This question arises in almost every strategy discussion: Should we focus on our own B2B online shop – or is it better to opt for a B2B marketplace? Or both? And if both: in what order?
The answer many want to hear is a clear "marketplace, that's where the growth is". However, the answer provided by the data is more nuanced. The ECC Cologne B2B Market Monitor 2025 delivers reliable figures for the distribution – and shows why the question “online shop or marketplace” is wrongly framed.
In this article, we will interpret the figures, highlight the functional differences between the two channels, and provide you with decision-making support based on your specific starting point – not marketing buzzwords.
The Facts: How 509 Billion Euros are Distributed
The B2B internet trade by manufacturers and wholesalers reached a volume of 509 billion euros in 2024. Of this, the distribution was:
385 billion euros via online shops (76 percent)
125 billion euros via marketplaces (24 percent)
The ratio has remained nearly unchanged since the previous year. Marketplaces were unable to further expand their share in 2024 – for the first time since surveys began.
These numbers surprise many. In recent years, headlines have been dominated by the explosive growth of B2B marketplaces. Reality shows: The own B2B online shop remains the backbone of digital sales.
The Growth of Recent Years: Marketplace as Accelerator
However, it would be wrong to write off marketplaces. The medium-term momentum is impressive:
Marketplace CAGR 2018–2024: 29.4 percent per year
Online shop CAGR 2018–2024: 16.5 percent per year
Total B2B internet trade CAGR 2018–2024: 18.9 percent per year
Marketplaces have disproportionately driven B2B internet trade over the past six years. From 27 billion euros in 2018 to 125 billion euros in 2024 – almost a fivefold increase.
However: The growth is slowing down. From 2023 to 2024, marketplaces grew by 6.4 percent, online shops by 7.2 percent. The shop is catching up – and there are reasons for this, which we will explore shortly.
Manufacturers vs. Wholesalers: Two Different Pictures
The study differentiates between manufacturers and wholesalers – and the differences are relevant for your channel decision.
Manufacturers
B2B internet trade: 206 billion euros
Online shop share: 75 percent
Marketplace share: 25 percent
Marketplace CAGR 2018–2024: 32.4 percent
Online shop CAGR 2018–2024: 15.9 percent
For manufacturers, marketplaces grow significantly faster than online shops. This is explained by many manufacturers using marketplaces as an entry into D2C sales without having to build their own shop infrastructure. TheB2B marketplace becomes a testing ground for direct sales.
Wholesalers
B2B internet trade: 303 billion euros
Online shop share: 76 percent
Marketplace share: 24 percent
Marketplace CAGR 2018–2024: 27.5 percent
Online shop CAGR 2018–2024: 17.0 percent
In wholesale, the online shop share of overall business is more than twice as high as with manufacturers (8.1 percent). Wholesalers established the shop earlier as a genuine working channel for existing customers – with quick orders, customer-specific prices, and self-service functions.
What the B2B Online Shop Can Do That the Marketplace Cannot
Numbers alone do not explain why 76 percent of B2B internet trade continues to run through online shops. To understand this, one must know what B2B buyers expect from a digital channel – and what is possible on which channel.
Customer-specific prices and terms
What is needed: Net prices per customer, tiers, framework agreements, special conditions
In the B2B online shop: Fully implementable after login – the customer immediately sees their true prices
On the B2B marketplace: Typically not possible or only limited via workarounds. Marketplaces operate with uniform prices or broad customer groups.
Customer-specific assortments
What is needed: Not every customer should see everything. Approved items, blocked products, location-specific catalogs
In the B2B online shop: Standard in professional B2B solutions
On the B2B marketplace: Not feasible. A marketplace shows the same assortment to everyone.
Roles, rights, and order approvals
What is needed: Multiple users per customer account, budget limits, approval workflows
In the B2B online shop: Core functionality of a B2B customer portal. Employees can order, purchasing managers approve – all digitally represented.
On the B2B marketplace: At best rudimentary. Most marketplaces do not understand multi-level structures.
Reordering and order history
What is needed: Complete order history, reorder in one click, order lists and CSV uploads
In the B2B online shop: The biggest lever for repeat purchase rate. Customers reorder with a few clicks – without inquiries to the internal sales team.
On the B2B marketplace: Limited. History exists, but without linkage to ERP data and without customer-specific order lists.
