Corona accelerates digital sourcing

Because the Corona pandemic caused numerous industrial and trade fairs to be canceled in Germany and abroad and many companies' tried-and-tested supply chains to collapse, access figures for online platforms have risen significantly in recent months. The European B2B platform EUROPAGES and the leading B2B marketplace "Wer liefert was" in the DACH region have been united under the corporate brand Visable for a year now. The company is now taking stock.

B2B platforms for digital sourcing as an advantage

"We are very satisfied with the first Visable year, but we are by no means resting on our laurels," says Visable CEO Peter F. Schmid. "There is still huge potential for B2B platforms. In combination with the global acceleration of digitization triggered by the Corona crisis, our signs clearly point to growth," says Peter F. Schmid. Schmid sees an enormous opportunity particularly in the long-term elimination of trade shows. "Trade shows as we have known them until now are simply no longer in keeping with the times. We assume that one in four trade shows will no longer exist in their usual form next year."

Platforms such as EUROPAGES and "Wer liefert was" offer clear advantages over location-based trade shows. They are available 365 days a year and provide corporate buyers with a quick overview of all available suppliers. Companies that have a presence on the platforms can also acquire new customers locally to worldwide. Budget usage can also be measured at any time. Digital sourcing will continue to grow not only because of the Corona pandemic.

First Visable year records huge customer growth

In the first year of Visable, there was an enormous increase in new customers. There were 5,000 new customers for the European B2B platform and 3,800 new customers for "Wer liefert was". The amount of services booked by all customers was 65 million Swiss francs with clear opportunities for further growth. The potential for the digital market of trade between companies remains enormous. Even before Corona, the market had been growing by an average of 13 percent annually since 2013. Forecasts show that this will not change. On the contrary, studies such as those by The Insight Partners 2020 show that the market will grow by up to 15 percent per year until 2027 and is already six times larger than the end-consumer market.

Significantly increased access figures due to Corona pandemic

The Corona pandemic has caused traffic on the Visible platforms to increase enormously in recent months. Since the beginning of the Corona crisis, traffic has grown by an average of more than 25 percent on "Wer liefert was" and 22 percent on EUROPAGES compared to the previous year. At peak times, growth on both platforms was even over 50 percent compared to the same week last year. "Many companies are forced to completely rethink their procurement strategy or are dependent on alternative supply sources in the short term because their established supply chains are breaking away," explains Visable CEO Peter F. Schmid. According to Carsten Brandt, Head of Corporate Communications at Visable, who presented the latest figures at the annual media conference, these figures show that Corona is clearly serving as an accelerator of digitalization. "According to research by McKinsey, digital channels in B2B have gained significantly since the start of Corona, up to 40 percent," Brandt said.

Investments in the double-digit millions

"We want to continue to grow," says CEO Peter F. Schmid. In the second Visable year, investments in the double-digit millions are to ensure further growth, especially in the area of technologies. This fall, "Wer liefert was" will appear after a relaunch with new functions and a new corporate design. "The past few months have shown that marketing and sales in business-to-business commerce are finally going digital. The time for online platforms is now," says Peter F. Schmid. In contrast, industrial and trade shows will continue to lose. "Only three out of four trade shows will come back," adds Carsten Brandt. "Trade shows are no longer up to date. It's hardly worthwhile to set up entire machines at a trade show anymore. With virtual reality, there are now technological alternatives to demonstrate machines. Many marketing departments in the industry will therefore increasingly invest in virtual trade shows."

Source and further information: www.visable.com