Figure out how the costs will affect your bottom line. Make sure you find out ahead of time what the fees are for using the exchange. Most exchanges are free for buyers but charge sellers either a fixed fee per transaction or a percentage of each transaction. As a seller, if your company's margins are low, you may want to think twice about joining an exchange that will cut even further into your profits. A hidden cost for many exchanges is the software required in order to use the exchange.
Some exchanges require buyers to download client software to their desktop.
Make sure you evaluate whether the software will run on your current desktop computers to avoid an expensive surprise. Suppliers may need special software in order to sell on the exchange. Or, if the exchange is catalog-based, the exchange may charge suppliers a catalog loading fee. Exchange must have a large number of suppliers and buyers to be vital and save you money. For a buyer, a large selection of suppliers lets you shop for the best deal or use a favorite vendor.