Invoices, delivery status, after-sales
What is needed: Invoice download, tracking of partial deliveries, complaint processes
In the B2B online shop: A differentiation feature. Invoices in the portal and delivery status with tracking measurably relieve the internal service team.
On the B2B marketplace: Only standard information. No access to ERP data, no customer-specific documents.
What the Marketplace Can Do That the Online Shop Cannot
Despite these limitations, marketplaces have clear strengths that your own shop cannot offer.
Reach and new customers
What the marketplace delivers: Access to buyers who do not yet know your company. The marketplace takes care of visibility – you deliver the product.
What the B2B online shop cannot do: Without own marketing (SEO, SEA, content), no new customer will come. The shop must be actively marketed.
Low entry cost
What the marketplace delivers: No own shop system, no development costs, no hosting. Live in a few weeks.
What the B2B online shop costs: Shop system, design, ERP integration, operation. A professional B2B shop is an investment – which pays off, but not overnight.
Internationalization
What the marketplace delivers: Access to international buyers without own national entities. According to the B2B Market Monitor, 49 percent of e-commerce sales are already achieved abroad – 26 percent within the EU, 23 percent globally.
What the B2B online shop requires: Multilingualism, local payment methods, tax configuration, logistics.
The Right Question: Not "or", but "in which order"
The data clearly shows: Both have their justification. But the order and weighting depend on your starting point.
If you want to digitize existing customers → B2B online shop first
Your top 100 customers regularly order the same items. They call for delivery status, write emails for invoices, fax orders. A B2B customer portal with quick ordering, order history, and document download solves these issues immediately – and creates a channel the marketplace cannot provide.
If you want to acquire new customers and have no visibility → Marketplace as entry
Your company is well-known in the industry, but invisible online. No SEO, no content, no ranking. A B2B marketplace immediately provides reach – and can serve as a bridge until your own shop is built and visible.
If you need both → Shop as the backbone, marketplace as the acquisition channel
This is the strategy of successful mid-sized companies: The own B2B online shop for existing customers (self-service, customer retention, margin), the marketplace for acquiring new customers and testing international markets. The B2B Market Monitor data confirms this model: 76 percent online shop share shows where the bulk of value creation takes place.
The One Metric That Summarizes Everything
The B2B Market Monitor provides a figure that frames the channel decision better than any strategic consultancy: The share of B2B internet trade in total sales is only 8.1 percent for manufacturers. In wholesale, it is 19.4 percent.
This means: Even in wholesale, over 80 percent of sales still run through other channels – field sales, phone, EDI, fax. In the manufacturing industry, it's over 90 percent. The growth potential is thus not the question „B2B online shop or marketplace?”. It's the question: How much of your existing sales can you digitize – and where do you start?
Typical Mistakes in Channel Decision Making
In our work with manufacturers and wholesalers, we repeatedly see the same stumbling blocks.
Mistake 1: Viewing the marketplace as a full-fledged shop replacement
A B2B marketplace is a sales channel, not a customer portal. Those who expect existing customers to see their individual prices there, retrieve order history, and download invoices will be disappointed.
Mistake 2: Launching your own shop without a marketing strategy
A B2B online shop without SEO, without content, without targeting the audience remains invisible. The marketplace brings traffic – the shop must earn it.
Mistake 3: Operating both channels in isolation
Marketplace and shop should complement each other, not cannibalize. Offering the same products at the same prices on both channels without differentiation wastes potential.
Mistake 4: Underestimating internal complexity
Both channels require master data management, price management, inventory management, and customer service. Whoever doesn't set this up cleanly quickly loses control – whether shop or marketplace.
Best Practices: How Successful B2B Companies Utilize Both Channels
From over 25 years of e-commerce experience, we know the strategies that work.
Best Practice 1: MVP Approach for the B2B Online Shop
Start with a Minimum Viable Product. Not all functions from day one, but those that offer your top customers the greatest added value. Quick ordering, customer-specific prices, order history – these are the quick wins.
Best Practice 2: Marketplace as a Testing Ground for New Assortments
Utilize the B2B marketplace to test new product lines or international markets. Low entry hurdle, quick feedback, no risk to the existing shop infrastructure.
Best Practice 3: Clearly Communicate Channel Strategy
Define internally and externally, which channel serves what purpose. Existing customers receive exclusive benefits in the shop (better prices, extended services), new customers start on the marketplace and are later migrated.
