B2B Commerce Not Keeping Up with Expectations

Peter Devereaux
by Peter Devereaux 16 Jan, 2017
B2B Commerce Not Keeping Up with Expectations

The way in which business buyers research, shop and support themselves in their buying journey very much reflects how they shop in their everyday lives - a trend that has given way to "B2B ecommerce," which Forrester predicts will top $1.1 trillion in sales by 2020. 

 

Those catering to business buyers have a complicated road ahead of providing a commerce-like experience for self-service, ordering, omnichannel capabilities, customized pricing, subscription management and, on the other side of the business, in-depth customer profiling and tracking to market to these very savvy buyers relevantly. In fact, CloudCraze recently released its "2017 B2B Digital Commerce Imperative" study finding, unsurprisingly, that B2B businesses selling online struggle to drive significant revenue online because commerce needs are highly complex.

 

Part of the complexity is providing a consistent experience across channels (sales, customer service, brick and mortar, etc.) with nearly 1 in 5 (18 percent) of businesses treating commerce as a separate channel (like from sales and service). This finding indicates systems aren't "speaking" to one another, which causes fragmented buying experiences.

 

Other highlights of the report include:

 

- B2B businesses use commerce to support, not replace sales teams: 90 percent integrate sales with commerce portals.

 

- Businesses do not use CRM data to their advantage: Only 27 percent of B2B businesses currently support integration between CRM and commerce.

 

- Top business customer pain points reflect an inability to accommodate complex needs: Respondents say that limited payment options is their customers' biggest obstacle (37 percent) followed by a lack of order replenish capabilities at 30 percent.

 
Peter Devereaux
Peter Devereaux
As the Editor-in-Chief of Website Magazine and President of Website Services, Peter has established himself as a prominent figure in the digital marketing industry. With a wealth of experience and knowledge, Peter has been a driving force in shaping the landscape of digital marketing. His leadership in creating innovative and targeted marketing campaigns has helped numerous businesses achieve their revenue growth goals. Under his direction, Website Magazine has become a trusted source of information and insights for digital marketers worldwide. As President of Website Services, Peter oversees a team of talented professionals who specialize in SEO/SEM, email marketing, social media, and digital advertising. Through his hands-on approach, he ensures that his team delivers exceptional results to their clients. With a passion for digital marketing, Peter is committed to staying up-to-date with the latest industry trends and technologies, making him a sought-after thought leader in the field.