Case Study1 World Sourcing · A 1World Group Venture

Building a Global
Managed Sourcing Marketplace

1 World Sourcing is a global sourcing platform that connects buyers with verified agents and manufacturers across Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and the Americas. We partnered with 1World Group to turn a fragmented, relationship‑driven trade process into a productized B2B marketplace with a unique pay‑to‑unlock and assisted sourcing model.

Product
1 World Sourcing
Company
1World Group
Industry
Global Trade / B2B Marketplace
Website
1worldsourcing.com
Users
Buyers · Agents · Manufacturers
Last Updated
29 Jan 2026 04:12 UTC
B2B sourcing marketplacePay‑to‑unlock + assisted sourcingVerified suppliers · Human‑in‑the‑loop
1 WORLD SOURCING – MARKETPLACE CONSOLE (DEMO)
Global Sourcing Pipeline

A console‑style view of buyer requests, competing agents, and unlocks across regions — built as a real system, not a brochure.

Live RFQs
48
Asia · EU · MEA · Americas
Verified Agents
32
All personally vetted
Unlock Rate
67%
Quote → paid unlock
Model: marketplace + managed service · Revenue: pay‑to‑unlock + sourcing support29 Jan 2026 04:12 UTC

The Global Sourcing Problem

If you've ever tried to source products globally, you know the reality: it's fragmented, risky, and slow. Most buying teams bounce between Alibaba, Indiamart, WhatsApp groups, email chains, and brokers just to move one order forward.

How Sourcing Traditionally Works

  • Buyers search on Alibaba / Indiamart / TradeIndia
  • Messages jump to WhatsApp, WeChat, and email threads
  • Referrals from friends, brokers, and one‑off "agents"
  • Excel sheets and PDFs stitched together manually
  • No single system of record across deals or suppliers

The Common Pain Points

  • Fake or low‑quality suppliers with no verification
  • Price manipulation and misaligned incentives
  • Language and culture barriers on every deal
  • No accountability when things go wrong
  • Zero quality control or centralized documentation

In short: sourcing is still built on spreadsheets, screenshots, and blind trust. It's fragmented, risky, inefficient, and outdated.

The Vision

“Create a single global platform where any buyer can source anything, from anywhere, through verified and trusted sourcing partners — with full support from start to finish.”

Kill Sourcing Chaos

Replace WhatsApp, email threads, and random spreadsheets with one system.

Remove Middlemen Risk

Work only with agents and suppliers who have been personally vetted and onboarded.

Bring Transparency & Trust

Make pricing, communication, and responsibilities visible to all parties.

Productize Global Trade

Turn a services business into a repeatable, scalable sourcing product with clear unit economics.

Business Model – How 1 World Sourcing Works

A Marketplace Model Built for Serious Sourcing

1 World Sourcing combines a freelancer‑style marketplace with a managed sourcing service. Buyers post real RFQs. Verified agents and suppliers compete to win the business. Buyers pay to unlock the best matches — with the 1 World Sourcing team riding shotgun on every deal.

Step 1

Buyer Submits a Sourcing Request

Buyers land on 1worldsourcing.com and post a sourcing brief instead of sending a vague email.

  • Product description and category
  • Specifications, certifications, and quality requirements
  • Target quantity, pricing expectations, and timelines
  • Preferred regions or countries for sourcing
RFQ #4821 – "Organic Cotton T‑Shirts"Status: Open
ProductQtyTarget FOB
Organic Tee10k$3.80
RFQ completeness: 82%
Quantity: 10,000 units · Target: $3.80 FOBRegion: South Asia / Turkey
Step 2

Agents & Suppliers Compete to Respond

The request is routed to verified sourcing agents, exporters, and manufacturers who can actually fulfill it. They don't just send catalogs — they submit structured quotes.

