Expert insights into the B2B marketplace opportunity

The B2B ecommerce market is massive—and marketplaces are taking a bigger and bigger share every year.

In this video, we'll look into why starting a B2B marketplace can be such a tremendous opportunity, and what challenges founders face along the way. The insights come from marketplace experts, founders, and investors and Sharetribe's 10+ years of experience working with successful marketplaces.

00:00 Introduction: the B2B ecommece market is massive
01:03: Factors that boost B2B marketplace success
02:31: "Holy Grail" transactions
03:55: The challenge: Disintermediation
05:18: Inefficient processes
06:13: The challenge: Building your transaction engine
07:34: Fragmented markets
08:19: The challenge: Matching supply & demand
10:59: Change of habits
11:43: The challenge: Investing in the marketplace UX
12:19: Blue ocean
13:40: The challenge: Chicken-or-egg project
15:36: New ways to engage customers
16:19: Wrapping up

Sources and more insights on building a B2B marketplace:

Stats on the size of the B2B E-Commerce market: https://www.statista.com/markets/413/...

Stats on growth of B2B marketplaces: https://www.statista.com/study/44442/...

Interview with investor Josh Breinlinger on why investors love B2B marketplaces: https://www.sharetribe.com/academy/ba...

D’Arcy Coolican on the Andreessen Horowitz blog on “Holy Grail” transactions: https://a16z.com/four-paths-to-market...

Two-sided podcast episode with Freightos CEO Ruthie Amaru on building a B2B marketplace for a fragmented market with complex workflows: https://www.sharetribe.com/twosided/e...

Two-sided podcast episode with Crexi founder Michael DeGiorgio on how a B2B marketplace can embrace, not replace the middle man: https://www.sharetribe.com/twosided/e...

Interview with investor Mathias Ockenfels on what investors look for in marketplaces: https://www.sharetribe.com/academy/wh...

Mathias Ockenfels on what investors look for in marketplaces: transparency, efficiency and trust: https://www.sharetribe.com/academy/wh...

Two-sided podcast episode with Scientist.com founder Kevin Lustig on building an enterprise gateway marketplace: https://www.sharetribe.com/twosided/e...

Interview with investor Ben Narasin on how marketplaces can disrupt large markets: https://www.sharetribe.com/academy/ma...