leaders doubling down on mobile commerce to increase engagement, drive traffic, and boost customer loyalty. BCG characterizes these trends by the emergence of “a new generation of B2B customers” that “look for the same digital experiences they encounter as consumers”. These individuals have become accustomed to using mobile devices for work, value multitasking across multiple devices, and have shifted away from desktops and laptops in favor of smartphones. Marketers have previously claimed that there is insufficient research to justify prioritization and investment into mobile experiences, citing low mobile conversion rates and poor mobile marketing performances. In reality, while mobile still accounts for a smaller fraction of aggregate sessions on most eCommerce storefronts, B2B mobile leaders are increasingly incorporating M-Commerce into their marketing mix. This has helped them to develop and bolster existing customer relationships, establish their brand for the consideration of prospective clients, and poise themselves to capitalize on the rapid growth of mobile towards reaping future benefits. BCG explains how slow-moving companies that fail to build mobile-optimized experiences and improve mobile integration are at a serious risk of being left behind. B2B businesses should avoid succumbing to “Mobile Doom Loop” thinking, signalled by: Doubts surrounding mobile ROI Fears of mobile underperformance and establishment of a new medium Prioritizing channels with larger contributors to current traffic As of 2021, mobile has continued to expand and proliferate the B2B eCommerce space, and its growth will likely extend over the coming years. B2B marketers must boost their mobile efforts to capitalize on this rapid trend. Here are 5 calls to action for businesses hoping to accelerate their mobile integration: Track buyer experiences across media and devices Invest into building visual and frictionless mobile experiences for customers Adapt data collection to a company’s business model and size Increase mobile advertising while adjusting marketing strategies based on results Simply the B2B purchase process on mobile, de-emphasizing text in favor of rich media 2) Customers are showing a preference for Digital Self-Service: B2B buyers increasingly desire control over their eCommerce experiences, with a strong preference for self-service; seamless shopping experiences in their personal lives have shaped their B2B buying expectations. The COVID-19 pandemic has further pushed B2B sales towards self-service, and research shows that digital self-service will likely remain a dominant element of the B2B go-to-market model. A report published by McKinsey & Company earlier this year detailed results from a global survey, highlighting key takeaways for B2B businesses aiming to adapt their practices in the wake of the pandemic. Results show that: When asked what kind of interaction was most helpful in choosing a supplier, 47% of respondents preferred some form of online self-service. 25% chose “supplier website”, while 22% selected “online material from supplier”. When asked what ordering method they preferred, 46% of respondents chose “using a supplier’s website”. When asked “How do you currently interact with sales reps from your company’s suppliers during the 4 stages of interaction”, an average of 34% of respondents chose digital self-service for the Research, Evaluation, Ordering, and Re-Ordering stages. In comparison, results for 2020 showed an average of only 29% for self-service across all 4 interaction stages, with a 12% increase for self-service in the Research and Evaluation stages. 83% of B2B decision makers feel that the new selling models emphasizing remote interactions and online self-service are as effective as or more effective than pre-COVID-19 models that prioritized direct interactions. 87% of B2B decision makers believe that these shifts in selling models will likely sustain 12+ months after the COVID-19 pandemic. The results of the report show that in the post-COVID world, B2B customers are shifting towards digital interactions and self-service as their primary means of researching and evaluating products. For B2B manufacturers, enabling customers to perform tasks such as ordering, checking stock inventory, and paying invoices online has collectively lowered service costs. Digital self-serve and remote channels free up businesses’ CSRs and sales representatives for higher value services. As a result, customer relationships are strengthened further, as organizations can now allocate time and resources for when customers truly need support. By becoming the new standard, self-service has re-vitalized B2B operations and resource allocation, maintaining its majority hold despite certain geographies now reopening in-person operations and direct sales efforts. Research conducted by Forrester supports and enforces this trend, showing that: 53% of customers prefer to gather information online by themselves 59% of customers prefer not to interact with a sales representative 74% of customers