Chapter 1
The Who, What, When, Why & Where of B2B eCommerce
Setting The Stage
In recent years, there has been a significant shift towards B2B retailers leveraging eCommerce stores to accept and fulfill orders. Unlike B2C (Business to Consumer) eCommerce, which involves selling finished products or services directly to normal consumers, B2B eCommerce involves selling products or services to other businesses.
In this chapter, we will define B2B eCommerce and discuss who, what, when, where and why businesses are purchasing online. If you’re well versed in what a B2B business is, it is likely safe for you to skip right on to Chapter 2.
The “Who” of B2B eCommerce
Businesses of all sizes and industries are purchasing online today. Selling with B2B eCommerce has recently grown in popularity among small to medium-sized businesses that look to reduce overhead. By the same token, even purchasing enterprises are turning to online channels to improve their procurement processes and access a wider range of suppliers.
It is important to remember that although B2B retailers are selling directly to other businesses, one single person is actually placing the order. This means that while a B2B site may have specialized functionality, the end-user is already familiar with eCommerce. To accommodate them, retailers should offer an experience comparable to those they receive on standard B2C eCommerce sites.
The “What” of B2B eCommerce
The what of BigCommerce refers to what products the retailer is selling. B2B eCommerce covers a wide range of products and services - but very rarely are they exactly what you would see in a traditional consumer-facing store.
From office supplies and finished goods to industrial equipment and raw materials - no two B2B retailers are alike. This is why many B2B transactions involve complex, custom-made products that require a high degree of customization and personalization.
The “When” of B2B eCommerce
One of the key advantages of B2B eCommerce is that it allows businesses to purchase products and services on their own schedules, outside of typical business hours. This can be
especially important for businesses with tight deadlines or complex supply chains that require precise timing.
That’s not to say that the majority of customers will be purchasing during these closed times. In fact, the opposite is true in most cases. With the ubiquity of tablets and smartphones on construction job sites today, project managers are known to build and submit shopping carts from local supply warehouses so that their orders are ready for pickup when they arrive. This is referred to as BOPIS (Buy Online, Pick Up In Store), and we will discuss how you can offer this same functionality natively in Chapter 5.
The “Where” of B2B eCommerce
B2B eCommerce has enabled businesses to purchase products and services from around the world. Many B2B eCommerce platforms offer access to global suppliers and manufacturers, allowing businesses to find the best prices and quality for their specific needs. However, this doesn’t mean that all B2B eCommerce transactions require third-party shipping.
Commonly, these purchasing businesses will send an employee to pick up the purchased items at the retailer’s location. This takes place in some situations because the items are needed on a job site same-day. In other cases, it is far more economical to save on shipping costs by sending a purchaser-owned truck to retrieve the purchased goods.
The “Why” of B2B eCommerce
There are many reasons why businesses are turning to B2B eCommerce. One of the main reasons is the convenience of online purchasing. With B2B eCommerce, businesses can easily compare prices, access a wider range of suppliers and place orders on their own schedules.
Additionally, B2B eCommerce can help businesses reduce costs by automating procurement processes and reducing the need for manual labor. Lastly, B2B eCommerce can help businesses improve their bottom lines by increasing efficiency and productivity.
Chapter 2
How B2B & B2C eCommerce Are Alike
Comparing Business and Consumer eCommerce
In Chapter 1, we discussed the basics of B2B eCommerce to align definitions. In this chapter, we will delve deeper into the similarities between these two types of eCommerce and why understanding B2C eCommerce can help you build a successful B2B eCommerce website.
Building A User Interface For People, Not Businesses
One of the most important factors in the success of any eCommerce website is its user interface, also commonly referred to as UI. A well-designed UI can help users find what they're looking for quickly and easily, resulting in a better user experience and higher conversion rates.
In both B2B and B2C eCommerce, the key to a good UI is simplicity. A cluttered or confusing interface can be overwhelming for users and lead to frustration and cart abandonment. By keeping your UI simple and intuitive, you can make it easier for users to find what they're looking for and complete their purchase.
For example, the Groove Commerce team partnered with Barron Designs to build a beautiful and easy-to-use site on BigCommerce that resulted in a 25% increase in eCommerce revenue. Below is an expert from our case study on the BigCommerce design and development process.
“We leveraged our signature intake and Discovery process, which utilized click and scroll heat maps, to understand current customer behavior. Once the required datasets were collected, we put our eCommerce designers and developers on the job. Enabling our team to create a smooth & frictionless user experience”
Display Products With High-Quality Photography & Graphics
Just like in B2C eCommerce, high-quality imagery is essential for B2B eCommerce. Clear and detailed images of your products can help users make informed purchasing decisions and build trust with your brand.
When it comes to B2B eCommerce, high-quality imagery can be especially important. Many B2B purchases involve complex or technical products and clear images can help buyers understand exactly what they're getting. For example, a manufacturer of industrial machinery might include detailed images of each component of their products, along with technical specifications and other information displayed graphically to help buyers make an informed decision.
Building A Lightning-Fast Website
Page speed is a critical factor in the success of any eCommerce website. Slow page speeds can lead to frustration and cart abandonment, which can ultimately harm your sales and reputation.
In fact, a study by Google found that the probability of a bounce (a user leaving your site after viewing only one page) increases by 32% as page load time goes from one second to three seconds. On top of that, a report by Akamai found that a one-second delay in page load time can result in a 7% reduction in conversions.
To ensure fast page speeds on your B2B eCommerce website, it's important to optimize your website's code and use a high-quality hosting provider. Making sure images and videos are as optimized as possible without degrading quality is a great first step.
