Electronic marketplace

An electronic communication platform that lets companies communicate with their partners, notably in order to increase their commercial transactions and optimise their economic performance. Three types are generally distinguished. Vertical marketplaces may bring together all the players in a sector, such as the producers, distributors and intermediaries of food, textiles or chemicals. Horizontal marketplaces may group companies at the same level of the value chain and in the same sector, such as all the retailers. Cross-sector or public marketplaces are open to any type of company whatever its sector, such as a marketplace grouping companies specialising in MRO products.