# 123: Selling A Hardware Product on B2B Platforms

- Show: [Product Startup](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup)
- Published: 2022-04-20
- Length: 26m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2022-04-20-123-selling-a-hardware-product-on-b2b-platforms
- Listen: https://productstartup.com/

## Summary

Gil Bar-Lev, founder of the B2B marketplace HomeRoots, explains how hardware startups can scale by leveraging online business-to-business platforms to reach furniture stores and distributors. He emphasizes that success requires passion, product differentiation, and a willingness to pivot based on critical customer feedback rather than just chasing direct-to-consumer hype. Bar-Lev advises against pricing too low to preserve margins for big buyers and stresses the importance of maintaining high quality to protect brand reputation in a competitive market.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2022-04-20-123-selling-a-hardware-product-on-b2b-platforms#t=0) Introduction: Gil Bar-Lev and HomeRoots
- [1:46](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2022-04-20-123-selling-a-hardware-product-on-b2b-platforms#t=106) Connecting Amazon and Toys R Us in 2002
- [4:03](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2022-04-20-123-selling-a-hardware-product-on-b2b-platforms#t=243) Key Success Factors: Passion and Differentiation
- [7:49](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2022-04-20-123-selling-a-hardware-product-on-b2b-platforms#t=469) The Critical Role of Customer Feedback and Pivoting
- [12:11](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2022-04-20-123-selling-a-hardware-product-on-b2b-platforms#t=731) Quality, Pricing, and the B2B Opportunity
- [16:42](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2022-04-20-123-selling-a-hardware-product-on-b2b-platforms#t=1002) Leveraging Relationships and Managing First Orders
- [20:34](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2022-04-20-123-selling-a-hardware-product-on-b2b-platforms#t=1234) Handling Negative Feedback and Building Brand Loyalty
- [23:11](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2022-04-20-123-selling-a-hardware-product-on-b2b-platforms#t=1391) Seeking Mentorship and Final Platform Details

## Topics

- [Retail, wholesale & distribution](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/retail-and-distribution)
- [Direct-to-consumer & e-commerce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/direct-to-consumer)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)
- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- HomeRoots (product)
- Amazon (company)
- Toys R Us (company)
- Mako Design + Invent (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [#053 - Which one to choose - b2b or b2c for hardware startups, with Balint Horvath, your host, Switzerland](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-hardware-entrepreneur/2018-04-25-053-which-one-to-choose-b2b-or-b2c-for-hardware-startups-with-balint-horvath-you) (The Hardware Entrepreneur)
- [Advice Line with Jon Stein of Betterment](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2026-02-05-advice-line-with-jon-stein-of-betterment) (How I Built This)
- [Hardware Entrepreneurs: 3 Critical Mistakes You Must Avoid](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/predictable-designs-podcast/2022-06-21-hardware-entrepreneurs-3-critical-mistakes-you-must-avoid) (Predictable Designs Podcast)
- [Adafruit, Chip heist, Hackerspaces - The Kit Conniption](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2011-04-26-adafruit-chip-heist-hackerspaces-the-kit-conniption) (The Amp Hour)
- [Ep. 39 - Starting a Hardware Company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/open-hardware-manufacturing-podcast/2025-05-15-ep-39-starting-a-hardware-company) (Open Hardware Manufacturing Podcast)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2022-04-20-123-selling-a-hardware-product-on-b2b-platforms. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to Product Startup.