Once I started introducing Tannorium to leather manufacturers in Pakistan, I expected questions about how the platform worked, how orders would be handled, and how manufacturers could benefit from it.
I got those questions. But I also encountered something I had underestimated: many manufacturers were not ready to trust an online platform they had never heard of.
Some were concerned about their designs being copied. Others questioned who I was and why they should work with me. Some were not interested at all.
A few understood the idea immediately. Some were willing to let me create their profiles and upload their products, with the expectation that they would manufacture the goods once an order arrived.
Those conversations taught me something important about building Tannorium: creating the platform is only one part of the job. Getting an industry to adopt a different way of doing business is another challenge entirely.
The First Challenge Wasn’t Technology. It Was Trust.
During my visits to leather manufacturers in Pakistan, I realised that introducing a new online marketplace could raise concerns that had little to do with the technology itself.
One manufacturer told me they were not interested because their designs could be copied. They explained that they were already selling online and did not want to expose their designs to additional risks.
Another asked me a straightforward question: “Who are you? We don’t know you.”
I understood the concern. From their perspective, I was asking them to put their business information, products, and potentially valuable designs on a platform they had no previous experience with.
Why should they trust it?
Other manufacturers simply were not interested. A few were more receptive and saw the potential in the idea.
I couldn’t expect everyone to understand the opportunity immediately. For manufacturers who had built their businesses through existing relationships, referrals, exhibitions, and established sales channels, an online marketplace represented a different way of reaching buyers.
And a different way of doing business naturally raises questions.
Why Some Manufacturers Hesitate to Sell Through Online Marketplaces
One thing I have observed while speaking with manufacturers is that online adoption varies considerably across businesses.
Some already understand digital commerce and sell through their own websites or other online channels. Others are less familiar with how online marketplaces work or what participation might mean for their business.
Their concerns are not all the same.
Fear of design copying
For manufacturers who invest time and resources in developing their own designs, sharing product images online can feel risky.
They may worry about competitors copying their work, buyers approaching factories directly, or their products appearing elsewhere without permission.
These concerns cannot be dismissed simply by telling manufacturers that online selling is the future.
A platform needs to consider how product information is displayed, what information is shared, and what controls manufacturers have over their listings. Where appropriate, it should also explain the limitations of those protections honestly.
Not knowing who is behind the platform
A manufacturer who has never heard of Tannorium has little reason to trust it automatically.
That is a challenge every new marketplace faces. It cannot rely on a long operating history or an established reputation that it has not yet built.
The answer is not to demand trust. It is to earn it through transparency, consistent communication, clear processes, and real evidence of how the platform operates.
Uncertainty about how orders will work
Some manufacturers were comfortable with the idea of having their profiles and products listed, provided they only needed to manufacture when an order arrived.
That response made sense to me. It showed that at least some manufacturers could see the potential, even if they were not ready to change their existing operations significantly.
It also highlighted an important point: joining a marketplace needs to fit the way a business actually works.
I’m Not Building Another Alibaba, Amazon, eBay, or Etsy
When people understand the concept behind Tannorium, some compare it with established platforms such as Alibaba, Amazon, eBay, and Etsy.
These are successful platforms with established audiences and different business models. There is no reason to dismiss what they have achieved.
But Tannorium was not built to be another general marketplace.
I want to build a dedicated marketplace for the leather industry.
The distinction matters.
When someone wants to buy a leather product, they may need a single finished item, a customised product, a collection for their business, leather materials, or a bulk manufacturing order.
Their requirements can be very different, but they share a common starting point: they are looking for something within the leather industry.
My vision is for Tannorium to become a place where those buyers know they can start their search.
Instead of navigating unrelated product categories, they should be able to discover businesses specifically relevant to leather, from manufacturers to suppliers serving different needs.
The goal is not simply to put more products online. It is to make finding the right leather business easier.
