B2B eCommerce, short for business-to-business electronic commerce, involves the online sale of goods, products, or services between businesses via a webstore or online sales portal. These transactions typically occur between manufacturers and wholesalers or wholesalers and retailers, serving to meet supply chain requirements.

For instance, when a manufacturer needs raw materials for production, they can turn to B2B eCommerce businesses to purchase these materials. Currently, B2B eCommerce is among the fastest-growing sales models. While it’s clear that B2B eCommerce involves online sales between businesses, the reality is more complex. Beyond simply selling online, businesses must track their processes, manage every detail to maintain customer loyalty, control stock, and more. As B2B eCommerce grows, the need for automation increases. Consequently, expanding B2B eCommerce companies require specialised software to manage these demands efficiently. 

Companies of all sizes across manufacturing, distribution, apparel, food, electronics   

and many other industries, use B2B eCommerce to manage their online sales. The high level of competition across these industries makes speed and efficiency essential and it is within competitive environments that B2B eCommerce can present opportunities to your organisation’s digital potential and help you stand out from the crowd.

Today’s B2B buyers are accustomed to quick and efficient buying journeys modelled on experiences from their personal lives. B2B platforms that don’t offer the same level of service simply don’t meet expectations. Successful B2B solutions should make buying as easy as possible for the customer whilst also streamlining internal processes.

Supply chains play a vital role in B2B transactions. Manufacturing companies source components or raw materials from other businesses and then sell their finished products to wholesalers, distributors, or retail customers. For example, an automobile manufacturer engages in various B2B transactions, such as acquiring tyres, glass for windscreens, and rubber hoses for its vehicles. The final transaction, selling the finished vehicle to the consumer, is a single B2C transaction. Wholesalers and distributors also have a supply chain, but theirs is composed of finished products.

It’s important that B2B eCommerce solutions go beyond simply taking orders and instead help your business increase revenue and online sales whilst also contributing wider benefits. Some of the most important benefits can be found below:

Increase sales and order value

Instantly facilitate online orders from your customers and maximise sales with a functionally rich and highly scalable B2B eCommerce software solution. Some of the most common ways you can increase sales with a UK B2B eCommerce platform is to leverage:  

• Advanced promotions: Promotions are a key driver of customer interest. Advanced promotion capabilities should be intuitive, easy to use and provide the ability to intelligently target specific customers or groups. 
• Intelligent pricing: It is important to present the right prices, to the right customers, at the right time. Varied pricing strategies enable you to apply different prices depending on the user or shipping location. 
• Order entry functionality: Quick order entry allows customers to key in, copy and paste or upload a CSV list of products to quickly add products and checkout whilst also checking stock levels and pricing. 

Increase efficiencies and reduce costs

A B2B eCommerce solution enables you to automate the flow of data between back office and front end systems and reduce administration. A successful solution can help businesses:  

Empower customers to manage their own account 

Allow your customers to self-service areas such as managing account finances, returns, back orders, paying off invoices and document management which help reduce the burden on your teams and provide your customers with instant access to account updates.  

Make procurement easy 

Punchout, a specialist B2B feature seamlessly links your B2B offering to third party procurement systems allowing buyers to browse and add products on your website and complete the purchase via their procurement system such as Oracle, SAP or Ariba.  

In addition to these advantages, B2B eCommerce also enhances data collection and analysis, providing valuable insights into customer behaviour and market trends. This data-driven approach enables businesses to make informed decisions, tailor their offerings, and improve customer satisfaction. See a list of our Top 10 B2B eCommerce benefits.  

Madison is the European market leading distributor of cycles, parts and accessories supplying a range in excess of 30,000 products to a customer base which includes well known high street chains.

A dedication to customer service has been tantamount to Madison’s success and their B2B eCommerce UK solution allows retailers to login and experience a purchasing environment tailored to their individual needs. Contract catalogues, personalised prices, eProcurement and are just some of the functions incorporated into their online B2B store to put the customer experience first.

Madison’s award winning sporting goods B2B eCommerce solution enables the business to facilitate internal efficiencies and reduce the strain and pressure on internal teams responsible for taking orders and managing payments.  

For most customers, why a product is beneficial for them is more important than what a product is. By tailoring experiences to individual clients you can easily showcase why your customers need your products over a competitors and provide them with the kind of personalised journey that they could experience by talking to an in-store representative.  

73% of B2B executives say that customer expectations for personalised experiences are significantly higher today compared to just a few years ago according to a recent Accenture report.

WhilE some may think that buying online loses the personal touch gained via in store or field based experiences, companies that employ successful B2B eCommerce solutions can buck the trend.  

Read more on how Madison have benefitted from the TrueCommerce B2B eCommerce platform.  

The four traditional types of eCommerce are B2C (Business-to-Consumer), B2B (Business-to-Business), C2B (Consumer-to-Business) and C2C (Consumer-to-Consumer).  

