B2B e-Commerce, Digital Commerce, Checklist

We’ve written extensively about the steps manufacturers can take to mitigate some of the damage the supply chain sustained following the COVID-19 pandemic, including contingency planning with an S&OP process, building in resiliency, pinpointing and unmasking supply chain issues and responding to risks with improved supplier relationship management (SRM), among other similar topics.

Another area of pressure requiring attention is how to implement or improve B2B digital commerce. I recently posed this question in my blog: Most Marketing Leaders Are Investing in B2B Digital Commerce: Why Aren’t You?

We’ve developed a 28-question Digital Commerce Checklist to help enterprises understand if their B2B solutions are responsive to today’s online buyers.

The Checklist investigates how well e-commerce platforms deal with such areas as customer acquisition, supporting multi-store capabilities, managing costs, coordinating cross-border commerce, tracking inventory accurately, and other means of improving the customer experience.

Another great resource is QAD’s eBook: Preparing for the B2B E-commerce Tidal Wave.

The Value of B2B e-Commerce

In the age of the Amazon B2C, buy-it-now, get-it-now landscape, B2B buyers are finding themselves also wanting the quick and easy shopping experience B2C companies offer, and some actually excel at. The pandemic raised the demand for digital commerce solutions, whether or not enterprises were prepared. Many had to scramble to meet the enormous demand and are still unsure of how to gain the upper hand.  

Consider these statistics:  

  • B2B e-commerce and EDI sales hit nearly $11 trillion in 2021
  • Gartner suggests that it won’t be long before 80% of B2B sales interactions between suppliers and buyers will be digital
  • Corporate buying decisions are being made by a generation accustomed to quick turnaround purchases they experience as online consumers. According to a report from Merit, 73% of corporate buyers are aged 20 to 35, with one-third of them solely responsible for buying decisions
  • About three-quarters of B2B buyers see website purchases as more convenient than working with a sales rep, according to a Forrester report
  • A whopping 84% of B2B buyers prefer to make repeat purchases online according to McKinsey & Company research

How Well is Your Current e-Commerce Platform Performing?

As enterprises consider new or updated e-commerce platforms, they should be keen on asking questions relating to these strategic issues.

Does your e-commerce platform align with your business goals and strategies for the next one, five and 10 years? Gaining insights from internal departments AND customers will inform your objectives and identify gaps in your current solutions.

If your e-commerce platform is underperforming, how can you improve it to meet today’s B2B buyers’ expectations? Understanding the demands and requirements of today’s buyers is key to offering the highest quality customer experience. Your platform must avoid common points of friction that lead to cart abandonment, including inadequate site performance/load times, poor inventory visibility, and unclear product descriptions and delivery costs/timing, among others.

Are you getting the data you need? Manufacturers need intelligence and analytics to deliver the improved customer experience B2B e-commerce buyers expect. Without the ability to collect and analyze such customer information as browsing history, past purchasing activity and frequently bought items, enterprises will be unable to truly meet their objectives.

Does your e-commerce platform allow for growth into different markets, countries and even industries? With global commerce expanding, enterprises need the tools to deliver services in a variety of languages and currencies, understanding global requirements.

Decisions to upgrade an e-commerce platform or implement a new one must consider existing systems and solutions – integration is the watchword here. How well will your e-commerce platform integrate with your current solutions?

Budget restraints, ROI and competitive pressures take on significant importance as companies commit to upgrading to more modern e-commerce capabilities. An adaptive solution that is easy to implement and integrate with your existing tech stack, from a trusted and experienced advisor, is the best choice.

A True B2B Solution for Your B2B Buyers

QAD Digital Commerce delivers a comprehensive solution for small- and medium-sized businesses. As a SaaS platform, it offers features and analytics to make B2B companies competitive and able to meet the demands of B2B buyers.

Download the 28-question Digital Commerce Checklist to understand how well your digital commerce solution is responding to growing demand.

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