Wholesale businesses and B2B businesses are not discussed that much as they don’t deal directly with the customers. Due to this, the wholesale businesses are not getting as much importance as they deserve. But the reality here is that these companies are the spinal cord or can say the backbone of the industry. This business model comprises two businesses trading directly with each other and it’s a retailer as well as a wholesaler.
Recently, wholesale eCommerce has grown with the B2C online retailing. In 2019, the market value of Business-to-Business retail was 6 times the rate of Business-to-Consumer retail which was 12.2 trillion dollars.
Because of this huge market value, the online wholesale business is now looking for the same ease and comfort for doing business that Business-to-Consumer retailers already have.
What is Wholesale eCommerce?
Simply, when a business uses an online platform or websites to buy goods from suppliers at the wholesale price, then it is what we call wholesale eCommerce. Such platforms allow to access a variety of potential business partners. If you are a retailer or have a retail business and feel like your business is not meeting your needs, then such platforms help find you the suppliers who are more active in line according to your requirements.
Similarly, these platforms can also be helpful for you if you want to diversify your product field. The cheapest wholesalers or manufacturers are in the South Asian or even Asian markets. By using online wholesale platforms, you can attain these suppliers easily. You can even easily search for the suppliers that own what you need and can negotiate the price or shipping process working better for you.
If you are a manufacturer or retailer and assemble your goods with distinct imported parts then these platforms can be useful for you as having more options will not only allow you to offer better quality products but will also help you improve your profit margins.
Why Wholesalers Need eCommerce?
Wholesalers are located in markets that are somehow hard to reach. For example, if you have a small business located in the US with your suppliers in China, then how will you access them? The answer here is of course the online wholesale platforms that help you to reach your distributors across the world. These platforms allow you to get the suppliers you need and to negotiate the price you can work with. You can also get the items you require for your business just with the few clicks of the mouse.
What are the 10 benefits of eCommerce Applications in Wholesale
- Increment in the customers due to high outreach
- Faster Brand Establishment
- Multi-Channel Sales
- Ease for wholesalers to collect data from customers
- Evaluate the possible competitors
- Makes Business-to-Business affordable by eradicating irrelevant costs
- Increment in promotion opportunities
- Allows to have direct contact with the customer
- Accesses the mobile commerce
- Accesses the 24-hour consistency
What are the top wholesale eCommerce Features?
Certain qualities or characteristics are required for an eCommerce platform to have to be one of the best options for the wholesale business. Luckily, the evolution, as well as the uptake of the eCommerce platform, are getting much better to use. Wholesalers as well as retailers can expect the useability and access that customer-facing businesses have. There are a few things to look for when you try to explore a good wholesale platform, including –
- Simple Design – The platform must use a simple layout so that it will be easy to navigate.
- Multiple Budget Options – Several businesses have distinct purchase budgets so wholesalers need to be flexible in offering customized rates.
- Varied Catalogs – To make it easy to find what you need, there must be a catalog on the platform featuring a wide variety of products.
- Easy Re-ordering – The platform must have an easy re-ordering procedure to keep your buyers coming back to you.
- Mobile accessibility – Ensure that the platform offers mobile accessibility so that customers can place orders easily via an app or mobile-friendly website.
- Barcode Scan – Barcode scan feature allows customers to place their orders quickly and even wholesalers can respond fast.
- Full Shopping Cart Experience – The platform must allow customers to review, confirm, or modify their orders before making a purchase.
The Top 10 eCommerce Platforms for Wholesalers
The China-based wholesale platform offers a wide variety of products that are ready to be shipped and with it the customers can sign up for free and find what they want. It offers 100 dollars as service charges.
Amazon’s business is for B2B transactions between retailers and wholesalers. Customers can sign up for free and can compare prices
and can even pay with different payment methods. It also includes Amazon prime for fast delivery and fulfillment for shipping. It charges 39.99 dollars for a retailer’s account.
Another great platform for wholesale eCommerce that allows multiple vendors to sell easily. It claims 66% more cost-effectiveness than other platforms. It even offers excellent usability and offers omnichannel content management or language support.
- IndiaMart
The platform provides both B2C and B2B services. It is focused on the Indian market and considers the best wholesale eCommerce platform in the region with more than 23 million suppliers.
- Made in China
Another wholesale distribution that began in China and is very popular for electronics. Most of its products are manufactured in Taiwan or China.
- Global Sources
The Hong-Kong based wholesale eCommerce platform is one of the fastest-growing and oldest platforms out there. With the fantastic B2B sales strategy, it brings retailers and wholesalers face-to-face in a productive environment.
- DHGate
The other China-based wholesale eCommerce platform that has its headquarters in Beijing and several offices in UAE, India, the Philippines, and the US. It has over 1.2 million Chinese suppliers as well as buyers from 200 plus countries and facilitates wholesale transactions for all businesses or manufacturers.
- eWorld Trade
The headquarters of this platform is in Dallas, Texas and operations run from Karachi, Pakistan. The platform was developed as the part of CPEC economic corridor aiming to facilitate the trade between Pakistan and China.
- TradeKey
The platform targets countries, including India, Pakistan, Taiwan, Malaysia, China, and Bangladesh, and is one of the best wholesale platforms in Asia. It provides quotations for products.
- Kinnek.com
The platform focuses on facilitating wholesale distribution for small and medium businesses. It is a buyer-centric and users can create ads with their requirements asking for quotes from sellers.
How to Pick Your Platform?
The best eCommerce platform depends on what you are looking for. So, if you have any specific product or region in mind or the type of fulfillment you want, here are the things you need to consider –
- What is your budget to access the platform
- The particular region
- Languages that the platform supports
- Payment methods by platform
- Usability
- Customer support service
- Easier to manage
- Connectivity with the CRM and inventory
- Logistics and fulfillment
Considering these points you can figure out the most suitable platform for your work
Take your Business to high-level with the eCommerce platform for wholesalers
eCommerce has evolved the way we do business and is evolving every day. Wholesale eCommerce has brought manufacturers, distributors, suppliers, and retailers across the world to one place. Now, finding suppliers from several countries is not an issue anymore. Just make sure that you know how to pick, what to pick, and why to pick a platform.