believe that buying from a website is more convenient 86% of customers prefer self-service tools to order, re-order, and check order statuses 93% of customers prefer to buy online when they have decided what to buy Digital self-service has become the new “normal”, dominating the B2B buyer journey and driving B2B manufacturers towards implementing customer self-service portals. Here are 5 calls to action for B2B organizations hoping to re-engineer their sales efforts towards digital self-service: Integrate eCommerce catalogs with rich media, including photos, videos, interactive content, product comparison features, and various self-service tools to support the research and evaluation stages. Provide responsive interfaces and intuitive commands that help buyers save time during the ordering and re-ordering stages. Implement customer self-service portals with the optimal ERP-integrated solution, enabling post-order care that supports independent tracking, invoices, and payment. Adopt an Agile approach and apply it to self-service digital solutions, empowering adaptability, flexibility, and speed when the digital transformation process. Incorporate the voice of the customer while developing self-service digital solutions, gathering feedback to address customer needs and realize requirements prior to rollout. 3) Omnichannel Experiences are the new standard: When given the choice of in-person, remote, and e-commerce channels, buyers have expressed the desire for all three. Omnichannel retailing has become a cornerstone of global B2B sales, establishing itself as the new standard, not the exception. The COVID-19 pandemic has anchored omnichannel interactions in B2B sales, with businesses realizing the importance of omnichannel to centralize various sales channels and customer relationships together. The rise of M-Commerce and mobile, increased social media engagement, and consumer’s growing affinity for self-service have all emphasized the importance of B2B businesses establishing a cohesive omnichannel experience. McKinsey published a report earlier this year highlighting the growing impact of omnichannel on B2B sales. Data shows that: Approximately 80% B2B leaders say that omnichannel is as or more effective than traditional methods 83% of B2B leaders believe that omnichannel selling is a more successful way to prospect and secure new business than traditional sales approaches 85% of US B2B leaders claimed that new omnichannel-based sales models were equally as effective or more effective than previous sales models, indicating a 43% increase compared to the previous year 20% of B2B buyers said that they would be willing to spend more than $500,000 in a fully remote/digital sales model 11% of all B2B buyers would spend more than $1 million in a fully remote/digital sales model 64% of B2Bs intend to increase the number of hybrid sellers over the next six months 85% of B2Bs expect hybrid sellers will be the most common sales role in their organization over the next three years Omnichannel is only expected to grow over the coming years, already proving to be as or more effective than traditional sales methods. This pattern has held true across various geographies, industries, and markets, prominent in countries such as South Korea, Spain, China, and the USA. B2B leaders are confident that investing in and expanding on omnichannel experiences will lead to greater success in a post-pandemic world, reflected by increased expenditure in IT hardware, software, and digital marketing, all directed at optimizing omnichannel retailing. As the rate of digitization increases across various industries, it is imperative that B2B manufacturers boost their digital infrastructure to keep up with the trend towards omnichannel. McKinsey’s report also highlights two key go-to-market changes that are driving the hybridization of sales models in B2Bs: First, although 95% companies expect to be able to connect with customers in physical locations by the beginning of 2022, only 15% of B2Bs expect in-person sales meetings to be the norm. Second, with buyer interest and comfort in digital sales rising, e-commerce has become the most popular route to market for B2Bs, with 41% of leaders saying that it is their most effective sales route. To effectively capitalize on the expansion of omnichannel and maximize its power, B2B organizations must first overcome some key challenges and pain points. Investment into effective infrastructure, facilitating hybrid selling, and adapting to remote operations are all important steps. Here are 3 calls-to-actions: Make remote interactions feel intimate, genuine, and effective, providing proofs of concept, digital demos, and clear visual representations that provide an equal or superior level of insight to physical walk-throughs. Innovate sales approaches using customer feedback, data, and consumer insights to ensure that digital transactions are not a zero-sum game Adopt an Agile approach to facilitate quick and improved pivoting of resources 4) B2Bs are leveraging Marketplaces: