Marketplace platforms for B2B distributors and wholesalers

A B2B marketplace platform lets a distributor, wholesaler or manufacturer sell third-party products alongside its own range to business buyers, with the features B2B buying needs: account-specific prices, quotes, purchase orders, approval workflows and ERP integration. 24 of the 43 platforms in our ranking say they serve B2B distributors and wholesalers.

What changes in B2B

• Prices: each customer account may have its own price list, discounts and payment terms.
• Buying process: quotes, requests for quotation, purchase orders and approval chains replace the basket.
• Catalogue: technical attributes, units of measure and long product data matter more than images.
• Integration: the ERP is the system of record for prices, stock and invoices.
• Payment: invoices and payment on terms, not only cards.

Which platforms serve B2B

The highest-scoring platforms that say they serve B2B distributors and wholesalers:

Platforms that support the B2B marketplace model:

Questions to ask vendors

1. Can third-party sellers and your own range be sold side by side, with one basket and one invoice?
2. How are customer-specific prices handled for third-party products?
3. Which ERPs does the vendor integrate with out of the box?
4. How are payment terms and credit handled when the marketplace collects the money?

See also: how to choose a marketplace platform and the B2B marketplace platform ranking.