What is B2B ecommerce?

Business customers buy differently from consumers. Several people in one company may order, approve or pay. They usually buy on account against a credit limit, at prices agreed in a contract, and they often know exactly what they want. B2B ecommerce gives them a website or customer portal built around that, so they can order and manage their account any time, without phoning or emailing.

An example. A wholesaler supplies thousands of trade customers. A buyer logs in, sees their own prices and stock, pastes in a list of product codes, and places the order on account. Their manager approves it online, the order drops straight into the wholesaler's ERP, and the buyer can track delivery and download the invoice later.

How it differs from B2C

• Prices per customer. Contract prices, discounts and price breaks for quantity, shown once a customer logs in.
• Accounts, not just cards. Credit accounts, payment terms and invoices alongside card payment.
• Many users per company. Buyers, approvers and finance, each with the right permissions, and approval rules for larger orders.
• Fast ordering. Quick order by product code, reorders and saved lists, because trade buyers rarely browse.
• Quotes. Customers request a quote online and turn the agreed quote into an order.
• Their systems, not just yours. Some customers want to order through punchout from their procurement system, or by EDI.

Why it matters

Online ordering frees your sales and customer service teams from rekeying orders and answering "where's my order?", so they can spend their time on customers. Customers get a faster, more accurate way to buy at any hour, and you get cleaner orders and a clearer picture of what each account buys.

What it takes to do well

The joins to the systems behind the store matter as much as the store itself. B2B ecommerce works best when prices, stock, customers and orders flow automatically between the website and your ERP, and when product data is complete, often from a PIM. Start with the features your customers use most, launch, and add to it as you learn how they buy. More terms in the B2B ecommerce glossary.