Marketplaces have been a major part of B2C eCommerce sales for years, but rapid digitization, changes in consumer preferences, and the effects of COVID-19 have led to accelerated B2B eCommerce sales via online marketplaces. In fact, B2B marketplaces are one of the fastest growing eCommerce channels, with digital sales expected to more than double over the next year. Marketplaces have helped customers to save time and money during the Research and Evaluation stage of their buyer journeys and find a greater variety of solutions to satisfy broad needs. Furthermore, marketplaces have enabled B2B customers to enjoy streamlined shopping experiences that facilitate comparison shopping, a greater sense of security, and an overall superior user experience. B2B marketplaces have exploded in popularity, and key analysis from a report published by Digital Commerce 360 highlights the effects of this trend: There are now 250 B2B marketplaces, in comparison to only 70 B2B marketplaces two years ago. Collective digital sales on commercial trading platforms and industry marketplaces will grow by 130% to $56.5 billion. Marketplaces will account for 3.5% of all business eCommerce sales. Furthermore, Gartner predicts that over 15% of medium-to-high-gross eCommerce brands will have deployed their own marketplaces by 2023, and 70% of all marketplaces launched by 2023 will support B2B transactions. Demand for B2B-ready marketplace management software is expected to rapidly increase in line with these trends, and it is vital that B2B manufacturers take advantage of marketplaces to further their sales. Here are 3 calls-to-action for B2B organizations looking to leverage marketplaces: Find and implement an effective B2B marketplace management software to facilitate the use of and expansion into digital marketplaces Use marketplaces to build relationships with prospective clients, improve personalization efforts, and support customers during their buyer journey Find the right marketplaces and establish your brand identity early, helping your business gain a competitive edge, differentiate your products and services, and improve your marketing efforts 2021 and Beyond: B2B eCommerce showcased new opportunities and high growth in 2021. These are just some of the market-driven trends that represent how B2B companies are adapting to the changes caused by COVID-19, providing customers with fresh digital experiences, and leveraging new technology to deliver on buyers’ expectations. Check out our articles on the Biggest Technology-Driven and Biggest Customer-Driven B2B eCommerce Trends of 2021 to learn more about how 2021 has solidified B2B eCommerce in various industries and how B2Bs can form a new path forward.
    Topics: digital, b2b, omnichannel, selfservice, sales, mobile, customers, marketdriven, experiences, trends, marketplaces, ecommerce.
  • Topsort, an auction-based advertising startup, now valued at $110M after seed round - When Regina Ye was in college, she was a Shopify seller and recalls being so fed up with advertising solutions that she spent finals week staying up late to figure out how ads worked on Facebook and Amazon. “It was super complicated,” she told TechCrunch. “I was an early adopter of B2B marketplaces, but advertising […]
    Topics: startup, auctionbased, ads, customers, round, valued, company, user, ye, topsort, technology, early, seed, advertising, marketplaces, techcrunch, 110m.
  • Trustshare runs escrow infrastructure as a service to facilitate online sales - Meet Trustshare, a London-based startup that is working on escrow infrastructure for online classified, B2B marketplaces, trade directories and more. It’s a white-label platform that can be integrated with online marketplaces in just a few lines of code. If you’ve ever tried to sell something expensive on the web, you know that it’s hard to […]
    Topics: uk, know, techcrunch, sales, infrastructure, payment, trade, facilitate, money, checkout, runs, online, escrow, marketplaces, service, trustshare.
  • UK has ‘red flagged’ 4,600 sellers for tax evasion on marketplaces like Amazon in 2 years - Sites like Amazon and eBay have made it very compelling for consumers to buy online rather than in stores, in part because prices are very competitive and in many cases cheaper than what buyers might find in traditional retailers. But in the U.K., it turns out that some of those low prices are in part […]
    Topics: evasion, tax, overseas, red, sales, sellers, amazon, online, flagged, marketplaces, hmrc, million, taxes, uk.
  • What role do marketplaces play in B2B ecommerce? - We caught up with Adrien Nussenbaum, Co-founder and CEO of Mirakl Inc. to get his take on channel conflict and how marketplaces impact B2B ecommerce.
    Topics: ecommerceand, channel, ceo, marketplaces, b2b, play, role, nussenbaum, impact, ecommerce, cofounder, check, conflict, mirakl.
  • What the Disruption of the Online Marketplace Means for Your Small Business - As commerce moves fully online, the business model offers even more benefits for savvy entrepreneurs.
