Streamline B2B Ecommerce
With the B2B developments in Magento 2.2 eCommerce technology, there’s a way to translate B2B supply chain’s complexity into a high-performance, customizable online catalog. With new robust features for wholesale business-to-business buying, upgrading to 2.2 can boost your B2B business.
The decision to add business-to-business eCommerce to your company’s structure is a big one. Laying out a plan that starts with your target customer, and lays out all the types of sales currently being made – wholesale, B2B, B2C, bulk, etc. – will help you implement the right platform for your eCommerce operation.
Getting Started
For a large company, deploying an online catalog obviously doesn’t happen overnight. You should expect the process to take between 6-9 months depending on the size and complexity of the project. This will involve a lot of work, but if you find the right eCommerce partner and an agile platform, it will run smoothly. Look for a partner with the highest certifications that company offers. In the case of Magento, that is a Magento Enterprise Solutions partner.
It won’t just be your IT team working on the site’s deployment. Your marketing, accounting, and sales departments will be involved as well. Make sure everyone is fully aware of their individual commitments to the success of this project.
ROI of B2B eCommerce
Considering your return on investment is a given. Come up with goals of what you’d like to accomplish. What percentage of your customers would you like to migrate to the online catalog? Most experts recommend setting the bar at 20-30% over a year long period. Even if only 20% move to your e-Commerce platform, those customers will likely spend more than they otherwise would as a result of your feature-rich catalog.
FEATURES TO LOOK FOR
Now that you’ve made the commitment to eCommerce, there are a few key features you should look for. These will help shorten your sale cycle, boost customer loyalty, and even increase the amount of money spent per customer.
Creating specific accounts for your business-to-business buyer is crucial to encouraging them to buy online from your company. Empowering their teams with customizable hierarchy with order caps and team structure can help them do business in the way they want to, which is a revenue business for you.
As the online marketplace progresses, online commerce is center stage. These considerations and must-have features will make your company more competitive and create more loyal customers for the future.
Need help with B2B? Let’s chat.