What I Want Buyers to Find on Tannorium
Discovery is only the beginning. Buyers also need enough information to make informed decisions.
I want Tannorium to make supplier information more transparent, so buyers can assess who they are dealing with before placing an order.
Depending on the supplier and the information available, this can include business details, factory photographs, relevant certifications, and product information.
The principle is straightforward: buyers should not have to rely entirely on claims made in a conversation or on a profile with little supporting information.
However, there is an important distinction between displaying information and independently verifying it. A photograph, business document, or certification should not be treated as proof of everything a buyer might want to know. Verification needs a defined process, and its scope should be clear.
That is the standard I believe a dedicated industry marketplace should work towards.
Trade Assurance: Making Transactions More Reliable
Finding a supplier is one problem. Paying a supplier you have never worked with before is another.
This is why transaction protection is an important part of the Tannorium concept.
The intended model is to hold the buyer’s payment until the ordered goods have been received, subject to the platform’s applicable terms and procedures. The aim is to give buyers greater confidence while providing suppliers with a clearer framework for receiving payment.
For buyers, this can reduce the uncertainty associated with paying an unfamiliar supplier. For suppliers, it can provide a more structured way to work with buyers outside their existing networks.
But payment protection only works when the rules are clear. Buyers and suppliers need to understand what counts as successful delivery, how product discrepancies are assessed, and how disputes are handled.
Trade assurance should not be just a label. It should be supported by an operational process that both parties understand.
That is the role I want transaction protection to play in Tannorium.
A More Direct Connection Between Buyers and Manufacturers
One of the things I want to make easier is the connection between buyers and the businesses capable of fulfilling their requirements.
In many sourcing situations, buyers rely on personal contacts, agents, referrals, or industry exhibitions to discover manufacturers.
Those channels can be valuable, and intermediaries can provide genuine services. My objective is not to suggest that every agent is unnecessary or that trade fairs have lost their value.
Rather, I want buyers to have another option.
A buyer should be able to discover relevant leather manufacturers online without waiting for the next exhibition or depending entirely on an existing network.
Similarly, a manufacturer should have the opportunity to reach potential buyers beyond the people they already know.
If the platform can make that connection more accessible while supporting transparency and transaction protection, it can create value for both sides.
The challenge is making that happen consistently, not just describing the idea.
Changing Habits Takes Time
I have come to understand that building Tannorium involves more than developing features and adding supplier profiles.
It also requires helping manufacturers understand what an online marketplace can offer, listening to their concerns, and demonstrating why participation might make sense for their businesses.
I cannot expect manufacturers to change their habits simply because I believe the platform is useful.
Some will see the opportunity quickly. Others will need more information, stronger evidence, and time to become comfortable with the model. Some may decide that it is not right for them.
That is part of building something new.
I intend to keep having these conversations, learning from the objections, and improving how I explain the platform and how it operates.
Every concern is an opportunity to understand what manufacturers need before they are willing to participate.
My Vision for Tannorium
My long-term vision is simple: wherever someone is in the world, if they want to buy a leather product, whether one piece or in bulk, they should know that Tannorium is a place to find relevant leather manufacturers and suppliers.
I want buyers to have a dedicated starting point for discovery, access to meaningful supplier information, and a transaction process designed to reduce uncertainty.
I want manufacturers to have a way to reach buyers beyond their existing networks without having to depend entirely on physical introductions and industry events.
There is still work to do. A marketplace becomes useful when it attracts relevant suppliers, brings in genuine buyer demand, and creates transactions that both parties are willing to repeat.
That cannot be achieved through technology alone. It requires trust, participation, and execution.
I started Tannorium because I experienced the difficulty of finding suitable leather suppliers while building my own businesses. Now the challenge is to build a platform that addresses that problem for others, too.
I believe the leather industry deserves a dedicated digital marketplace. My job is to keep building until that idea proves its value in practice.
Maaz Ahmed Khan
Founder & CEO, Tannorium