    Topics: talent, marketplaces, businesses, means, business, remote, disruption, small, services, work, sellers, marketplace, offer, online.
  • When Retailers Are Ad Platforms - Amazon pioneered the concept of a retailer-driven ad network. Now other retailer marketplaces are selling ads, too. The trend has far-reaching implications.
    Topics: ad, traffic, retailers, networks, platforms, revenue, retail, marketplaces, data, brands, ads.
  • Why Purpose-Driven Marketplaces Are the Antidote to Amazon - Values-based marketplaces might just be the antidote to Amazon's war on small businesses.
    Topics: shopping, antidote, local, online, purposedriven, search, amazon, consumers, small, marketplaces, market, businesses, buy.
  • Why Verifying User Identities Is a Good Thing For Your Customers and Your Business - Online marketplaces are starting to authenticate users, and it's a key component to creating a safer environment for digital communities to thrive.
    Topics: users, thing, online, billion, ultimately, marketplaces, user, business, dont, tax, authenticating, businesses, good, trust.
  • eCommerce Marketplaces 101: How Can I Leverage Them? - Earlier this year Gartner boldly stated in their Predicts 2021 Report: COVID-19 Drives Accelerated Shift to Digital and Commerce Model Evolution that, “By 2023, 30% of enterprise marketplaces will transition into a majority third-party seller model for better profitability.” For many businesses, adding a third-party seller model to their Go-to-Market strategy was already a serious consideration, but it has become more top of mind due to the driving changes of COVID-19 on consumer buying behaviors. According to a consumer survey by emarketer, about half of all searches start on marketplaces. So whether you participate in a marketplace as the owner or simply as a partnering contributor, your business will benefit from more consumer impressions across your products and services, thus leading to a higher chance of conversion. For those who are still researching the marketplace ecosystem, this article will highlight how marketplaces are used, the benefits you can expect to reap, challenges we see in the market and how Elastic Path supports a variety of marketplace deployments to support your business needs.   What is an online marketplace? Most are already aware that an online marketplace is a digital platform that facilitates shopping of products and/or services from multiple sources. This evolved definition of marketplaces from the traditional singular seller architecture, has paved the way to now allow a marketplace owner to either function solely as an operator, or sell its own products and services with those of third party sellers. This has been great for offering new strategies for businesses looking to enter the marketplace ecosystem. As a marketplace owner, your business will be well positioned to increase profitability in a variety of ways which we will discuss later. However, you will have to consider which roles and responsibilities you will be willing to take on; for example: Seller onboarding and management, master catalog and taxonomy, order management, rules and processes, fund collection and distribution etc. As a marketplace seller on the other hand, you will have to think about your product and pricing within the marketplace, page designs, marketing, promotions and customer service to ensure your products are good competition for other sellers within the marketplace. We strongly suggest evaluating your roles in a marketplace with a technical consultant to get a better understanding of the considerations you should be taking into account to assess the feasibility of your business plan first.   Benefits Of a Marketplace Model Once you have decided how you want to partake in a marketplace you’ll find that there will be many benefits regardless of whether you chose to be an owner or a third party seller. As an operator: You get to choose the revenue stream that best fits the market niche you want to address: Commission Model: Where you get to charge a percentage or fixed fee for every transaction to merchants. Membership Fee Model: Where you can charge a monthly or yearly fee to both sellers and buyers. Ads and Features Model: Where you charge providers to run Ads within the platform. Listing Model: Where you can charge a business for each listing offer they upload on the platform. You don’t hold any product inventory and thus don’t have to worry about product capital or investments. You’ll be able to generate trust from shoppers and thus increase the likelihood of customers choosing your site to make their purchase. If you already have a product catalog, you can expand it and create more opportunities to up-sell and cross sell to a larger audience.   As a Seller: You’ll be able to increase your earning potential by introducing your products or services to a larger audience. You’ll be able to save cost on an eCommerce infrastructure as your operator handles most of the operation. You’ll gain an instant level of trust because shoppers tend to have stronger confidence and trust in marketplaces. You’ll have a quick testing site for your products or services, thus de-risking an online launch.   Challenges With a Marketplace Model However, online marketplaces still have a few challenges that you should consider.   