Online shopping is booming. Thanks to modern online stores and advanced online payment systems, more and more customers are turning to the Internet to purchase products and services. But the growth of e-commerce has not only changed how individuals shop. It has also changed the way business customers procure their goods.
B2B commerce sales increased by 8% online in 2023. Already in 2022, almost two-thirds of B2B companies offered their goods online. Many of these stores use a B2B platform specifically designed to optimize the procurement process.
What is a B2B platform?
A B2B platform is an online store that sells products, south africa email list services or information to business customers in order to expand customer reach and reduce service costs. In other words, B2B platforms enable direct exchange between two companies – for example between manufacturers and wholesalers or between wholesalers and a retailer – rather than between companies and consumers.
For example, if you run a small print shop that supplies signs and promotional items to other companies, a B2B platform will help you offer direct online ordering to your business customers, reducing barriers to purchase and increasing sales.
The biggest differences between B2B and B2C
While B2B platforms market and sell products between two companies , B2C platforms enable direct sales to consumers.
Although B2B and B2C websites target different audiences, the pillars of first call resolution they have some things in common. Both B2C and B2B websites:
- provide user-friendly interfaces,
- are SEO and conversion optimized,
- provide detailed product descriptions and comprehensive product data,
- support rewards and discount vouchers for customers and
- accept multiple payment methods.
Because companies have unique purchasing processes, quantity requirements, and expectations of supplier relationships, colombia business directory B2B platforms need additional functionality to meet the needs of business customers. Typical B2B-specific features include contract pricing, bulk ordering options, quote management, automated reordering, and shopping cart approvals. Here are the details:
contract prices
While prices on B2C platforms sometimes change, they are usually the same for all customers. A B2B platform, on the other hand, requires advanced pricing options. Prices on B2B platforms vary depending on the contract and the customer. For example, your regular customers may receive discounts that are not offered to new customers.
Some B2B platforms offer built-in contract pricing options that allow you to categorize customers and offer different pricing models for different groups.
bulk ordering options
Companies often need large quantities of products. A good B2B platform makes it easy for customers to place bulk orders and offers volume discount features that automatically adjust the price per item based on the quantity ordered. For example, a volume discount can apply to custom-dyed socks: the more socks ordered, the cheaper the price per pair.
Automatic reordering
Just as businesses often order in bulk, they often need to reorder or reorder on a regular basis. For example, a tailoring business that sources zippers and buttons from your e-commerce business might expect to reorder every six months without having to reorder each time.
By allowing your business customers to automatically reorder products through your online store, you save them time and promote revenue generation by reducing customer churn.