

Do you know any b2b social network? - anujkk

I'm not asking about professional networking sites like linkedin.com or sites that help you find cofounder for your startup.<p>I'm also not looking for business directories that lists importers/exporters.<p>I'm looking for a social networking site where different companies of a particular industry - Retailers,Suppliers,Manufacturers,Customers etc can connect with each other. They can find vendors offering supplies in a given location or in given price range. Basically a mix of social network, supply chain management, and CRM.<p>Do you know any such service? If not, will it be a good idea for startup? Should it be generic or focussed on a particular industry e.g. import/export or electronics ?
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ses
These certainly do exist, e.g. salesforce.com are huge.

However you touch on a point that hasn't yet been developed - you could
innovate around actual service connection through a b2b social network. So
exposing web services that could actually allow companies to place orders from
suppliers or create projects they wish to go out to tender and the suppliers
can bid on etc.

I would think you're much better off focusing on a niche market, if you can
prove one exists. If not then start generic and iterate, honing in on a target
market.

But be aware there are definitely competitors in this general area.

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anujkk
You're right. I guess the right way is to focus on one particular industry. I
have few in my mind that's have been overlooked. I had a tough time finding
suppliers and manufacturers for a product that I wished to sell online. All I
got was messy trade directories like <http://www.tradeindia.com> or a
dedicated forum for discussing that business.

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ig1
Alibaba ?

