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B2B ecommerce platforms: the definitive guide
Table of contents
What is a B2B ecommerce platform?
A B2B ecommerce platform is a piece of software, usually hosted in the cloud, that allows B2B companies to conduct business more easily. It is a tool that allows you to build a digital storefront, add and remove product listings, make sales, take payments and provide after sales service/support.
Unlike B2C retail ecommerce, a B2B ecommerce platform will usually have sections of the site locked away that can only be accessed by customers with login credentials. These credentials are usually granted only to approved companies and there buyers.
In most cases, these buyers are given access to unique products and pricing that have been pre negotiated. In many industries the B2B buying and servicing process is complex, which demands a different type of ecommerce feature set than you would typically see in a retail ecommerce experience.
Why B2B companies need an ecommerce platform
In today’s digital-first economy, the imperative for B2B companies to integrate eCommerce capabilities is underscored by compelling statistics reflecting buyer preferences.
A recent survey revealed that over 70% of B2B buyers find purchasing from a website more convenient than buying from a sales representative, and about 65% of B2B companies across various industries have reported an increase in sales through online channels.
This shift towards digital platforms is driven not only by the convenience they offer but also by their ability to provide enhanced customer experiences, personalized interactions, and immediate access to detailed product information.
Key benefits of B2B ecommerce platforms
Deploying a B2B eCommerce platform offers a range of substantial benefits that can transform the way businesses operate and engage with their clients. Here are the main benefits:
Increased sales & revenue
By offering 24/7 online ordering, a B2B eCommerce platform can significantly increase sales opportunities. It allows businesses to reach new markets and customers that were previously inaccessible due to geographical or time constraints.
Improved customer experience
These platforms can offer personalized experiences, such as custom pricing, tailored product recommendations, and account-specific catalogs. This level of personalization leads to higher customer satisfaction and loyalty.
Operational efficiency
Automating the sales process reduces manual tasks and errors. It streamlines order processing, inventory management, and invoicing, which can lead to significant cost savings and operational efficiencies.
Data driven insights
B2B eCommerce platforms provide valuable analytics and insights into customer behavior, preferences, and purchasing patterns. This data enables businesses to make informed decisions, optimize their marketing strategies, and improve product offerings.
Scalability
As businesses grow, B2B eCommerce platforms can scale to accommodate increased product ranges, customer bases, and transaction volumes without a corresponding increase in overheads.
Bigger reach
These platforms enable businesses to expand their reach to a global audience, overcoming traditional barriers such as different time zones and languages.
Faster order fufilment
With streamlined processes and better integration with supply chain systems, B2B eCommerce platforms can lead to faster order fulfillment, enhancing customer satisfaction.
Enhanced marketing capabilities
Integration with digital marketing tools allows for more effective marketing campaigns, targeted promotions, and improved communication with potential and existing customers.
Customer self service
Features like order tracking, self-managed accounts, and easy reordering options empower customers to manage their purchases and interactions, which reduces the burden on sales and customer service teams.
Compliance & security
B2B eCommerce platforms often come with robust security measures and compliance standards, ensuring sensitive business data is protected, and transactions are secure.
Features of a B2B ecommerce platform
Powerful features for B2B organizations stand out from the crowd with a professional online presence that caters to the needs of your B2B customers. Some of the most common and popular B2B features include:
Custom catalogs and pricing
Efficiently create and manage customer-specific catalogs and pricing by seamlessly exchanging catalog data via OCI Punchout.
Automated processes and dynamic product mapping allow for relevant, up-to-date product information at every touchpoint or sales channel.
You can also easily integrate product, pricing, customer, and channel information from a variety of external sources, and push data from the e-commerce platform to other systems such as your ERP.
User roles and responsibilities
Easily control and monitor your sensitive business processes by creating separate user roles (buyer, approver or admin) within your organization, enabling a personalized user experience with specific responsibilities. Most B2B ecommerce software offers automated approval processes, predefined budgets, and activity monitoring which increases internal efficiency and reduces errors.
My account dashboard
Give users a complete overview and quick access to all of their order information. Buyer, approvers, and administrators can each have their own dashboard. Buyers can view the status of their orders, as well as order templates, and quotes. Approvers can check on pending orders and get an overview of approved / rejected ones. Administrators gain insight into each user and their budget.
Quoting
Allow your buyers and dealers to negotiate prices without leaving the commerce site, ensuring seamless communication and full transparency of your pricing policy. Buyers can request quotes for individual products or product lists, and provide additional comments or information. Dealers can respond directly with a new quote so buyers can execute the order once an agreement is reached.
