For many years now, ecommerce has been a dominating feature of retail businesses. Maximising the benefits of online selling became the catalyst for the success of many B2C brands. If you look at how Amazon grew over the past decade, it’s clear to see why every business is focusing on digital channels. But what about B2B companies? How are they responding to this trend?
B2B companies used to think of ecommerce as a fringe channel for completing orders. But, the increasing demand for digital order fulfilment is changing this mindset. Now, there’s a high demand for an innovative b2b ecommerce solution. This is in response to the growing B2B ecommerce market around the world.
B2B Ecommerce growth is inevitable
The shift to ecommerce was bound to happen because of rapid digitalisation. Also, B2B clients are B2C consumers too, which is why they demand a better purchasing experience. These clients have time-and-again, benefited from the seamless and intuitive buying flow featured by retail platforms. In turn, they also look for the same convenience and efficiency when making purchases as a B2B customer.
Instead of the traditional way of making an order by calling and speaking to a sales representative, B2B buyers now prefer more self-service options. This way, they can manage their business accounts seamlessly using a desktop or mobile platform. Moreover, the increasing need to make purchases contactless because of the pandemic is pushing more B2B companies to adopt a digital solution.
Trends that will shape the future of B2B Ecommerce
In addition to the typical factors that impact the development of B2B ecommerce platforms, there are also other trends worth noting. These trends are responsible for making these platforms a viable solution for B2B companies such as wholesalers and distributors.
- More efficient infrastructure integration. In the past, developing an ecommerce platform for B2B was labour-intensive and complex. But, thanks to significant innovation, implementing an ecommerce channel is now simpler. Now, there are out-of-the-box options with basic features that make it more convenient to shift from traditional to digital selling. By using the latest technology, these solutions are intuitive and progressive. Not only that, a B2B company can choose to add features that will meet their needs and improve the customer experience.
- Mobile-friendly solutions. Mobile responsiveness is an ecommerce trend that can’t be ignored. B2B businesses are also recognising the importance of implementing an ecommerce solution with a corresponding mobile version. Focusing only on a desktop option is limiting. A majority of B2B clients today also want to use their mobile phones to make purchases, because it’s convenient and efficient.
- Integrating a variety of procurement options. B2B clients have different needs and expectations. There are still some that prefer to manage their orders on paper or over the phone. The good thing about implementing an ecommerce solution is that it won’t do away with traditional processes. The company can better cater to the varying requirements of its clients by adding ecommerce as another sales channel.
Indeed, the future of B2B ecommerce is promising. More B2B consumers are recognising the benefits of purchasing through a digital channel. Business to business companies should respond by choosing a platform that allows them to achieve their marketing goals which in turn improves the customer experience.