Here are 5 challenges that are useful for aspiring entrepreneurs to know before getting into the thick of developing a B2B marketplace:

1. Chicken-and-egg problem

2. Shifting the mentality behind legacy processes

As much of the industrial world is still very much entrenched in dated methods of running day-to-day operations, many of the businesses are still relying on paper order requisitions, hand-written inventory counts, phone calls and a scribble on a notepad. 

3. Getting the word of your marketplace out there

4. Larger stakes involved in decision-making

Unlike the decisions made in B2C or C2C marketplaces, choices made in B2B bear heavier responsibility, as it can affect the lifeline of the company. Stakes are higher, too. A simple decision by an employee can extend beyond an individual impact to wider implications on the department and even the entire company.

5. Lower adoption rates and slower process behind buying and selling

TrustRadius surveyed 600 technology buyers and vendors to identify areas of alignment and disconnect in the B2B purchasing process. The study provides new insights into how technology buyers research products, where vendors are falling short, and what you can do to have greater impact on purchasing decisions.

Key findings include:

• Vendors are focusing on providing materials that buyers don’t find very useful or trustworthy
• Buyers want hands-on experience with the product and insights from customers
• Vendors have an arsenal of satisfied customers they are not leveraging
• Download this free report today to see how your team stacks up and what you can do to influence today’s B2B buyer.

When asked why they are spending more of their business budget on technology, North American enterprise BDMs cited three critical reasons. First and foremost, technology is too important for the business not to be involved:

Second, the rising expectations of customers require the business to push IT to keep technology current. And finally, business executives’ understanding of technology is increasing; so, they can interact more effectively with IT.

Countless studies demonstrate that today's consumer demands an exceedingly high level of customer service from brands. Our annual survey reveals that B2B buyers are becoming similarly scrupulous when making purchases.

According to the results of our Sixth Annual Demand Gen Report 2016 B2B Buyer's Survey, B2B buyers are scrutinizing potential vendors more closely than ever. While timely deployment, personalized messaging and potential for ROI have always played a crucial role in the buyer's decision, this year respondents cited the factors as even more important than in previous years.

Download the report to gain a holistic view of how today's B2B buyers are evaluating and making their purchase decisions.