

By: Brian Beck
What do B2B businesses do when the traditional physical doors are locked, sellers and buyers can't and won't accept in-person appointments, business travel is effectively shut down, and industry trade shows — the transactional lifeblood of many supply chains — are shuttered? Well, one channel remains open. It is the digital channel, and the platforms and marketplaces that are already in place with the scale to support expanded digital demand are benefiting by meeting the needs of both buyers and sellers.
Consider the following (somewhat staggering) numbers, which demonstrate an unprecedented change in B2B purchase behavior in the United States since the start of the pandemic:
These statistics reveal a sea of change in the landscape for B2B ecommerce, and one that has significant implications for digital players that are prepared with the infrastructure and capabilities to deliver value to both business buyers and sellers.
One such platform that is gaining considerable momentum in the midst of this dramatic and rapidly evolving market is Alibaba.com (yes, the .com is part of the name!). But can Alibaba.com — which has traditionally been perceived by some in the US as a basic online listing service with products only sourced from China — really be a viable option for US businesses seeking to source and sell products? Can Alibaba.com really be a player in the US market, where Amazon and niche marketplaces have dominated?
It seems so.
Alibaba.com opened its doors to US sellers in July of 2019. Then, as the COVID-19 pandemic spread across the United States and people were forced to work from home, discovery of this channel accelerated. Consider these recent business results:
Why is this happening? It comes down to a combination of the right timing, the right investment, and meeting buyers' and sellers' needs. The company is putting in place a number of things that indicate they are 1) serious about the US market, and 2) listening to US buyers and sellers.
For example, the company is investing in building an experienced team in the US. Alibaba.com has established a considerable in-market US presence, centered in New York, that is dedicated to the North American market. Resources are structured around recruiting new businesses to the platform, and then helping them succeed. The team is staffed with veterans of the US market, spearheaded by President of North America and Europe B2B John Caplan. Caplan has a background leading US internet and ecommerce companies, including OpenSky and About.com, among others.
The company is also adding tools to accommodate B2B buying. Alibaba.com already has and is creating more functionalities for B2B digital commerce, based on buyer and seller feedback, including:
An important part of any businesses' success, whether online or off, is centering efforts on the customer. Alibaba.com gathers feedback from its buyers and sellers through something it calls its "Build Up" events, in which the company partners with local and industry groups in regional forums to discuss global trade and ecommerce issues. While these events (which are held in person) were reportedly put on hold due to the COVID-19 situation, the company indicates that it continues to gather customer feedback via digital formats, such as its online trade shows.
What does this mean for US B2B companies? Alibaba.com is emerging as a component of a balanced ecommerce strategy for both buyers and sellers of products based in the US market. This has different implications depending on the type of business you are in. Specifically:
Ultimately, I believe we are seeing indications that Alibaba.com is emerging as a viable part of our post-Covid ecommerce landscape here in the US, and a channel worth investigating for your business. Remember that a well-formed ecommerce strategy has multiple components — it isn't one marketplace or digital channel at the exclusion of others. The momentum I am seeing from Alibaba.com should place this marketplace firmly on the list of considerations for your B2B ecommerce strategy.
The 2020 holiday season will be unlike any other for retailers everywhere. One thing is certain, small businesses need to be ready for anything if they want to succeed. Watch our fireside chat to hear the experts at Easyship walk through the best way for merchants to make this unprecedented holiday season a success. You can view our previous fireside chats here.
The best ecommerce strategies enable sales on every channel. Create online stores on the social media platforms your business exists to make every touchpoint a sales opportunity.