The growing popularity of B2B e-commerce has led many retailers to move their catalogs online. But while B2B sites embrace the features and functionality of consumer-facing e-commerce sites, it’s important that your wholesale site—and the e-commerce platform it’s built into—-meet the unique needs of B2B buyers.
Whether you are setting up an online store for the first time or you are redesigning your existing website to make it more effective, this article will provide you with an overview of the status of Modern B2B marketing and guide you through your needs.
What is wholesale e-commerce?
Wholesale e-commerce is a type of marketing in which one business uses digital channels to sell products to another business at a significant discount. Consumer companies also sell these products at higher prices on their own websites, usually to general consumers. For example, a wholesale B2B e-commerce company that offers packaged consumer goods may sell groceries, cosmetics, and other items to supermarkets or drugstores.
In addition to traditional marketing methods, e-commerce allows businesses to take advantage of online B2B e-commerce to improve their sales, marketing, and distribution.
How to create a successful e-commerce website?
Whether you’re adding an online marketing channel for the first time or looking to improve an existing B2B website, these 8 things will make your wholesale eCommerce website grow, expand and thrive.
1. Work Hard to Attract Buyers
B2B e-commerce has exploded over the past few years. A McKinsey study from 2021 shows that e-commerce accounts for more than 18% of B2B companies’ total revenue, and B2B sellers can offer e-commerce more than face-to-face marketing channels. While this growth offers amazing opportunities for online retailers, it also brings them tough competition. All of this means that you can’t wait for buyers to come to you—instead, you need to make the journey with your audience first.
To increase the chances of potential buyers finding your site, start by choosing a comprehensive e-commerce platform that supports search engine optimization (SEO). Implementing eCommerce SEO best practices, such as adding unique titles and meta tags for each of your products and maintaining your site speed, can help increase traffic to your site and drive conversions.
A strong social media strategy can also go a long way in attracting potential customers to your website. Almost half of all B2B e-commerce buyers use social media at the beginning of their shopping journey to evaluate and compare solutions, thus maintaining a social presence and – active work can increase the awareness and accuracy of your bundle.
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2. Put Your Content Front And Center
Since B2B buyers are often driven by common sense, education, and expertise, a strong e-commerce business will emphasize the content in their marketing strategy and website targeting those marketing- this is where choosing the perfect e-commerce platform comes into play. Educational content such as blog articles, white papers, case studies, infographics, and more can position your business brand as a visible and trusted authority, address any customer needs or barriers, and lead those who can trade in exchange. The best eCommerce platform works as a platform to show this content to the public.
A new trend for B2B marketers is to use direct content marketing techniques previously thought to be exclusive to businesses. This is no longer the case, as the popularity and use of B2B content marketing have increased in recent years, with only a minority of B2B marketers reporting that they do not currently have a content marketing strategy in place. To stay competitive, B2B companies need to prioritize what they communicate with consumers at every stage of the buying process.
3. Create a Personalized Shopping Experience
In a survey of B2B buyers, 46% of respondents said they had a better user experience when web content was customized. By adding personalization to your eCommerce site, you can offer B2B buyers unique benefits that traditional paper catalogs can’t.
To achieve a high level of personalization even if it is likely to be listed in the B2B buyers directory, you should configure your eCommerce platform across the board to allow customers to have individual accounts – a key step in customizing your website in bulk. When consumers log into their accounts, they should receive customized pricing, discounts, shipping information, and product recommendations based on customer criteria such as industry and geography. Consumers should also be able to easily access their history using their account for tracking deliveries and making other purchases easier.
4. Help Your Buyers Find What They Want
Wholesale buyers often arrive at B2B e-commerce sites already knowing the products they should buy, but if they can’t find these products quickly, they may get frustrated and jump to a competitor’s site. Configuring a B2B e-commerce platform to implement powerful search capabilities and interactive e-commerce tools can help your customers find exactly what they want when they want it.
Likewise, your retail customers can expect your website to display the latest product information and availability on demand. An integrated B2B eCommerce website that integrates with your inventory and backend will ensure your buyers get the products they want.
