In the modern era, businesses prefer to use B2B trade websites they can trust. This approach minimizes the risk of getting scammed and also boosts the confidence of both buyer and supplier.
As this trend is on the rise, you should also consider using trusted B2B platforms to make your transactions safer. Every marketplace has different terms and conditions and almost no marketplace takes complete responsibility for any party. However, they do provide some precautions to avoid fraud.
Here, I am listing out the top 5 wholesale trading marketplaces that have been around for quite a while and earned everyone’s confidence by always maintaining their quality standards
Tradewheel.com
Tradewheel.com is rated among the top wholesale marketplaces. It is due to their policies for zero tolerance for scams or fake products. They focus on promoting distributors and brands who have been in this industry for a long period. Therefore, you can always place your order on this platform with complete confidence.
You can also view Tradewheel.com’s reviews on sites like Trustpilot and Sitejabber and you will find that most of them are positive. ScamAdviser has also verified this marketplace and gives it a perfect 100/100 trust score for being a legitimate website.
As it is a global B2B e-commerce website, it features a diverse range of products. You only need to search for what you are looking for and you will always find what you are looking for at amazing prices. You can either directly contact your favorite brands or post a free request for a quotation to receive multiple offers.
In contrast to most B2B marketplaces, it is not saturated for sellers. If your goods are up to the mark, you can set up your store there and also reach global buyers. To reach out to buying leads, you only need to create your account here and then contact relevant purchase managers with your quotations.
Pros:
- Wide range of products for sale
- Strong reviews online
- Access to buying leads
- Easy to set up a store
Cons:
- High competition in specific product niches/categories
Amazon Business
In the e-commerce industry, there is no need to introduce Amazon. It was one of the first online marketplaces that started as a bookstore and now deals in almost everything starting from A to Z. It is a popular platform among sellers to list their products and surely many businesses have earned great profits from it. However, you should also know the other side of the story. To become one most trusted B2B e-commerce brands, they had to introduce strict policies which results in tough competition. You need to follow all of their policies or even a slight mistake could result in a banned from the platform permanently.
The customer base on Amazon is massive. Especially in the USA, even if a person is buying from any other marketplace, they at least compare it with Amazon to cross-check the prices to see if they can get a better deal here.
When it comes to building buyer’s trust, there is no platform that does it better than Amazon. Buyers can also view the seller’s past reviews and how they respond to the queries. Plus, they also have an active team of customer support to assist you 24/7. If the goods you receive are not as described or damaged, they can be replaced free of cost, but you should also look at their return policies before as it varies for some product categories.
Pros:
- Largest online B2B customer base
- Global buyers
- Niche products available and in demand
Cons:
- Tough competition among sellers
Made-in-China
Made-in-China gets you in direct contact with Chinese suppliers and manufacturers. It started its operations back in the year 1996 and since then it has been a go-to platform for bulk buyers to meet verified suppliers. As China is the hub of manufacturing units, it provides a platform for small and medium-sized enterprises to feature their products on a global level. As a majority of their sellers are factories, it helps you save on your sourcing cost.
You can use Made-in-China to verify the Chinese seller’s authenticity. Search for the goods you are looking for and in the filter’s member type section, click on “Audited Suppliers” Now you will only view suppliers who were physically visited and verified by Made-in-China’s officials. This way, you can eliminate all the risk of getting ripped off and can source from here confidently.
Among sellers, there is usually a price war going on. To differentiate themselves from the rest of the market, exporters will usually give low-priced quotations. It is due to several factors like low labor costs, taxes, and other expenses. Once you have verified the authenticity of the distributor, you would have nothing to worry about.
Pros:
- Direct access to Chinese manufacturers
- Filter physically verified suppliers
- Low per-unit cost
Cons:
- Language barriers
EuroPages
Even though EuroPages is not a global B2B platform, it has a massive market share all over Europe. It has been operating in this industry for around 25 years and has built quite a strong brand reputation. It deals in a wide range of products that cover almost everything that a buyer would need.
Wholesale buyers prefer Europages because of their wide range of products available. Try searching for the products you are looking for and you will always find multiple options to choose from. Their search bar makes complete wholesale trading faster and simpler.
EuroPages is available in 26 different languages to target all countries within Europe. From the seller’s perspective, you do not need to fill in the product details in all languages. They translate all the product titles, descriptions, and other details automatically. They also share their data related to queries searched on EuroPages. It helps you get a good market insight into what customers are searching for and find gaps in the market.
As it gives sellers tremendous exposure, they also have a demanding verification process. It is to make sure that the businesses and products listed on their website are completely legit and can be trusted with eyes closed.
Pros:
- Has a strong market share in Europe
- Features verified suppliers
- Shares market insights
Cons:
- Has a very demanding product posting procedure for sellers
ThomasNet
ThomasNet is the yellow pages directory of global buyers and suppliers. They have been connecting businesses for mutual benefits since 1898. Now, it is one of the most trusted b2b brands that you can find online. Currently, it has a massive network of more than a million companies and enough buying leads to satisfying them along with room for new sellers to join.
As new buyers and sellers are joining ThomasNet on daily basis, it is expanding continuously. You can also list your products, services, and company here and get global exposure for free.
ThomasNet has a dedicated team that makes sure the information of companies listed is up to date. Even though it is a global marketplace, its major chunk comes from the USA and Canada.
Thomasnet also provide different digital marketing and advertising services for small to medium-sized businesses. Most enterprises that subscribed to their plans got good profits. Thus, you can also check out their plans if you are a seller and looking for quality leads that convert.
Pros:
- Free exposure to the international market
- Up-to-date information about companies
- Can set up customizable email alerts
Cons:
- Need to get paid services to unleash its full potential
Guide to Finding Reliable Suppliers
No B2B e-commerce website with years of history would scam buyers. It is usually third-party sellers who rip off the customers. Following are a few factors that you should consider to avoid them.
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Verify Documents
It is common for scammers to make fake documents. However, the Internet has made document verification simpler than ever before. Most of the certificates can be verified through their department’s official websites.
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Beware of unreal prices or offers
There should not be a need to tell that if the buyer or seller is giving an unrealistic price for the goods, whether too high or low it is a red sign. Even though you can get good deals online, they should be believable in the first place.
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Advanced or unusual Payment terms
Always use the payment gateway that the platform has integrated. However, if the platform has no specified payment method, you should bring the banks in between but never make advanced payments.
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Do a Virtual/Physical Meeting
Trusted suppliers will never say no to a virtual meeting to gain your confidence in the company. In contrast.
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Pay to Company Account
Legitimate businesses always have a company account and if the other party is asking you to pay on a personal account, it is a clear sign that you should not deal with them.
Conclusion:
If you want to survive in the evolving B2B industry, you would have to use online platforms and should know how to identify scammers. However, using trust B2B platforms can surely minimize this risk and also give you amazing opportunities to expand your business and digital presence in the international market. The growth potential is almost endless only if you know how to target your audience. Each of these platforms has a completely different audience. Therefore, sellers should consider platforms that their potential customers use most frequently.
