B2B marketplaces are real, there are plenty of them, and there are more on the way.

And B2B marketplaces are far more than just another digital sales channel. Today, the 500 marketplaces listed in the 2023 B2B Marketplace Report, a soon-to-be published report from Digital Commerce 360, now account for 12% of all U.S. B2B ecommerce sales.

Here are three key takeaways from the 2023 B2B Marketplace 500 Report that demonstrate how business marketplaces in vertical markets and industries and commercial platforms such as Amazon Business, Alibaba, and eBay, are changing the size, scale and direction of American B2B ecommerce.

Three key takeaways from the B2B Marketplace 500 Report

1. A digital commerce growth engine

B2B marketplaces will remain the fastest growing B2B digital sales channel. Digital Commerce 360 projects them to grow 100% year over year and, in 2023, account for 12% of all U.S. B2B ecommerce sales.

2. The number of B2B marketplaces will keep growing

Today, buyer behavior has changed the course of B2B marketplace evolution — and accelerated its development. Five years ago, there were only 75 B2B marketplaces. By 2025, there will be 750 or more, based on a projection in the forthcoming Digital Commerce 360 2023 B2B Marketplace 500 Report.

3. B2B buyer behavior is driving B2B marketplace growth

Nearly 60% of businesses now use B2B marketplaces. The majority of B2B buyers are doing at least 26% or more of their business via marketplaces.

Matt Love contributed to this article.

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