B2b Marketplace

2 B2b Marketplace Success Stories [2024]

Pat Walls

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Updated: October 10th, 2024

Imagine a platform where businesses could effortlessly connect, trade, and collaborate. Enter the B2B marketplace—a succinct, digital hub where companies meet their perfect partners.

A B2B marketplace allows businesses to list, discover, and purchase products and services from other businesses. Think of it as a professional, high-powered version of eBay, tailored for enterprises.

Launching such a venture involves creating a robust online platform that supports seamless transactions. You'll need to entice suppliers to list their products and attract businesses looking for competitive prices and unique offerings. Building trust through secure payment systems and transparent review mechanisms is crucial.

This business idea taps into the growing demand for efficient, streamlined procurement processes and offers the potential for recurring revenue from transaction fees or subscriptions. For those with a keen eye for digital innovation and a knack for networking, a B2B marketplace could be a compelling venture.

In this list, you'll find real-world b2b marketplace success stories and very profitable examples of starting a b2b marketplace that makes money.

1. Upper Limits ($1.44M/year)

Matthieu Fortin, the CEO of Upper Limits, started the company in 2013 with the goal of creating a place where medical cannabis patients could find education and guidance. Inspired by his personal experience with the health benefits of vaporization, he saw an opportunity to provide new product technology education and fill a gap in the market. With an initial investment of $30,000, he bootstrapped the business and focused on sourcing high-quality products and building relationships with vendors and customers. Word of mouth and a strong online presence, including Google tools, have played a significant role in attracting and retaining customers for Upper Limits.

How much money it makes: $1.44M/year
How much did it cost to start: $30K
How many people on the team: 7

How I Started A $1.4M/Year Online Smoke Shop

Upper Limits, a hybrid brick-and-mortar/e-commerce company located in Springfield, IL that sells dispensary, smoke shop products, and custom glass pipes, has succeeded in generating 366% greater sales revenue than their industry peers by facing challenges head-on and diversifying their revenue streams.

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2. SolarFeeds ($12K/year)

Willie Jiang, a digital marketer with a passion for solar energy, was inspired to start SolarFeeds after learning about the current trend and adoption of solar energy. He bought the domain solarfeeds.com and focused on creating solar-related content to build an audience before launching the platform, which connects solar installers and suppliers. With a focus on SEO, SolarFeeds has achieved impressive organic traffic growth and plans to further improve their supplier catalog for solar installers.

How much money it makes: $12K/year
How much did it cost to start: $150K
How many people on the team: 8

How A Solar Startup Grew Their Organic Traffic By 69X In 15 Months

SolarFeeds, a two-sided marketplace connecting solar installers and suppliers, grew their organic traffic by 69 times in 18 months by focusing on SEO and building an audience through solar-related content before launching their platform.

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Read by 3,678 founders