Quick order
Save time and boost convenience with quick orders. Your customer can place an order by entering just the product ID and quantity or upload a CSV file to order multiple products at once.
Order templates
Increase your sales potential and make it easy to do business with you. Customizable order templates, e.g. based on order history, offer a convenient buying experience and speed up your customers’ purchasing process
Contracts
Boost your customer’s satisfaction with a best-price strategy! With revenue-based contracts, you can get the most out of customer-specific pricing. And it’s easy for your customer, too! Orders placed in a given period are automatically assigned to the contract and the accurate, special price and the My Account dashboard provides full transparency on the details.
Sales rep ordering
This feature empowers your field sales team to seamlessly take orders on the move. For example, in B2B ecommerce platforms like SparkLayer, reps can access product details, browse catalogs, check inventory, place orders, process payments, and manage customer information—all directly from their tablet or mobile device.
All inclusive B2B blueprint store
Most B2B ecommerce platform vendors should have a ready-to-use blueprint store to help accelerate your setup time and reduce cost. With responsive design, optimized for desktop and mobile alike, the store comes with B2B-specific workflows and processes, and demo content which is easily customized.
B2B ecommerce software vendors
The number of players in the B2B ecommerce platform technology category has expanded significantly over the past few years. Here is a shortlist of high performing B2B ecommerce solutions in the global market.
OroInc
OroCommerce is a versatile and robust B2B eCommerce platform, catering specifically to the needs of brands, manufacturers, and distributors. As an enterprise-grade and mid-market solution, it offers a comprehensive set of features that are adaptable to various B2B commerce models. Its flexibility is further highlighted by its open-source nature, allowing for extensive customization to meet the specific requirements of B2B.
BigCommerce
BigCommerce’s B2B Edition combines BigCommerce Enterprise with a specialized app to offer an effective B2B e-commerce solution. It features tailored pricing models through custom price lists, catering to specific customer groups. The platform provides streamlined onboarding and support, along with self-service capabilities for customers. Strategic partnerships enhance its functionality, making it suitable for businesses seeking a comprehensive and efficient B2B e-commerce experience.
Sana Commerce
Sana Commerce, designed for manufacturers, distributors, and wholesalers, excels in B2B ecommerce through seamless ERP integration with systems like Microsoft Dynamics and SAP. This SaaS platform offers essential B2B features, combining real-time data accuracy and cloud agility for effective tech stack integration.
Commerce Vision
Commerce Vision is an Australian B2B eCommerce platform tailored for manufacturers, distributors, and wholesalers. It integrates deeply with ERP systems to streamline operations and deliver personalized online experiences. Supporting complex B2B needs like customer-specific pricing, advanced product catalogs, and multi-level approvals, Commerce Vision enables businesses to efficiently manage orders, inventory, and customer relationships.
Sitecore OrderCloud
Sitecore OrderCloud® is a headless commerce platform designed with the complexities of B2B go-to-market models in mind, featuring an API-first architecture that ensures flexibility and scalability. It supports complex B2B use cases and is model-agnostic, allowing brands to power B2B, B2C, and marketplace experiences on a single platform. With AI-driven personalization, comprehensive commerce features, and integration with Microsoft Fabric, OrderCloud provides a robust solution for creating customized and innovative eCommerce experiences. Ideal for organizations seeking a flexible and modern eCommerce platform, Sitecore OrderCloud serves customers in over 70 countries across various industries.
Znode
Znode is an enterprise B2B eCommerce platform designed to drive sustainable growth with its comprehensive all-in-one feature set. It empowers businesses to efficiently manage content, site search, product information, and multi-store functionality within a single platform. As a completely headless solution, Znode offers over 1,200 API endpoints, enabling greater extensibility, seamless integrations, and consistent functional updates.
SAP Commerce Cloud
Originally known as SAP Hybris, SAP Commerce Cloud offers a flexible, multi-channel solution that caters to the unique needs of B2B purchasing cycles. Its extensive customization capabilities, combined with its ability to innovate at scale and tap into enterprise-wide data, make SAP Commerce Cloud a leading choice for enterprises seeking an efficient and scalable B2B e-commerce solution.
Cloudfy
Cloudfy is a B2B ecommerce platform specifically designed to streamline the digital commerce experience for manufacturers, distributors, and wholesalers. With its SaaS-based model, Cloudfy offers a comprehensive suite of B2B features, including customer-specific pricing, complex product catalogs, and seamless integration with ERP systems. Its user-friendly interface and out-of-the-box functionality enable businesses to quickly launch and scale their online presence.
