Online trading by SMEs: More details on products and services in demand
For buyers of SMEs in Switzerland, Germany and Austria, platforms and marketplaces for online trading are becoming increasingly important. As a survey by the leading online B2B marketplace "Wer liefert was" (Who supplies what) shows, the Internet-based search for raw materials, products and services is valued above all for its rapid findability.
The online marketplace "Wer liefert was" surveyed 1,313 buyers on the use of online platforms and marketplaces on its own country-specific online marketplaces in the DACH region in August and September. The results show that online procurement channels will soon be at least as important to SMEs as face-to-face contact between sales representatives. For example, 53.4 percent of respondents said they predominantly use online stores as a sourcing channel, or online marketplaces (45.9 percent). Direct contact was only rated as relevant by 59.4. Trade shows were preferred by a share of 36.9 percent of buyers, followed by trade directories (27.8 percent) and the company's own delivery systems (11.1 percent). The other sources of supply were well behind at 11.9 percent, with Google and personal recommendations still named most frequently.
Platforms and marketplaces for online trade are becoming increasingly important for SMEs
"The survey shows that online platforms and marketplaces for searching for products are gaining in importance among companies," explains Peter F. Schmid, CEO of "Wer liefert was" and Chairman of EUROPAGES. "In tendency, the personal contact is only relevant after the buyer has already informed himself about the possible suppliers online," explains Schmid. The majority of survey participants use online platforms and marketplaces primarily to find specific products (67.3 percent) and to look for new suppliers (47.9 percent). Only around a third of respondents also place orders.
Speed as main Utilization factor
For 36.3 percent of the shoppers surveyed, the most important factor for using online platforms and marketplaces is that they can find products quickly here. This is followed at some distance by the comparability of prices (18.9 percent) and products (13.6 percent) as well as a large selection of products (16.6 percent). "The survey showed that online platforms and marketplaces are very efficient and therefore particularly popular," says Peter F. Schmid. He also sees untapped potential in the results of the survey.
More Details at Products and Services asked
"There is a great need for companies to catch up when it comes to providing sufficient detailed information online," explains Peter F. Schmid. The reason: When asked about the hurdles in using online platforms and marketplaces, around 45.8 percent of participants felt that the lack of detailed product information was critical. According to Schmid, the B2B marketplace "Wer liefert was" has already responded. "On wlw.ch, detailed product information can now even be integrated automatically and updated daily," he says.
Google and Co. bring Europe in the Dependency the USA
Overall, the respondents are optimistic about the future and paint a positive picture. Platforms and marketplaces are seen primarily as drivers of the company's own business, as they make it easy to tap into new procurement markets (45.5 percent), reduce costs in purchasing (39.2 percent) and are growth drivers, but above all important innovation drivers (41.8 percent). Only 4.6 percent of the participants stated that there would be no changes at all. For all their confidence, however, the respondents also recognize GAFA's dominance and fear that Europe will be increasingly forced into dependency (36.4 percent).
What thinks the european Abroad?
The survey on online retailing was conducted simultaneously by the European platform EUROPAGES. Here, around 900 international participants (mainly from Europe) took part in the survey. Overall, the results are similar in all areas. The most important source of supply for buyers is direct contact (63 percent), followed by online stores (45.6 percent) and marketplaces (36.9 percent). Platforms are mainly used for researching specific products (57.9 percent). In terms of the platforms used for online commerce, on the other hand, the picture differs from the DACH region: in the English-speaking world, Alibaba (52.7 percent) is much more widespread than other platforms. In France, the Chinese company is in second place (37.3 percent) - behind EUROPAGES (51.1 percent). The main reason for using it is that products can be found quickly (24.6 percent); the biggest hurdles are hidden contact information (37.6 percent) and missing or incomplete product information (40.1 percent). The benefits are also recognized here: 41.3 percent said that B2B platforms and marketplaces make it easy to tap into new procurement markets and that SMEs can cut costs in purchasing (35.6 percent).
Source and further information: www.wlw.ch
