B2B ecommerce involves selling products or services to business customers, rather than consumers. It’s an important part of ecommerce, and one that businesses should definitely take advantage of as soon as possible. The best way to get started with B2B ecommerce is to choose an ecommerce platform and start uploading your products and data immediately. This comprehensive guide will explain the pros and cons of the top platforms out there today, so you can find the one that best fits your needs and make your new eCommerce for B2B venture a success.
What is B2B eCommerce?
Business-to-business (B2B) eCommerce is the exchange of goods and services between businesses through an online platform. A B2B eCommerce platform provides a marketplace for businesses to buy and sell products and services. The platform may also offer features such as order management, inventory management, and payment processing. It can provide business owners with benefits like marketing tools, customer analytics, bulk pricing, and logistics automation. There are many types of B2B eCommerce platforms including supply chain platforms which connect manufacturers with retailers; product marketplaces that enable buyers to find their desired products from different sellers; and wholesale marketplaces which allow wholesalers to browse multiple suppliers.
What Is an eCommerce Platform?
An eCommerce platform is a software solution that enables businesses to create an online store and sell their products and services. A good eCommerce platform will provide everything you need to get started, including a website builder, shopping cart, payment processing, and customer management tools. You should also consider the level of customization offered by the platform, how easy it is to use the interface, and how much control you have over what your customers see when they visit your site. If you’re looking for a turnkey solution with all of these features in one package, here are some options –
Magento: The most popular eCommerce platform available today, this popular choice has been translated into multiple languages and offers both open source and proprietary versions of its product.
– Shopify: One of the fastest growing companies in Canada today, Shopify offers free credit card processing, online payment options such as Apple Pay or PayPal Express Checkout, and has excellent security measures.
– BigCommerce: Offers responsive design templates and excellent SEO functionality that makes marketing more effective. Other features include Google Analytics integration, price comparisons on product pages so shoppers can easily find the best deals on your site without having to go through another page or window to do so.
Best Practices for Choosing an eCommerce Platform
When it comes to choosing a B2B eCommerce platform, there are a few best practices you should keep in mind. 1) First and foremost, if your organization is tech-savvy enough to set up their own software, then you don’t need an eCommerce solution. 2) If your organization does not have the manpower or technical know-how to set up their own solution and relies on consultants for development and implementation of any kind of custom software solutions, then it may be wise to go with a pre-built solution from one of the top providers of B2B eCommerce platforms.
Tips on Evaluating an eCommerce Provider
When you’re looking for a B2B eCommerce platform, it’s important to keep a few key factors in mind. You’ll want to consider the provider’s track record, customer support offerings, feature set, and pricing. It’s also important to make sure that the platform is easy to use and scalable so that it can grow with your business. The last thing you want is to get stuck on an antiquated platform when your company starts taking off. Thankfully, these days there are many robust options available. We’ve compiled some of the most notable platforms below:
– Amazon Business – one of the largest retail providers in the world has created their own B2B version
– Magento – Magento Commerce provides a customizable solution that adapts to meet different needs
– Shopify – Shopify offers their enterprise customers access to all of their standard features as well as customized options
Ways to Build A Digital Commerce Strategy That Converts
- Research your audience and build personas.
- Develop a clear value proposition.
- Create an eCommerce strategy that’s in line with your business goals.
- Select the right platform for your needs.
- Implement a design that appeals to your target market.
- Write compelling product descriptions.
- Optimize your site for search engine ranking.
- Drive traffic to your site using marketing automation tools like drip campaigns, pop-ups, banners, social media ads and SEO (Search Engine Optimization).
- Ensure customer satisfaction by having an easy checkout process, proper inventory management and customer service features like live chat or phone call options.
10. Track progress with analytics software like Google Analytics or Kiss metrics to see what’s working so you can optimize future efforts accordingly.
