The digitalization of business is a reality in many industries in the marketplace; nowadays practically everything can be bought online. This has been a reality for several years in the B2C market and is being explored, but still by a small portion of the industry.
One of the reasons for the low adherence of many companies are barriers such as a culture resistant to change, outdated systems, obsolete integration models, and insecurity in relation to new technologies. These points can be cited as major adversaries of the digitalization of the B2B market.
In recent years, the business-to-business (B2B) industry has faced several challenges in the digital landscape. With the increasing digital transformation that many businesses have adopted, B2B companies need to adapt and be prepared to meet customer demands in an increasingly competitive and technological environment.
In this article, we will present what are the main peculiarities of the B2B e-commerce model, which can be a challenge in digital commerce.
Complex purchase process
At e-commerce B2Bthe decision making by the customer usually demands more time and purchases with higher value transactions, and many times these purchases involve internal bureaucratic processes that involve many people and/or sectors of the organization.
One of the challenges of B2B in digital commerce is in simplifying the procurement process, making it personalized and effective, giving access to all the technical information about the product or service that the customer needs.
B2B customers are becoming increasingly demanding. These professional buyers are, of course, also B2C consumers in their spare time: they are used to elegant B2C customer experiences and their expectations are shaped by B2C giants.
For market players that have not yet pursued digitization, it is important to look to innovate the operation.
Personalization of prices and products
A personalization in B2B e-commerce e-commerce is an indispensable factor to ensure more expressive sales. Just as in the traditional form of negotiation between companies, which allows for adaptable negotiations that consider the reality of the buying company, in B2B e-commerce this differential also needs to be inserted into the purchase journey.
Financial resources, structures, taxes, stock updates, credit limits, type of freight, pricing, and payment terms according to each buyer.
A small example is products that have a specific base price, where the distributor needs to dynamically adjust the value for wholesalers, retailers, and distributors, taking into account aspects such as volume, location, or other pre-established criteria.
Longer buying cycle
Although B2B deals are one-off transactions with closely spaced periods of time in between, B2B purchases can generate long-term partnerships.
For this reason, B2B sellers deal with a smaller lead base. On the other hand, it is common for transactions to have a higher average ticket, a higher number of quotes, and recurrent purchases.
What we can notice is that the B2B consumer seeks to find reliable suppliers to maintain continuity in negotiations, which leads us to hit the key of assertive, reliable, and fluid online buying experience.
Taxation on B2B e-commerce
When starting a B2B e-commerce operation, it is important to evaluate the structure formatting and the adherence to the tax regime that will be adopted. In relation to marketplaces and e-commerces, it is necessary to format the structure of the B2B operation either as a service provider, transaction intermediary, or reseller of goods over the internet.
Another challenge is that there are situations in which business management systems have outdated tax data structures, and it is necessary to update the ERP registry so that it is in accordance with what the tax legislation requires.
Choosing the best platform for B2B e-commerce
When a B2B company decides to digitalization of its channelsthere are many steps to be considered, one of them is the choice of the platform that will be part of this new sales stage of the company.
In this regard, the VTEX platform platform is one of the main options for companies that want to create a robust and scalable B2B e-commerce. Below, we list some of the advantages of choosing VTEX for your B2B e-commerce:
- Flexibility: the VTEX platform offers a high degree of customization and flexibility for B2B companies, allowing them to create a personalized shopping experience tailored to the needs of their customers.
- Scalability: VTEX is a highly scalable platform, allowing businesses of all sizes to easily and seamlessly expand their operations as they grow.
- Integration: VTEX offers native integration with various systems, such as ERPs, CRMs, and payment platforms, making it easy to manage company processes and data.
- SEO Optimization: The VTEX platform offers advanced search engine optimization features, which can improve your B2B e-commerce performance in search results.
- Data Analysis: VTEX has advanced data analysis tools, enabling B2B companies to gain valuable insights into customer behavior and e-commerce performance.
In addition, the VTEX platform enables a 100% customizable design for your B2B business needs. Want to know more advantages about VTEX? Contact our experts.
Finally, to overcome these challenges, B2B companies need to be constantly updated and willing to invest in technology, digital marketing strategies, and staff training to ensure they are prepared to meet customer demands in an increasingly digital environment.
