MarketLink B2B Platform

Overview

AfriTrade Connect identified a critical gap in the West African business ecosystem: small retailers struggled to find reliable wholesalers, negotiate favorable terms, and manage cross-border transactions. Traditional wholesale purchases required physical visits, cash payments, and lacked quality guarantees.

We built MarketLink, a comprehensive B2B marketplace that digitizes wholesale trade by connecting verified vendors with retailers, providing secure payment escrow, integrated logistics, and transparent pricing across Nigeria, Ghana, and Senegal.

The Challenge

The wholesale trade ecosystem presented unique challenges:

• No centralized platform for product discovery and price comparison
• Trust deficit between buyers and sellers, especially for cross-border transactions
• Complex multi-currency pricing with volatile exchange rates
• High logistics costs and unreliable shipment tracking
• Minimum order quantities (MOQ) varying wildly between vendors
• Limited payment options beyond cash and bank transfer
• No dispute resolution mechanism for quality issues
• Difficulty verifying vendor legitimacy and product authenticity

Our Solution

Marketplace Platform

A feature-rich B2B marketplace designed specifically for wholesale transactions:

• Smart Search & Filters: Find products by category, location, MOQ, price range, and delivery time
• Vendor Verification: Multi-level verification system with business registration checks and ratings
• Bulk Ordering: Streamlined interface for large quantity purchases with volume discounts
• Quote Requests: Send RFQs to multiple vendors and compare responses side-by-side
• Product Catalogs: Detailed product listings with specifications, images, and certifications

Payment & Escrow System

Secure transaction management that protects both buyers and sellers:

• Multi-currency support (NGN, GHS, XOF, USD) with real-time conversion
• Automated escrow holding funds until delivery confirmation
• Installment payment plans for large orders
• Vendor payout scheduling with automatic reconciliation
• Transparent fee structure with no hidden charges

Logistics Integration

End-to-end shipment management simplifying cross-border trade:

• Integrated shipping partner network across West Africa
• Automatic freight calculation based on weight, volume, and destination
• Real-time tracking from warehouse to delivery
• Customs clearance documentation assistance
• Insurance options for high-value shipments

Vendor Dashboard

Comprehensive analytics and management tools for sellers:

• Inventory management with low-stock alerts
• Sales analytics and revenue forecasting
• Customer insights and repeat buyer tracking
• Automated invoice generation
• Marketing tools including promoted listings

Technical Stack

The platform uses Elasticsearch for fast product search across thousands of items, Redis for caching frequently accessed data, and a microservices architecture to handle different currencies and payment gateways independently. All transactions are logged with complete audit trails for compliance.

Results & Impact

The platform delivered significant value to the ecosystem:

• Average order value of $2,100, 3x higher than retail transactions
• Repeat purchase rate of 68% within first 90 days
• Cross-border transactions accounting for 42% of total volume
• Dispute rate under 3% thanks to escrow and verification systems
• Vendor time-to-market reduced from weeks to hours
• Buyer procurement costs decreased by an average of 23%
• Payment processing time reduced from 7-14 days to 2-3 days

Client Feedback

"MarketLink has become the infrastructure layer for B2B trade in West Africa. We've created a marketplace where businesses can trade with confidence, and the numbers speak for themselves—$2.5M in the first quarter exceeded our year-one target."