Mirakl

Guide to Building B2B Online Marketplaces

This guide explains what an online marketplace is, how it differs from a single-vendor eCommerce store, and what technical and operational requirements B2B teams must consider when adopting the marketplace model. It covers marketplace types (B2C, B2B, service, hybrid), core functional needs such as vendor onboarding/KYC, commission engines, order splitting and split payments, and argues that general-purpose eCommerce platforms (Shopify, Magento) are not natively designed for multi-vendor marketplaces. The article contrasts SaaS marketplace vendors (Mirakl, Sharetribe) with an open-core solution (Mercur) and provides timing and build-time expectations for platform projects.

Dropship revenue leaks: 3 hidden costs and how to stop them

On paper, your dropship program looks successful. But operational costs are accumulating in places your dashboard doesn't track. This article exposes three hidden costs sabotaging dropship profitability and the path to recovering lost margins.

AI Alters Discovery, Retail Media Strategies Evolve

Industry leaders at an ADWEEK House Cannes Lions panel co-hosted with Mirakl Ads discussed how AI 'answer engines' are changing discovery and where retail media fits in the marketing funnel. Panelists argued retail media remains valuable because it meets shoppers at point-of-purchase, but marketers must integrate retail media with search, social and emerging AI channels. Speakers highlighted expanded definitions of retail media and commerce media, the rise of non‑endemic brand buys, and experiential in-store activations (e.g., Best Buy’s 'stores within a store' for Meta Glasses). Lowe’s described using partner data to inform assortment and inspiration-to-action experiences, while brands like Unleashed invest in agency partnerships and training to adapt to faster AI adoption in search. The conversation framed retail media as an evolving journey that must be coordinated across multiple discovery touchpoints.