Vendor Integration With many third party sellers coming together, there will likely be many integrations that will need to work together with the operator’s eCommerce software. When these integrations don’t work in symbiosis, sellers often experience slow inventory updates, difficult price management, and incorrect product matching. Choosing a Composable Commerce solution would be ideal for facilitating a marketplace, as they were built to handle multiple integrations under one solution.   Product Presentation When many sellers come together with their unique branding, it is difficult to keep a uniformed product presentation. Sellers often have different color schemes, image formats, and image quality, leading to a less uniform user experience across the catalog. By choosing a strong Content Management System(CSM) or Digital Experience Platform (DXP), you can ensure that you can offer templates with strict guidelines to unify the experience.   Customer Service With a large catalog of products, it is difficult managing customer service requests. The marketplace owner is expected to assist customers regarding their products, even though they may not have immediate ties or access to each product. We’ve seen marketplace owners relieve this pressure by ensuring as much product information is provided on the site as possible, and minimizing overall customer-to-customer service agent interactions. This is obviously not an exhaustive list of challenges, and once again, we would definitely recommend working with an agency to assess the cost-benefit ratio of your strategy. So how does Elastic Path support your future marketplace business?   How Does Elastic Path Support Your Marketplace Needs? Elastic Path supports customers with marketplace needs whether they want to sell their products and services on an existing marketplace like Alibaba and Amazon, or establish their own marketplace within their industry. To support these needs, Elastic Path offers Product Content Management and Catalog Composer to support all of your complex catalog needs, as well as our marketplace technology partner integration in the Composable Commerce Hub, to create seamless and engaging experiences across multiple touchpoints. Many customers have expressed their fear around venturing into a marketplace model because of the perceived complexity and risk. However, due to the open and flexible architecture that Composable Commerce provides, customers are able to deploy a marketplace by either leveraging their existing eCommerce solution or by building a Composable Commerce solution from scratch with Elastic Path. In addition, for those businesses who want more help with launching quickly, you’ll also be able to leverage one of our Pre-Composed Marketplace Solutions, which is a complete business-ready solution, that eliminates the need to take on the complexity of stitching together everything on their own. We have had customer launches in weeks rather than months with Pre-Composed Solutions. So which marketplace model is right for you? With Elastic Path Commerce Cloud there are three main marketplace operating models that you can choose from. You can choose to: Sell Into An Existing Marketplace: In this model you will be able to sell into an existing marketplace like Amazon and Alibaba by setting up an automated function to push your products to their marketplace and market your products and services in a way to ensure your goods can be sold. Establish a services-only marketplace: In this model you will be to facilitate the sale of services as the operator of the marketplace. As services based marketplaces are less concerned with “shipping and fulfillment,” you can choose to accept payments through the platform or send buyers to the individual sellers and instead put in measures to manage and collect surcharges for facilitating the interactions. Elastic Path works closely with larger marketplace vendors such as Jetti and Mirakl to create seamless integrations to make this process quick and simple. Sell and facilitate transactions on your personal marketplace: In this model you can either choose to sell your branded products alongside other third party sellers or operate solely as the owner. In this model, you will be able to deploy your marketplace on multiple channels, as well as provide a reliable and engaging user experience to ensure customer retention. Elastic Path works closely with our marketplace partners in the Composable Commerce Hub to ensure real time syncing and seamless cohesion of complex integrations. Of course if you have a simpler or more complex need we can always jump on a call to discuss your options. We hope this was helpful, but if you want to know more you can visit our eCommerce Marketplaces page or shoot us a chat on our website. We’d be happy to help!
    Topics: able, leverage, sellers, marketplaces, ecommerce, path, marketplace, products, services, elastic, product, model.
  • xSellco launches helpdesk eDesk - Ecommerce platform provider xSellco has launched eDesk, a helpdesk that integrates with several ecommerce marketplaces, shopping carts and social channels, and should help online retailers to scale their customer support strategy. Irish company XSellco already had a helpdesk feature, but eDesk is completely rebuilt from the ground up and aims Continue reading
    Topics: helpdesk, solution, edesk, ecommerce, company, marketplaces, best, xsellco, launches, support, customer.