Pepperi
Pepperi’s B2B eCommerce platform is an intuitive and versatile solution designed to cater to the diverse needs of businesses. Offering a B2C-like buying experience for wholesale buyers, it is tailored to meet the specific requirements of each business.
Pepperi’s flexibility is particularly beneficial for Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) brands and wholesalers, as it allows them to swiftly respond to changing market conditions.
Adobe Commerce
Adobe Commerce, formerly Magento, is a leading B2B e-commerce solution known for its extensive capabilities. It supports both B2B and B2C models and offers features like omnichannel support, mobile-first design, self-service options, and customization.
The platform is flexible and scalable, allowing businesses to create personalized experiences for diverse customer segments. As a comprehensive omnichannel solution, Adobe Commerce is ideal for businesses seeking to enhance their online presence and customer experience.
BetterCommerce
BetterCommerce is a composable commerce platform designed for modern B2B businesses, offering an API-first and modular approach that simplifies complex requirements. The software excels at handling intricate product catalogs and pricing with essential B2B features like custom price lists, company accounts, and credit notes. With over 100 out-of-box features and easy integrations with ERP, CRM, and other utilities, BetterCommerce can be launched within 100 days
Intershop
Examples of B2B ecommerce websites
Bradley Corporation
Bradley Corporation, a century-old manufacturer of commercial plumbing fixtures, needed a B2B eCommerce solution to streamline its quoting process and enhance customer experiences. Faced with the challenges of an outdated legacy platform that struggled with data integration and limited quoting capabilities, Bradley used Znode which provided a centralized user interface, enabling seamless management of orders, real-time quoting, and split shipments from multiple warehouses. The platform’s integration with Bradley’s ERP system and third-party tools improved inventory visibility and allowed personalized order views for different user roles.
How much does a B2B ecommerce platform cost?
The cost of a B2B ecommerce platform can greatly vary, depending on the complexity, functionality, and scale of your operations.
Costs can range from free open-source solutions, which may require more investment in customization and maintenance, to cookie cutter SaaS platforms or enterprise platforms that can cost hundreds of thousands or millions of dollars per year.
There are also small and mid-range solutions that balance cost and functionality. Prices are usually based on the order volumes, users, amount of data, and range of features you require, as well as any setup and integration costs.
Remember, the cheapest option may not always be the best fit for your business. It’s important to consider the total cost of ownership, which includes not just the platform fees, but also costs associated with development, maintenance, integrations, updates, and training.
Building a business case for a B2B ecommerce platform
Developing a compelling business case for B2B eCommerce is crucial for organizations looking to transition into or expand their digital capabilities. Central to this case is the demonstration of tangible ROI, which encompasses not only increased sales and revenue but also enhanced operational efficiencies and cost savings.
A well-constructed business case should highlight how eCommerce platforms can streamline order processing, reduce manual errors, and optimize inventory management, leading to significant reductions in operational costs.
Additionally, it should emphasize the potential for new customers and market expansion, as digital platforms can open doors to segments and markets, previously inaccessible due to geographical or logistical constraints.
The business case should also consider the improved customer experience offered by B2B eCommerce solutions, such as personalized product recommendations and self-service portals, which can lead to higher customer retention and loyalty. Moreover, the ability to gather and analyze customer data through these platforms provides invaluable insights, enabling businesses to make data-driven decisions and stay ahead in a competitive market.
In essence, the business case for B2B eCommerce should not only focus on immediate financial gains but also on long-term strategic benefits, such as scalability, agility, and the ability to rapidly adapt to changing market dynamics and customer preferences.
Embracing B2B digital transformation
As we conclude, the message is clear: B2B eCommerce is no longer just an option; it is a critical component for business success in the digital age.
The benefits of adopting such platforms—ranging from increased sales and revenue to enhanced operational efficiency and global market reach—are too significant to overlook.
In an era marked by rapid technological advancements and shifting buyer preferences, the ability to adapt and embrace digital solutions is not just about staying competitive; it’s about setting the stage for future growth and sustainability.
Want to become a member?
Become a member of the B2B eCommerce Association for free today. Connect, learn and find new opportunities.
About the B2BEA
Resources
Want to become a member?
Become a member of the B2B eCommerce Association for free today. Connect, learn and find new opportunities.
Want to become a member?
Become a member of the B2B eCommerce Association for free today. Connect, learn and find new opportunities.
About the B2BEA
Resources
Want to become a member?
Become a member of the B2B eCommerce Association for free today. Connect, learn and find new opportunities.
