5 Reasons why B2B E-Commerce is Not Just About PriceAll of this will give the B2B customer the experience they are used to, along with the speed and convenience

ByNaman Shah

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

You're reading Entrepreneur India, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media.

Shutterstock.com

B2B E-commerce has been a buzz word in the startup ecosystem for a while.B2B E-commerce is not just about price, especially when it comes to serving end users. Business relies on these purchases to drive efficiencies which are beyond direct cost saving, it includes saving of time, transparency, vendor consolidation & lesser paperwork.

  • No Current Technology Solution Like B2C

B2B E-commerce is the largest type of e-commerce based on market volume. It is about 10 times larger than the size of B2C E-commerce. To place an order, most business purchasers need multiple quotes to satisfy their internal approval process. The completion times of sales are often lengthy for B2B E-commerce transactions compared to B2C sales because when it comes to business, most of them require several decision makers to complete the process. A platform which combines e-commerce with a purchase management software is very much needed. It will help manage this purchase flow with all the concerned stakeholders.

  • Goods Being Purchased to Create Value:

Business buyers are often buying goods which act as inputs or are used as tools to produce the final product. It becomes important to articulate the outcomes and benefits of the product, for example, if you are selling a more expensive industrial pump than your competitor, how much will the buyer save in reduced downtime? The b2b decision makers are more sophisticated than ever before and are discerning. It is imperative to provide quality & genuine products along with adequate after-sales service to survive in the B2B market.

  • Repeatability & Predictability

Business purchases are planned & cyclical. This means that the same product would be required after some time interval, this could be as short as a week. It becomes vital for the business buyer to make the right decision when choosing the product as it has a long term impact given the high repeatability & predictability. B2B E-commerce companies need to provide customers with options where they could have staggered & planned deliveries, this would help them with lean inventory & working capital efficiency.

  • 实现层3和4的位置:

Many factories and manufacturing companies have their set up in Tier 3 & 4 location, often at places where delivery is ignored by many companies. It is imperative that the orders reach such clients as well and on time. To handle this challenge, E-commerce companies must integrate with good and reliable delivery companies. Along with partnerships with logistics companies, it is important to develop a supplier base pan India so that you can cater to customer demands. A lot of B2B shipments happen to be bulky and it is essential to have multiple stock points.

  • Payment Challenge:

It is a standard practice for B2B buyers to avail trade credit and volume-level pricing, among other discounts, and these expectations have carried over into their e-commerce stores. As such, online B2B, unlike their B2C counterparts, cannot require customers to simply enter their payment information when they are done shopping. Payment needs to be automatically tracked down, send out reminders and check customer credit. All of this will give the B2B customer the experience they are used to, along with the speed and convenience of an online store. Partnership with fintech businessescustomize customise a product which mimics offline behaviour.

Price-focused businesses are leaving value on the table. Price is definitely important but prices & discounts won't determine who succeeds in the B2B e-commerce market. A complete technology-enabled solution which encapsulates commerce, supply chain & financing is required to serve the B2B buyer.

Wavy Line
Naman Shah

CEO & Co-founder, NowPurchase

Related Topics

Business News

Netflix is Hiring an AI-Focused Role—and the Starting Salary is up to $900,000

The streaming giant is looking for a leader in its machine learning department.

Thought Leaders

I Pitched 300 People a Day For 1 Year — and Learned This Impactful Entrepreneurial Lesson

After working myself to the bone pitching 300 people each day for one year, I came out of that experience as a new man — but surprisingly, an unhappier one. Here's what I learned.

News and Trends

Google Invites Applications For Eighth Batch Of Startups Accelerator Programme

Applications are open until August 22, and eligible startups should have AI as a core solution or product, including generative AI

Travel

10 Best Entrepreneurial Events To Attend Before 2023 Is Over

当我们进入2023年下半年,年代till a great chance for you to get involved in some exciting startup events.

Money & Finance

How to Make Money Online: 10 Proven Ways to Make Money Online

Need to know how to make money online as a side gig or new career? Check out this breakdown of the 10 top online money-making methods.