  • Pricing, MOQs, lead times, and Incoterms
  • Sample availability and prototyping options
  • Certifications and compliance details
  • Factory capabilities and previous export markets
Responses: 6 qualified quotesShortlist: 3
Quote AA+
Quote BA
Quote CB+
Quote DB
Agents & mills see anonymized buyer detailsCompeting on quality + terms, not spam
Step 3

Buyer Unlocks the Best Option

Once a buyer sees a quote they like, they pay a fixed unlock fee (e.g. $100) to access full contact details and start direct communication.

  • Pay‑to‑unlock filters for serious buyers only
  • Agents and suppliers know leads are high‑intent
  • Platform revenue is aligned to real deal motion
  • No endless free quote shopping or ghosting
Quote Q‑4821‑03 – "Agent: Istanbul Partner"Unlock for $100
Shortlist
Unlock $100
Direct Contact
Stripe payment confirmed · Access granted instantly
Buyer pays via Stripe · Access instantly grantedRevenue recognized on unlock
Step 4

Assisted Sourcing, End‑to‑End

This is where 1 World Sourcing stops being "just another marketplace". A human sourcing team sits on top of the platform to guide every critical step.

  • Supplier verification and background checks
  • Negotiation support on pricing, payment terms, and MOQ
  • Sample management, QC coordination, and inspections
  • Hand‑held support through documentation and logistics
Deal Room – RFQ #4821Assisted
StageOwnerStatus
Negotiation1WS TeamActive
Sample QCAgent + BuyerIn Review
Escalations tracked · Docs and logistics linked
1WS team inside the loop on all key messagesEscalations & disputes tracked centrally

What Makes 1 World Sourcing Different

Most sourcing platforms are directories with chat boxes. 1 World Sourcing is a managed sourcing system — with humans, verification, and accountability baked into the product.

Traditional Platforms

  • Open listings anyone can join
  • Little or no supplier verification
  • No real support or escalation paths
  • All burden on buyer to manage risk
  • Business model: volume, not outcome

1 World Sourcing

  • Curated network of personally vetted agents & suppliers
  • Pay‑to‑unlock model that filters for serious buyers
  • Human sourcing experts embedded in the process
  • End‑to‑end support from RFQ to shipment
  • Trust‑first platform built on accountability

It's not just a marketplace. It's the operating system for global sourcing.

The Platform

Under the hood, 1 World Sourcing is a multi‑sided marketplace with role‑based dashboards for buyers, agents, suppliers, and the internal operations team.

Buyer Dashboard

Built for busy procurement teams who need a single pane of glass across all their sourcing activity.

  • Post and manage sourcing requests (RFQs)
  • Compare quotes from multiple agents and suppliers
  • Unlock selected partners and start structured chat
  • Track samples, POs, and milestones in one place
Buyer: EU Retailer · Dashboard3 active RFQs
RFQQuotesStatus
#48216Open
#48273Sampling
Quotes: 11 · Unlocks: 4Next step: Sample approval

Agent & Supplier Panel

Designed like a freelancer console for sourcing pros. Agents and suppliers can grow their book of business in a structured way.

  • Browse and filter open buyer requests by category & region
  • Submit structured quotes instead of random PDFs
  • See which quotes were shortlisted or unlocked
  • Build reputation and history across successful deals
Agent: "Sourcing Partner – Vietnam"5 quotes shortlisted
Open RFQs matched14
Shortlisted5
Unlocks this month: 9Conversion improving over time

Admin & Operations Panel

This is the control tower for the 1 World Sourcing team – where verification, disputes, and platform health are managed.

  • Onboard and verify new agents and suppliers
  • Monitor RFQs, unlocks, and deal progress
  • Step into conversations when issues arise
  • Track platform metrics and marketplace liquidity
Ops Console – TodayNo open disputes
MetricTodayHealth
RFQs24Good
Unlocks15Stable
Disputes: 0 · Pending approvals: 3
RFQs: 24 new · Unlocks: 15Agents pending approval: 3

Human‑in‑the‑Loop Sourcing System

The biggest failure mode in global sourcing is "no one in charge". 1 World Sourcing fixes that by embedding a human sourcing team on top of the software.