Best Practice 4: Centrally Manage Data
Whether shop or marketplace – master data comes from one source (ERP, PIM). Only in this way can inconsistencies in prices, availability, and product information be avoided.
You can gladly take advantage of our E-Commerce Strategy Consulting. We are happy to advise you on the system that suits you best.
Real-Life Examples: How Manufacturers and Wholesalers Make Channel Choices
Example 1: Manufacturer of Technical Components
Starting point: Sales through specialist retailers, no direct relationship with end customers, low online visibility
Strategy: Start on B2B marketplace for new customer acquisition, simultaneously build a B2B online shop for direct customers and service partners
Result: After 12 months, 15 percent of sales via digital channels, of which 60 percent via own shop (higher margin), 40 percent via marketplace (new customers)
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Example 2: Electrical Wholesaler
Starting point: Established customer base, high share of repeat orders, internal sales team overloaded by routine inquiries
Strategy: B2B online shop as a customer portal with a focus on self-service, no marketplace (existing customer focus)
Result: 30 percent of all orders processed through the shop after 18 months, internal sales team relieved by 40 percent, customer satisfaction measurably increased
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How Commerce Partner Assists You in Your Channel Decision
The answer to the question "B2B online shop or marketplace?" does not begin with a shop system or a marketplace integration. It begins with an honest analysis of your customers, your processes, and your resources.
Since 1999, we have supported manufacturers and wholesalers from channel strategy to implementation – whether Shopware-based B2B online shop, customer portal or B2B marketplace integration. Not either-or, but the right channel for your customers and your growth phase.
With our CP-One offer, we take over the complete implementation and operation as an external e-commerce department – from strategy development through technical implementation to ongoing marketing. You achieve first sales within 6 weeks, without having to build internal resources.
For companies that are already active digitally and seek strategic sparring at management level, we offer our E-Commerce Advisory Board – independent expertise from over 2,500 projects, without self-interest in software or service providers.
FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a B2B online shop and a marketplace?
A B2B online shop belongs to your company and allows customer-specific prices, assortments, and order processes. A marketplace is an external platform with standardized functions that brings reach and new customers but offers less customization.
Which channel is better suited for manufacturers – online shop or marketplace?
For existing customers, the own B2B online shop is superior because it enables customer-specific prices and self-service. For new customer acquisition without own online visibility, the marketplace offers a quicker entry. Many successful manufacturers use both channels in parallel.
How high are the costs for a professional B2B online shop?
The investment depends on requirements and system integration. With our CP-One model, you start at 20,000 euros setup cost and 10,000 euros per month for a 24-month term – including strategy, implementation, operation, and marketing.
Can I operate a B2B online shop and marketplace simultaneously?
Yes, and it is often the best strategy. The own shop serves as the backbone for existing customers with individual conditions, the marketplace as an acquisition channel for new customers and international markets. A clear channel strategy and centralized data management are important.
How long does it take for a B2B online shop to generate first sales?
With an MVP approach (Minimum Viable Product), first sales are possible within 6 to 8 weeks. With our CP-One model, we guarantee go-live in 6 weeks. Long-term success depends on marketing, customer communication, and continuous optimization.
Conclusion
The question “B2B online shop or marketplace?” cannot be answered definitively. The B2B Market Monitor data clearly shows: 76 percent of B2B internet trade runs through online shops because this channel better meets the specific requirements of existing customers. Simultaneously, marketplaces have grown disproportionately in recent years and offer manufacturers a low-threshold entry into digital sales.
The most successful companies ask the question differently: Not “or”, but “in which sequence and with what weighting”. The own shop as the backbone for customer retention and margin, the marketplace as the acquisition channel for reach and new customers – this combination leverages the strengths of both channels.
The crucial point is: Start. The share of B2B internet trade in total sales is only 8.1 percent for manufacturers. This means: Over 90 percent of your sales still take place analog. The greatest opportunity is not in the perfect channel choice, but in starting to sell digitally.
We would be pleased to discuss your specific situation with you. Which channel brings you the fastest ROI? Where are your greatest levers? Let's find the answers together.
Do you want to know which digital sales channel is right for your company? Arrange a non-binding strategy discussion with Commerce Partner. We analyze your starting point and show you how to generate first sales over digital channels in 6 weeks – with our proven CP-One model or a customized channel strategy.
