Overview about B2B marketplace solutions and their related cost

As soon as your business model is defined, you will be able to decide which budget you could invest in a marketplace solution. Not all solutions have the same price. We will introduce you below marketplace builders that exist and which are the related cost.

Marketplace solution types

Several types of marketplace solutions are available. They all have a different price. Depending on your needs and on your budget you can choose one or another.

• • Tailored marketplace

The first solution is to develop a marketplace from scratch. The solution is the most satisfying one as you could choose freely how you want to develop it but is also require the highest financing level. Indeed it required that you hire one developer full time if you choose to develop the solution internally or call on an IT agency.

More than the price, you won’t be able to determine the date you will be able to start with your marketplace. And you will spend your time asking for new features and maintaining the website.

• • Open Source

Open Source is a method that consists in developing software or software components and let free access to the source code. Users get the possibility to modify or distribute the software with no limit.

Enjoying from a basic solution, you will have to deal with modules to get all the specifities you need. The most common open-source software is WordPress. If you already use it you know that it can be difficult to find the right module.

Sometimes using modules will force you to adjust them by making some additional developments.

Even if the price seems to be attractive at the beginning of your project, the price can evolve quickly.

• • Saas (software as a service)

The last option is using Saas software. Managed by its owner you won’t need any technical skills. He will manage all the technical aspects of the platform: webhosting, maintenance, and evolution. No need to do anything, your platform will still be up-to-date.

And so, the price is limited to the monthly fees you signed for at the begining of the project.

Additional services to not forget when creating a B2B marketplace

• • Design of your B2B marketplace or e-procurement software

Whether the solution you choose it would be better to design the front-office to your identity. You can do it on your own if you get some notions or ask to a design agency. Services from an agency have a cost, so be careful to well communicate with them the guidelines related to your solution.

If you choose a Saas software, it could be interesting to note that Uppler is offering a first version of design for your B2B marketplace.

• Payment solution

If transactions are made on your marketplace, you would need to work with a payment provider (cf. this article). Before thinking about price, select the ones that offer the solution you need.

According to your expectations and your budget, you would prefer one solution to another. The Saas remains for us the most stable and budget-control solution.

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