Ecommerce: the importance of electronic commerce in B2B
Posted: Wed Dec 18, 2024 4:20 am
Selling online is more relevant to business-to-business than you might think . According to the top B2B e-commerce trends, and already a reality in the US, B2B e-commerce revenues are more than double that of B2C.
To confirm the importance of eCommerce in B2B, let’s look at what B2C eCommerce leaders are doing : targeting the B2B eCommerce market. In April of last year, Amazon launched Amazon Supply, a website that sells industrial supplies and office equipment for businesses. It is billed as “the warehouse for business and industry.”
Google is also trying to capitalize on the B2B e-commerce market , albeit in a slightly different way. Its Google for Suppliers site is designed to be a marketplace for manufacturers and a storefront for buyers.
These two giants do not invest resources in products and freight forwarders brokers email lists services that they do not believe will be profitable. Companies that are in denial are in denial of the reality that commerce is moving online, it will continue to move online in the B2B space as it has in the B2C space.
Tips on how to sell online in B2B businesses
Invest in the B2B customer experience . Forget trying to match the omni-channel customer experience of competitors like Amazon or Google. Your real competition is your customer’s expectations when purchasing. Investing time in the online shopping experience and incorporating human interaction somewhere along the buying cycle is what can bring you value. Customers want to, and can, buy online, but they value a human touchpoint when interacting with your brand. If you are an expert in your industry and know your customers personally, take advantage of this.
Make mobile a priority . Don’t overlook the importance of mobile to young, digitally native buyers who are already at the companies you work for. B2B brands that prioritize the mobile channel can offer sales opportunities and personalized customer service possibilities that are impossible to meet without a consistent mobile commerce strategy. We know that over 50% of B2B customers use smartphones to research products for their businesses.
Expand your horizon : Stop thinking of your competition as just your direct competitors. Now more than ever, stakeholders across the entire B2B supply chain (distributors, wholesalers, manufacturers) are selling directly to customers.
To confirm the importance of eCommerce in B2B, let’s look at what B2C eCommerce leaders are doing : targeting the B2B eCommerce market. In April of last year, Amazon launched Amazon Supply, a website that sells industrial supplies and office equipment for businesses. It is billed as “the warehouse for business and industry.”
Google is also trying to capitalize on the B2B e-commerce market , albeit in a slightly different way. Its Google for Suppliers site is designed to be a marketplace for manufacturers and a storefront for buyers.
These two giants do not invest resources in products and freight forwarders brokers email lists services that they do not believe will be profitable. Companies that are in denial are in denial of the reality that commerce is moving online, it will continue to move online in the B2B space as it has in the B2C space.
Tips on how to sell online in B2B businesses
Invest in the B2B customer experience . Forget trying to match the omni-channel customer experience of competitors like Amazon or Google. Your real competition is your customer’s expectations when purchasing. Investing time in the online shopping experience and incorporating human interaction somewhere along the buying cycle is what can bring you value. Customers want to, and can, buy online, but they value a human touchpoint when interacting with your brand. If you are an expert in your industry and know your customers personally, take advantage of this.
Make mobile a priority . Don’t overlook the importance of mobile to young, digitally native buyers who are already at the companies you work for. B2B brands that prioritize the mobile channel can offer sales opportunities and personalized customer service possibilities that are impossible to meet without a consistent mobile commerce strategy. We know that over 50% of B2B customers use smartphones to research products for their businesses.
Expand your horizon : Stop thinking of your competition as just your direct competitors. Now more than ever, stakeholders across the entire B2B supply chain (distributors, wholesalers, manufacturers) are selling directly to customers.