The first article in this series described how business-to-business (B2B) marketplaces have grown over the last decade, driven by SME digitalization and strong investor interest. Now we ask which sectors engage with marketplaces – and the business models used to create value.

Long-term trends in the expansion of B2B marketplaces show no sign of slowing down, with a recent analysis by Dentsu suggesting global turnover could hit $25 trillion by 2030, up from $18 trillion by the end of this year.[1] Hotspots for growth over the next five years include India, with a large number of established players serving “Kiranas” (‘Mom & Pop’ stores) as well as larger buyers such as regional retail chains. The ASEAN countries are also prominent, with Indonesia a key player and Vietnam catching up fast. Other areas of note include West and East Africa, Pakistan, and Latin America, where large FMCG players such as ABInBev, Unilever, and Coca-Cola are directly funding B2B marketplace operations.

Sectors Favoring Marketplaces

While there are obvious distinctions between uptake in different geographies, it’s possible to distinguish five key sectors that favor B2B marketplaces more than others. These include FMCG (primarily through “Mom & Pop” operations, though also through smaller chain stores), agriculture and fresh food, logistics and general retail, plus specialist verticals such as healthcare, packaging, and contract manufacturing.

Sectors That Favor B2B Marketplaces

               Source: KoreFusion Analysis

In a separate series, we examine the reasons why many sectors in emerging markets are favoring B2B marketplaces, including historically fragmented supply chains, poor access to credit, and the challenge of securing orders at relatively low volumes and frequency from traditional suppliers. Looking across the sectors outlined above, it’s easy to understand the appeal of more rapid access to supplies and credit, plus simplified order and delivery, both for FMCG players themselves and for segments such as agriculture and fresh food, apparel and other sectors that serve them.

Typically, these sectors choose different means of engaging with B2B marketplaces dependent on region. Thus SuperApps such as Grab (Indonesia), MoMo (Vietnam), AliPay and WeChat are popular in South-East Asia, while Latin American SMEs will prefer to pay via digital wallet solutions such as PIX (Brazil), Yape (Peru) or MACH (Chile). In the United States, most SMEs will engage with marketplaces via independent software vendors such as Stripe, Square, or Shopify.

How B2B Marketplaces Create Value

B2B marketplaces are most likely to charge sellers a percentage-commission on each transaction, the model most frequently used by marketplaces addressing small-scale retailers in the “Mom & Pop” space. Specialist vertical marketplaces will often generate cashflow through fixed membership fees, which may be tiered to offer different levels of benefit from different price points. These models are distinct from the most common business-to-consumer (B2C) model, in which marketplaces generate revenue via charging advertisers for space on the platform.

Most Common B2B Marketplace Business Models

                 Source: KoreFusion Analysis

Embedded Finance represents the most promising value creation model for many B2B marketplaces. In such arrangements, which we cover in-depth later in this series, marketplaces generate more revenue by combining functions such as ordering, payment, and invoicing, simplifying processes and reducing the need for multiple authentications. The “embedded” model also enables marketplaces to offer a wider range of adjacent services, including credit and lending, to SMEs via a single platform. Whichever value creation model is chosen, including combinations of those outlined above, it’s clear B2B marketplaces are going to be pivotal to the development of the digital economy in emerging markets – and increasingly in Western Europe, North America, the Middle East and other regions.

KoreFusion optimizes SMB payments strategy across 80 countries. We help banks, brands, and fintechs develop embedded payments and financial services for SMBs. For more information, please contact hello@korefusion.com.

[1] Merkle, Inc. 28 November 2023: “New Merkle Report Predicts Seismic Shifts for B2B by 2030.” https://www.merkle.com/en/merkle-now/press-releases/2023/buyers-demand-visibility-and-transparency--new-merkle-report-pre.html