The proverbial face palm happens a few times a year when a client or prospect quickly states:
“Let’s save B2B for a later phase”
There is an understanding that during project planning, a brand or manufacturer needs to decide how scope will unfold, and budget or timeline are determining factors. For companies looking to transform both their direct-to-consumer experience and digital B2B sales, we often hear this same statement about pushing B2B commerce to a later date.
There is a belief B2B customers are already repeat buyers, so “why disrupt what they are already doing?” “Let’s go after the D2C growth.”
The problem with this belief is B2B buyers are eager to engage in both an online and offline experience from their manufacturer or distributor, even if they are a loyal buyer. They want self-service online touchpoints whenever they want, wherever they want. With this said, tabling B2B commerce for a later phase is a decision which can directly place a cap on growth and engagement.
What is our response to tabling B2B for a later (or never) phase?
Start slow! Starting a digital B2B commerce transformation takes time and should be done in phases. Begin with examining the native features of the platform you are looking to adopt or build upon: https://business.adobe.com/resources/12-things-you-must-know-when-choosing-b2b-ecommerce-platform.html
From there, determine desired impacts on the business. Below are reasons why waiting to adopt B2B commerce could be a costly mistake and why businesses should seize the opportunity to embrace B2B digital transformation:
- Meet Customer Expectations: In an era where consumers are accustomed to the convenience of online shopping in their personal lives, the same expectations extend to their professional interactions. B2B buyers increasingly prefer the ease and efficiency of digital platforms that enable them to research products, place orders, and manage accounts with minimal friction. By delaying the adoption of B2B e-commerce, brands risk falling behind competitors who are better positioned to meet these evolving customer demands.
- Expanding Reach and Accessibility: With the rise of globalization, businesses have unprecedented opportunities to reach customers across geographical boundaries. B2B e-commerce platforms serve as powerful tools for expanding market reach and tapping into new territories without the need for physical presence or extensive logistical infrastructure. By embracing online commerce, brands can unlock access to a broader audience and capitalize on emerging market trends with agility and speed.
- Enhancing Operational Efficiency: Manual processes and paper-based systems are not only time-consuming but also prone to errors and inefficiencies. B2B e-commerce streamlines workflows, automates routine tasks, and provides real-time visibility into inventory, orders, and customer data. By digitizing operations, brands can reduce overhead costs, improve accuracy, and free up resources to focus on strategic initiatives that drive business growth.
- Enabling Personalized Experiences: Today's B2B buyers expect personalized experiences tailored to their unique preferences and requirements. Through data analytics and advanced technologies like artificial intelligence, B2B e-commerce platforms empower brands to deliver targeted recommendations, customized pricing, and personalized content that resonate with individual customers. By harnessing the power of personalization, brands can strengthen customer relationships, foster loyalty, and differentiate themselves in a competitive market.
- Adapting to Changing Market Dynamics: The business landscape is constantly evolving, with new technologies, market trends, and consumer behaviors reshaping the competitive landscape. By embracing B2B e-commerce, brands demonstrate their agility and adaptability in responding to changing market dynamics. Whether it's leveraging mobile commerce, integrating with emerging payment systems, or adopting innovative sales channels, businesses that embrace digital transformation are better positioned to thrive in an increasingly digital world.
Binary Anvil has had the pleasure working with organizations who have embarked on B2B digital transformation, case in point: Yakima Chief Hops. https://www.yakimachief.com/
Based in Yakima, Washington, Yakima Chief Hops (YCH) is a 100% grower-owned hop supplier for the global brewing industry. Today YCH is the largest hop supplier in North America and also sells hops globally with offices in Belgium, Hong Kong, and distributor partnerships all over the world. Because of the dynamic nature of both the agriculture and beer industries, YCH’s ordering process is unique. The company’s previous website, built on a homegrown content management system, didn’t have the capabilities to enable online order processing—customers had to place contracted and spot market orders (i.e. when surplus hops are sold for immediate delivery) manually through a sales or customer service representative. As the industry grew and brewers’ needs became more complex and specific, it was time for a change.
YCH aimed to make the purchasing experience more convenient for customers so that they could buy hops and manage their accounts at any time, from any place. They also wanted to reduce labor costs by automating key aspects of the order management process. Lastly, they hoped to increase sales by allowing customers to make spot market and contract inventory purchases at the same time. Working with Binary Anvil, YCH selected Adobe Commerce, extended it with a custom order management system (OMS), and integrated it with their enterprise resource planning (ERP) and warehouse management systems (WMS). Now, contracts created in the ERP system are visible in the e-commerce portal and information flows back and forth automatically via custom enterprise integration services.
Partners used in this project:
https://www.cybersource.com/en-us.html
The case for adopting B2B e-commerce is clear and compelling. Brands that hesitate to embrace this transformative technology risk being left behind in an increasingly competitive marketplace. By prioritizing innovation, agility, and customer-centricity, businesses can unlock new opportunities for growth, enhance operational efficiency, and stay ahead of the curve in today's digital economy. So why wait? The future of B2B commerce is here – and the time to embrace it is now.
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