Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba is letting US firms sell their products on its business-to-business (B2B) platform to buyers in the US and around the world.
Previously, US-based businesses could only buy items on the platform.
Alibaba.com has 10 million active business buyers in over 190 countries and regions.
The move will allow the company to compete with other e-commerce giants in the global B2B online marketplace. According to the US International Trade Commission, the business-to-business e-commerce market (B2B) is valued at $23.9 trillion.
The first US businesses to join alibaba.com include vegetable wholesaler Robinson Fresh and Office Depot Inc.
Alibaba said in a statement that its “nearly 30 million Small and Medium-sized Businesses (SMBs) in the U.S.- especially manufacturers, wholesalers and distributors — can better access the $23.9 trillion global B2B ecommerce market, an opportunity that is six times larger than the global B2C ecommerce market.”
“Alibaba aims to empower entrepreneurs and help them succeed on their own terms,” John Caplan, head of North America B2B at Alibaba Group, said in a statement.
“With 10 million active business buyers in over 190 countries and regions, we are reshaping B2B commerce by providing the tools and services needed for U.S. SMB companies to compete and succeed in today’s global marketplace.”