Verification & Risk

  • Manual KYC and factory checks before listing
  • References and past export validation
  • Scorecards for reliability, quality, and communication

Deal Support

  • Clarifying specs and preventing misunderstandings
  • Helping structure payment terms and milestones
  • Supporting sample cycles and pre‑shipment checks

Disputes & Accountability

  • Central audit trail of all communication
  • Platform mediation when issues arise
  • Ability to off‑board bad actors quickly

This is a hybrid model: technology for scale, humans for judgment. It's Upwork meets a sourcing agency.

Tech Stack

We chose a modern, pragmatic stack that can support marketplace dynamics, real‑time communication, and multi‑role access without turning into a slow monolith.

Frontend
  • Next.js (App Router)
  • TypeScript
  • Tailwind CSS
  • Custom marketplace UI
Backend
  • Supabase / Firebase
  • Role‑based APIs & access control
  • RFQ, quote, and deal management
  • Chat & notification system
Payments
  • Stripe integration
  • Pay‑to‑unlock flows
  • Marketplace revenue logic
  • Refund and dispute handling paths
Infrastructure & Security
  • Secure authentication (multi‑role)
  • Audit trails for sensitive actions
  • Scalable, multi‑tenant‑ready architecture
  • Data protection aligned with B2B expectations

Product & Venture Strategy

We didn't just ship a platform. We helped 1World Group design a new business model for global trade.

Strategic Decisions

  • Start with agents as a leverage point, not just factories
  • Use pay‑to‑unlock to filter serious buyers and align incentives
  • Choose marketplace + managed service over static directories
  • Prioritize verification and trust over raw volume of listings
  • Design for human‑assisted sourcing instead of full automation

Why This Matters

  • Creates a defensible moat around curated relationships
  • Turns operational expertise into a repeatable product
  • Makes revenue predictable and tied to real value moments
  • Positions 1World Group as a venture builder, not just a dev shop

Results & Impact

Even early in the journey, the platform showed strong traction metrics that validate the model.

Platform Results

  • Buyers from 20+ countries submitting sourcing requests
  • Hundreds of RFQs across multiple product categories
  • Dozens of verified sourcing agents onboarded and active
  • Healthy quote → unlock conversion rate
  • Strong repeat usage from buyers after first successful deal

Business Impact

  • Faster deal cycles thanks to structured RFQs and centralized communication
  • Lower sourcing risk through verification and human‑in‑the‑loop support
  • Better pricing for buyers via transparent competition between agents
  • Global exposure and new revenue streams for verified agents
  • New, scalable revenue line for 1World Group as a venture

What Made This Product Special

1 World Sourcing is not a clone of Alibaba. It's a new sourcing system born from real‑world trade experience.

  • A new marketplace business model for sourcing, not just another SaaS tool
  • Real‑world workflows mapped to how trade actually happens across time zones
  • A hybrid tech + operations product that can scale globally
  • Grounded in industry insight, not just theory

You didn't just build software. You built global trade infrastructure.

Why This Matters – The Big Vision

“1 World Sourcing is building the future infrastructure for global trade — where any business, anywhere, can source anything with trust, transparency, and speed.”

The Upwork of Sourcing

A place where sourcing experts and agents build careers serving global buyers.

The Airbnb of Trade

A trusted layer that sits between buyers and suppliers, making complex trade feel simple.

The Stripe of Procurement

Infrastructure that powers sourcing flows behind the scenes for countless businesses.

How This Positions 1World Group

With 1 World Sourcing in your portfolio, you stop looking like a traditional dev studio and start looking like a venture builder.

Valour Wealth – AI SaaS · BHAUBOX – D2C brand · Opulent International – B2B enterprise · 1 World Sourcing – global marketplace. That's not a portfolio — that's a startup factory.

Want to Source Globally Without the Risk?

We help companies build serious, venture‑grade products in global trade, fintech, and B2B — the kind of platforms that turn operations into scalable systems.