What is B2B e-commerce?

B2B (business-to-business) refers to transactions between businesses, where products or services are sold from one company to another. Unlike B2C (business-to-consumer), B2B ecommerce involves businesses making purchases in bulk, typically for resale or further production.

A B2B portal allows businesses to sell products directly to other businesses online, providing a streamlined shopping experience. By using an online B2B shop, businesses can automate their sales processes, track inventory, and offer personalized pricing, making it easier to manage large orders and fulfill customer needs.

Key features of a B2B webshop

When building a B2B online store, you need to ensure it has the essential features to support your business operations and meet your customers’ needs. Key features of a successful B2B webshop include:

• Custom Pricing & Catalogs: One of the main advantages of a B2B webshop is the ability to set customized prices and create product catalogs tailored to different customer segments. This helps businesses maximize revenue where their costs might be higher (e.g. farther geographic regions) and reward customer loyalty.

  
  

• Order Management System: A wholesale order management system helps businesses efficiently track and process orders. Automating order fulfillment reduces manual work and ensures that customers receive their orders on time.

  
  

• Secure Payment Processing: A secure B2B portal ensures that transactions are protected and secure. A wholesale payment gateway integrated into your platform provides a safe environment for online payments, reducing the risk of fraud.

  
  

• ERP Integration: ERP integration allows your B2B platform to sync with your existing ERP system, ensuring real-time stock visibility and price accuracy. This makes managing large product inventories and sales data seamless.

  
  

• Multi-Currency & Multi-Language Support: A multi-currency B2B platform makes it easier to manage transactions with international clients, while multi-language support enables you to cater to a global customer base.

  
  

• Self-Service Portal: With a self-service portal, customers can place orders, track deliveries, and manage their accounts, providing a smoother and more autonomous experience for both businesses and buyers.

  
  

• Minimum Order Quantities & Amounts: The ability to set order rules helps you to ensure profitable orders no matter where your customer is located. By setting a minimum order amount, you limit orders to a minimum value to ensure that your costs don’t inflate and that you don’t lose money on shipping.

Why do you need a B2B e-commerce platform?

Having a B2B website or B2B shop template is essential for modern businesses that want to stay competitive in the digital age. A B2B sales platform allows you to:

• Offer a more streamlined purchasing experience for your clients.

• Automate order processing and minimize manual tasks.

• Easily manage customer accounts and sales data.

• Provide personalized pricing, catalogs, and promotions to different customer segments.

Building a B2B webshop can save time, reduce errors, and help you manage your wholesale business more effectively.

B2B e-commerce vs. B2C e-commerce: What’s the difference?

While B2B ecommerce refers to transactions between businesses, B2C ecommerce (business-to-consumer) is where businesses sell directly to individual consumers. B2B platforms are designed to handle the unique complexities of business transactions, including larger order volumes, minimum order quantities, invoicing, personalized pricing, and the need for customized catalogs.

A B2B website builder provides the necessary tools to create a platform that meets these needs, offering specific features that B2C platforms do not. If you’re selling to other businesses, a B2B solution will make your operations much more efficient and cost-effective.