7 Leading USA B2B Marketplaces for Buying and Selling

In the past few years, most US-based companies have started using B2B marketplaces for procurement and selling their goods. Whether you are new to the industry or looking to expand your reach into new markets, Using a B2B website in USA can surely help you out. Each marketplace has unique strengths and offerings. Doing proper research and staying updated with the latest market trends assist you in unleashing your business’s full potential.

Here, we have made a list of the most popular B2B sites list in the USA for both buying and selling purposes, along with factors that make them stand out in the market.

Top B2B marketplaces used in the USA

Here is the list of leading US based B2B wholesale marketplaces that you should know about. Ideally, you should use more than one website and figure out which one might work best for your business model. 

1. Tradewheel.com

Tradewheel.com is one of the leading B2B platforms in the USA. This site has multiple product categories for almost everything from A to Z, and all of them are filled with the finest products from top manufacturers and brands. Therefore, you will never run out of options to buy here. 

If you are a seller, Tradewheel.com should be your first choice for finding global buyers. As it is growing consistently, there is enough room for new businesses to join and earn significant profits. They receive buying leads from the USA, Europe, and all over the world. Buyers on this site post their requirements in the B2B buyer directory, and you can approach them directly with your best offers. 

Usually, the best wholesale websites have a long sign-up and product posting procedure. In contrast, you can do all of that in just a few minutes. Their entire process to set up your store is quick and simple. Still, if you ever need help, you can always contact their support staff, which is available 24/7. 

What makes Tradewheel different from most B2B websites?

• Easy sign and product posting procedure

• Growing rapidly and having plenty of room for new companies to get sales

• Massive directory of genuine buyers and sellers

2. Amazon Wholesale 

Amazon has a massive network of over buyers and sellers from all over the world. Amazon is a popular B2B marketplace in USA. Most people in the USA also use Amazon Wholesale as a benchmark to compare prices and make sure they get good-priced deals on their bulk purchases. Even though multiple brands also use it to feature their products, this site's ideal target market is small to medium-sized businesses. 

Thousands of sellers use this America's leading b2b directory, which leads to tough competition among sellers and even price wars. Despite the massive buyer base they have, you will always be competing with brands and sellers with strong brand images and massive investments to rank their products. Therefore, most companies rely on paid campaigns to earn revenue early on. 

What makes Amazon different from most B2B websites?

• High-profit margins for sellers with tough competition

• Buyer-friendly terms and conditions

• Has the most complicated product posting procedure

3. Alibaba

Jack Ma launched Alibaba back in 1999 with his 17 friends. With the first mover advantage and strong leadership, they brought innovation in how people buy bulk supplies. Alibaba alone has around 900 million active sellers, and most of them have their hands full of orders. Most B2B USA businesses use Alibaba to look for credible suppliers or factories. The reason for Alibaba’s popularity among buyers is the price advantage they have.

Unlike most large B2B websites, they do not have a complex procedure. Instead, you can create your account and list your products here without going through a lot of hassle. It also opens an opportunity for sellers to join, but the overall competition makes it quite saturated for new sellers, especially if they are relying only on organic reach.

What Makes Alibaba different from most B2B websites:

• Biggest online buyers and sellers directory

• Medium-level competition

• Verified suppliers

4. Made-in-China

Made-in-China was launched back in the year 1998. It connects Chinese manufacturers and exporters with global buyers. Their sellers are known for selling goods at the lowest per-unit costs. It is a popular platform among B2B wholesale USA businesses to get high-quality goods at affordable prices. Most of their seller’s MOQs are slightly higher than what you would expect on other websites. 

Made-in-China focuses on featuring a verified network of exporters with great supply capabilities. Even if you have customization requirements, you can still rely on this platform to get good deals for them as well.

Lately, a few buyers have reported scams and also questioned their credibility. Always remember that only a seller scams on a website, not the marketplace. To minimize this risk, you should only contact their sellers with the “Audited Supplier” badge. Why? Because these are verified businesses. 

What makes Made-in-China different from most B2B websites?

• Find Chinese suppliers and manufacturers

• Most sellers offer low per-unit costs

• Featuring audited suppliers

5. IndiaMART

IndiaMart is India’s largest B2B E-Commerce company. IndiaMart is a gateway to connect directly with Indian exporters. In the global market, they sell bulk items at the best prices. Their sellers are always up for price wars, and you can make full use of this opportunity by buying the finest items at the market’s lowest rates. However, these low prices do not come at the cost of quality. Instead, it is the overall economies of scale that plays a crucial role in it. Therefore, many companies consider it to be one of the best b2b marketplaces for importing products.

They have got more than 7.3 Million suppliers selling more than 80 million products. It includes thousands of product categories that are in high demand. With every passing year, these numbers are only getting better. 

