- Net32 is a leading dental supplies marketplace based in Cary, North Carolina. It has operated since 1997 and is often called the ‘Amazon for dentists.’
- Integrated with Net32, Sellercloud can help dental supplies sellers better manage their multichannel sales and improve efficiency while opening new growth opportunities.
You don’t hear much about the dental supplies market—it’s pretty quiet. However, it is by no means small, and it is growing exponentially.
Dental supplies are a specialized market, and while some marketplaces sell dental supplies, others specialize solely in this field, such as Net32, which is highly popular among dentists.
In this article, we’ll explain all there is to know about Net32, examine the online dental supplies market, and explain the benefits of Sellercloud’s Net32 integration.
What Is Net32 and How Does It Work?
Net32, commonly referred to as the ‘Amazon for dentists,’ is an online marketplace for dental supplies and equipment.
The Amazon comparison is apt. Aesthetically, the two are very similar, particularly in product page layouts. On Net32, customers can:
- Roll over the product image to magnify.
- Read customer reviews and questions.
- See ‘Customers who bought this also bought’ and ‘You may also like’ sections at the bottom.
Most of the supplies and equipment sold on Net32 are for one-time use, such as medical gloves, syringes, and adhesives.
However, customers also purchase larger, more expensive items, such as doctor and assistant stools and X-ray aprons.
A great feature of Net32 is that customers can repurchase products, which is convenient for dentists as it helps them maintain their supply and for sellers as it allows them to retain repeat customers.
Is Net32 Legitimate?
Yes, Net32 is a legitimate online marketplace for dental supplies. It has operated since 1997, making it one of the oldest online marketplaces.
Net32 was founded by dentist Dr. Pat Cassidy and headquartered in Cary, North Carolina.
According to Net32’s About Us page, Dr. Cassidy “realized that dentists could cut supply costs dramatically if all product information was in an electronic catalog, where dentists could save money by shopping across all vendors at one time.”
Additionally, Net32 currently holds a 4.7 rating from 1,116 reviews on Trustpilot.
Can Anyone Sell on Net32?
According to its Become a Net32 Vendor page, Net32 is suited to full-line vendors, dental distributors, and dental manufacturers.
If you have not sold dental supplies before, you must ensure the products you plan to sell are approved by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration). Dental supplies fall under their jurisdiction, but certain goods are exempt from FDA approval.
Remember that signing up to sell with Net32 incurs a “one-time sign-up” fee based on “the number and type of products you wish to sell on Net32.”
The same page also explains, “An annual review of your vendor activities and customer service response times is evaluated each year. If you are providing outstanding service as defined in your contract, this fee may be waived.”
Curious about marketplace fees? Then you should read this blog post: What Are Marketplace Fees?
How Big Is the Dental Equipment and Supplies Market?
A 2017 CNBC survey found that as many as 34% of physicians use Amazon to purchase medical and dental supplies. This was before the pandemic, which may have pushed more dentists to purchase supplies online.
According to a report by Global Market Insights, the dental equipment and consumables market was worth more than $30 billion in 2022 and is projected to grow by 7% through to 2032.
Elsewhere, a report by Strategic Market Research estimates that the global value of the dental equipment market is lower, at $6.6 billion.
However, they also say that it has a CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) of 7.7% and could reach a valuation of $11.96 billion by 2030.
What Are the Challenges of the Dental Equipment and Supplies Market?
The dental supplies industry has many unique challenges. First, as mentioned above, you must be knowledgeable about the FDA’s regulations on selling dental supplies and have the appropriate licenses to sell such products.
For example, when it comes to dental devices, there are three classes—Class I, Class II, and Class III. According to an article by What’s in Your Mouth?, most devices manufactured by dental laboratories are Class I or II.
What’s in Your Mouth? also states that “35% of medical device types are Class I [and] 93% of these are exempt from [premarket] review,” and “53% of device types are Class II, most of which require FDA review through premarket notification (510(k)).”
Furthermore, “9% of device types are Class III and require FDA review through premarket approval,” and 3% of dental devices are considered ‘unclassified/not classified’—these are devices the FDA has yet to classify.
Cost is another major obstacle. According to a Healthnews article, the US has the highest dental care prices in the world, “costing an average of $518 for treatments.”
Inventory management in the dental supplies industry also requires more care than in other industries due to the nature of the products sold.
Keeping goods sanitary and ensuring the correct items are shipped is paramount in the dental supplies industry. Shipping wrong or poorly maintained products can have severe impacts if used by customers.
Furthermore, certain dental supplies can expire or become obsolete if newer products are released.
LOT numbers and expiration dates must be monitored to anticipate inventory aging and ensure older stock doesn’t clutter warehouses and risk being sold. However, monitoring LOT numbers and expiration dates is another challenge.
Dental supplies sellers can also struggle to manage kits, bundles, and their components. Getting this wrong can frustrate customers and result in a higher return rate.
To mitigate these challenges, dental supplies sellers must adopt an e-commerce solution to improve order and inventory management.
Dental supplies sellers can also face multiple challenges when managing their listings and catalogs across marketplaces.
Marketplaces can have different requirements for various dental supplies. These requirements can be a barrier to getting products onto more marketplaces.
Other challenges can include integrating with internal systems and APIs and managing wholesale and DTC (Direct-to-Consumer) sales in one system rather than multiple. Again, an e-commerce solution is required to solve these challenges.
Sell Dental Equipment and Medical Supplies with Sellercloud
Sellercloud is an omnichannel e-commerce solution that helps sellers from all backgrounds and industries, including dental, manage their operations across marketplaces.
While selling dental supplies on mainstream marketplaces like Amazon and Walmart can help you reach more buyers, selling on specialized marketplaces like Net32 can help you reach customers with a higher intent to buy.
Sellercloud is integrated with all the top e-commerce marketplaces and Net32, allowing dental supplies sellers to benefit from both worlds and maximize product exposure.
Sellercloud also offers several products that can help dental suppliers improve efficiency. These include:
- Skustack—Helps improve inventory management.
- Shipbridge—Helps improve shipping.
- Skublox—Helps improve order sorting.
- 4D Scale—Accurately captures shipment weight and dimensions.
- And more.
What’s more, Sellercloud is customizable. Sellercloud works with sellers to create the solutions they need according to the best workflow for their business.
See some of Sellercloud’s success stories below.
Book a demo today to discover how Sellercloud can improve your e-commerce operations.
Key Points
Remember these key points about the dental supplies industry and Net32.
- More than a third of physicians purchase medical and dental supplies online, and the dental supplies market is expected to grow between 7% and 7.7% in the years leading up to 2030 and 2032.
- Net32 is a marketplace specializing in dental supplies and has been operating since 1997. It is often described as the ‘Amazon for dentists.’
- Net32 is legitimate, and its marketplace is primarily used by full-line vendors, dental distributors, and dental manufacturers.
- Sellercloud is integrated with Net32 and all the top marketplaces, enabling dental supplies sellers to maximize their reach. Sellers can also take advantage of Sellercloud’s suite of tools and features.
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