1. B2C eCommerce 

B2C, or business-to-consumer, refers to commerce transactions between a business and an end consumer. This typically involves transactions between an online retailer and a consumer. In the B2C model, businesses sell products or services directly to individuals for personal use, often through an online store. Examples include purchasing clothes from an online fashion retailer, buying electronics from an e-commerce site, or subscribing to a streaming service. The primary focus in B2C eCommerce is to provide a seamless and enjoyable shopping experience for individual consumers, with features such as user-friendly interfaces, personalized recommendations, and easy payment options.  

2. B2B eCommerce 

B2B, or business-to-business, describes transactions between two businesses. B2B eCommerce sales typically involve the sale of goods, products, or services between businesses via a webstore or online sales portal. These transactions are often larger in volume and more complex than B2C transactions. Examples include a manufacturer purchasing raw materials from a supplier, a wholesaler buying products from a manufacturer, or a business ordering office supplies in bulk from a distributor. B2B eCommerce platforms are designed to handle the specific needs of business buyers, including bulk ordering, volume-based pricing, and integration with enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems.

3. C2B eCommerce 

C2B, or consumer-to-business, enables individuals to sell goods and services to companies. This model is increasingly popular in the gig economy and freelance markets. For example, a graphic designer might sell a custom logo design to a business, or a social media influencer might offer promotional services to a company. Platforms like Upwork, Fiverr, and Freelancer facilitate C2B transactions, allowing individuals to offer their skills and expertise to businesses looking for specific services.

4. C2C eCommerce 

C2C, or consumer-to-consumer, facilitates online transactions between consumers. These types of transactions are commonly made through online marketplaces such as eBay, Amazon, and Etsy. In the C2C model, individuals can buy and sell products or services directly to each other. This includes a wide range of activities, from selling used items and handmade crafts to providing peer-to-peer services. C2C platforms offer features like auction listings, buyer and seller ratings, and secure payment systems to support safe and efficient transactions between consumers. 

B2B eCommerce is the process of selling products or services between businesses through the internet via an online sales portal.

Recognising the complexities and specialities of B2B eCommerce, the TrueCommerce solution has been designed and developed from the ground up to be a thoroughbred B2B eCommerce UK platform with an extensive set of features that allow businesses to truly maximise their B2B sales as well as give greater visibility and control to other departments such finance, sales and telemarketing.

With over 15 years’ experience developing and implementing B2B eCommerce solutions for businesses from a range of sectors, the TrueCommerce solution has become recognised as the leading solution for B2B eCommerce. With clients ranging from startups to large global companies, the TrueCommerce B2B platform is a popular choice because of its extensive functionality, speed of deployment and scalability.  

Whether you are launching an online store for the first time or changing eCommerce platforms, speed of deployment is critical. But increasingly, we’re seeing companies choose between a fully capable B2B eCommerce solution and fast implementation.

For all the time your business isn’t eCommerce enabled, you’re losing online sales.  

When it comes to implementation, the TrueCommerce B2B eCommerce solution can be set up without the need for hours of development and an army of internal developers. Clients simply select the relevant features and we configure the solution as required. This means project lead times are short and costs are low.

We equipped Bunzl with a B2B eCommerce solution that went live in 4 months after time of order and helps them increase sales with more customers that consistently place bigger repeat orders online and reduce costs through the automation of sales and customer service functions. 

“Speed of deployment for such a comprehensive B2B eCommerce solution was a major reason for us selecting Netalogue.” Bunzl, Head of Systems. 

We have put together a B2B eCommerce guide for businesses looking to undertake a B2B eCommerce project. If you’re looking to accelerate your digital strategy and do more business online download the guide for all you need to know when choosing a B2B eCommerce solution. If you’d like to discuss how we can help you, please contact us.  

While B2B and B2C channels are distinct, the distinction between them is becoming increasingly blurred. Both models deliver online services to users, but the B2B buying journey is generally more complex than its B2C counterpart. For instance, B2B customers might need to send products to multiple locations from a single order, or the person making the purchase may need to pass the basket to someone else for approval and payment. Additionally, B2B transactions often involve negotiations, long-term contracts, and repeated orders.

Successful B2B eCommerce solutions mimic the look and feel of B2C sites but incorporate the additional functionality required for B2B operations. For example, the TrueCommerce B2B eCommerce solution has been designed from the ground up as an enterprise-level platform to meet the needs of manufacturers, distributors, and wholesalers. With TrueCommerce, organizations benefit from B2C-like aesthetics within a B2B webstore that supports extensive catalogues, volume-based pricing, express ordering, and more.  

Focus on Customer Retention 

It's more cost-effective to retain existing customers than acquire new ones. Offer excellent service, loyalty programs, exclusive discounts, and new products.  

Optimize Your Shipping Strategy 

Offer free or discounted shipping to attract customers, especially for loyal customers or larger orders. 

Offer Excellent Customer Service 

Provide responsive, customer-centric service with friendly agents, live chat, and 24/7 availability to maintain your reputation and profits.  

Diversify Your Distribution Channels 

Increase your success by selling on multiple platforms like Amazon, social media, and through affiliate marketing.  

Upsell and Cross-Sell 

Encourage customers to purchase higher-end products or related items to boost profits.