What makes IndiaMart different from most B2B websites?

• Connects you with the Indian suppliers

• Paid subscription can boost your business here

• Most sellers have relatively lower prices

6. Grainger

Grainger is an international B2B manufacturing marketplace operating in 157 countries. As Grainger has been in this industry for decades, they have got a good reputation in the market and are known for their wide range of product categories. Search for almost any factory-made product here, and you will never be disappointed by the list you will get. 

Despite being a global platform, the majority of sellers here are based in America. You can also consider it to be one of the leading B2B sites in USA, especially for small production units looking to export their products. 

Procurement officers from numerous countries use Grainger for sourcing and its popularity and buyers are also increasing. In other words, in the saturated market of B2B E-Commerce, it is still a blue ocean and an opportunity for you to upscale your business. 

What makes Grainger different from most B2B websites?

• Strong reputation in the global market

• Comparatively lower rates

• User-Friendly interface

7. Wholesale Central

These days, a dropshipping business model is becoming common, but hardly a few websites encourage it. Wholesale Central is one of the few US-based websites that allow it. Search for the products you want to retail and buy from their website at the most affordable prices. They would ship products in white-label packaging. In short, it is a comprehensive USA B2B directory for businesses working on dropshipping business models. As they have a massive list of B2B distributors in usa, you only need to invest some time, compare their offers, and then proceed with the best one. 

What makes Wholesale Central different from most B2B websites?

• Best option for dropshipping

• Completely free to use

• Has no live chat or email customer support

Comparison Table

How to Negotiate with Sellers on B2B Websites in USA

These are a few factors you should keep into consideration when negotiating with the supplier on B2B marketplaces.

1. Negotiating Beyond Prices

Procurement officers know how challenging it can be to find the right supplier for your product. It gets even more difficult if you have some customized or quite specific requirements. Most procurement specialists believe that switching suppliers has its own cost. Therefore, building long-term trading relations should be considered as priority rather than only looking at prices.

While negotiating you should also consider additional factors like their customer service, reliability, and delivery times. Even if you have found a distributor who offers the lowest price but is not completely reliable or available at the eleventh hour, they would cost you more than what you are forecasting to save. In short, you need to look at factors that are more than just the product's price and prioritize them as well.

2. Understand Price Trends

Every buyer’s goal is to get better prices. To make this dream a reality, first understand the market pricing. Try collecting offers from multiple sellers through different B2B marketplaces. Also consider how the prices may vary based on the season, order size, frequency, and other factors. Only if you know how the pricing is working for the product can you ask the seller to negotiate it the right way. 

3. Ask for Bulk Discounts

Offering bulk discounts is quite common in the USA. Sellers are mostly open to negotiating their prices or even showing flexibility on their payment terms if you are willing to place a large quantity order. For that reason, you should always use this point to your advantage. Even if you want to buy a certain quantity on a monthly or annual basis, let them know and ask for discounts and in most cases, you will get a significant price cut for it. 

How to Reach Buyers through the Best B2B Portal in USA

These are a few tips to sell your products through wholesale trading platforms.

1. Choosing the Right Marketplace:

One of the biggest mistakes people make is that they start by setting up their stores on the most popular websites. It may sound like a good idea, but it is not because of those sites can have high competition within your niche, and especially if you are new to that marketplace, you will have much lower chances. 

For a good reach early on, you should prefer B2B wholesale marketplace in USA that have comparatively lower competition in your niche. Also, consider the platform’s commission charges on per-unit sales, terms, and conditions. 

2. Organic vs. Paid Reach

Getting organic reach early on can be challenging on most B2B portals in USA. Therefore, suppliers go for their membership plans or PPC campaigns and it is a good approach. However, you should not neglect the significance of organic campaigns considering that they can bring you good sales in the longer run. Plus it is also a cost effective method. 

3. Optimizing your Product Listing

When posting your products on the top B2B wholesale websites in the USA, you are likely to face some competition. To ensure your products also appear in relevant search results, try to optimize them.
Start by doing keyword research. Once you know what words your competitors are using and what your potential customers might be searching for, use them in your Product Title and Description. Also, answer any question your ideal customer may have in mind for a better conversion rate. 

Conclusion:

B2B E-Commerce is a trillion-dollar industry that is growing with every passing year. To become a part of it, join the USA B2B portals that align with your requirements. Sellers need to consider the competition within their industry and optimize products accordingly to get maximum conversions. Also, a website that may have worked for one business might not be your best choice. Every market has a different audience with distinctive requirements. You must go through multiple platforms, research, and then select one. Still, the best idea is always to have your products listed on multiple websites. In contrast, if you are buying, you should ask for quotations from various sellers. It will increase your chances of getting better deals exponentially.