Additionally, you can use a content delivery network (CDN) to serve your website's content from multiple locations around the world, reducing page load times for users in different regions.
Establishing Yourself As An Expert with Organic Content
Finally, both B2B and B2C eCommerce websites benefit from high-quality organic content. By providing informative and helpful content, you can position your brand as a trusted resource in your industry, which can help build loyalty and drive sales.
For example, a B2B industrial company might provide blog posts, whitepapers, and other resources that help its customers understand the benefits of its products and how to use them effectively. If they have the resources available, they could additionally create videos or case studies that showcase the quality and reliability of its products.
In addition to building trust with your customers, creating high-quality content can also help improve your website's SEO. By using relevant keywords and providing valuable information to your audience, you can improve your website's ranking in Google and other search engines.
Chapter 3
What Makes B2B eCommerce Different
Contrasting Consumer & Business eCommerce
B2B eCommerce has several features that set it apart from B2C eCommerce. In this chapter, we will explore some of these features and how they can benefit your B2B eCommerce customers.
Specialty Pricing
One key difference between B2B and B2C eCommerce is that B2B companies often negotiate custom pricing with their customers based on a variety of factors such as order volume, frequency and history. This is known as specialty pricing, and it is a crucial feature for B2B eCommerce platforms. In fact, a survey conducted by Forrester found that 93% of B2B buyers prefer to purchase from vendors that offer customized pricing.
Specialty pricing enables B2B companies to offer their customers a unique pricing structure that fits their specific business needs. For instance, a customer who orders in bulk may receive a discount, while a customer who orders less frequently may pay a higher price per unit. This allows B2B companies to remain competitive and retain their customers. A great example of a company that uses specialty pricing is Grainger. They offer their customers custom pricing based on the size of their business and the volume of their orders.
Customer Groups
In B2B eCommerce, it's common for businesses to have different types of customers that require different pricing, access and product offerings. This is where customer groups come in. B2B eCommerce platforms allow businesses to create and manage multiple customer groups, each with its own unique set of rules and permissions. This feature enables B2B companies to tailor their offerings and services to different types of customers, such as wholesalers, distributors, and retailers.
Customer groups also allow B2B companies to offer personalized experiences to their customers. For instance, a wholesaler may require access to bulk purchasing, while a retailer may require access to a smaller selection of products with a higher markup. By segmenting their customer bases into different groups, B2B companies can create more targeted and efficient sales strategies.
Restricted Logins
Restricted logins are another key feature of B2B eCommerce platforms. These logins allow B2B companies to create accounts for their customers that provide them with access to specific products, prices and services. This feature is particularly useful for B2B companies that require a higher level of security and control over their product offerings. For example, a company working with government-regulated materials may require restricted logins.
Restricted logins also enable B2B companies to provide personalized experiences to their customers. For instance, a manufacturer may offer restricted logins to its distributors, allowing them to access a customized catalog of products, pricing and other information. This feature helps to ensure that only authorized customers have access to sensitive information and product offerings.
Invoices / Net30 Payments
Invoices and Net30 payments are standard practices in B2B eCommerce. Invoices are used to bill customers for their orders and Net30 payments refer to the payment terms offered to customers, usually requiring payment within 30 days of the invoice date. These payment terms are essential for B2B companies as they enable them to manage cash flow and credit risk. This feature is particularly important for businesses that operate on a longer time scale and require more complex invoicing and payment processes.
For example, a manufacturing company may receive a large order from a customer and require a Net30 payment term to ensure they will receive payment after the product is shipped. B2B eCommerce platforms that offer invoicing and Net30 payments help to simplify this process by automating the billing and payment process, reducing errors, and speeding up cash flow. This feature helps to improve customer satisfaction and enables B2B companies to focus on growing their business.
Sales Representative Quotes
Construction and industrial companies often have sales teams who work closely with customers to understand their unique needs and create customized solutions. Companies can provide their customers with personalized quotes and pricing that reflect their specific requirements. This feature allows sales reps to quickly generate quotes and send them to customers through the eCommerce platform.
By streamlining the sales process and providing customers with tailored pricing, construction, and industrial companies can build stronger relationships with their customers and close deals more efficiently.
Shared Shopping Carts
Construction and industrial companies often have multiple team members involved in the purchasing process, from project managers to finance teams. The shared shopping carts feature on BigCommerce allows these team members to work collaboratively on the same order, adding and removing items as needed. This feature provides a seamless and efficient purchasing experience for teams working on large projects, where multiple individuals may need to make purchases. Shared shopping carts also prevent duplicate orders and ensure that everyone on the team has visibility into what items have been purchased, streamlining the purchasing process and improving communication among team members.
Ability to Buy Again Easily:
Many construction and industrial companies have customers who frequently order the same items. The ability to buy again easily allows customers to quickly and easily reorder items they have purchased in the past, without having to search for them on the eCommerce platform.
This feature saves customers time and provides a more seamless shopping experience, improving customer loyalty and increasing the likelihood of repeat business.
Additionally, this feature allows companies to easily track which items are frequently purchased, providing valuable insights into customer behavior and preferences.
Key Takeaways:
Overall, these features provide a range of benefits for B2B companies. They help to streamline the sales process, improve communication among team members, provide a more seamless shopping experience for customers, and offer flexible payment options. By leveraging these features, B2B companies can differentiate themselves in the market and gain a competitive advantage.
Chapter 4
Common B2B Mistakes
Business-To-Business eCommerce Hiccups
Mistake #1: Not Providing a B2C-Like Experience
One of the most common mistakes made by B2B eCommerce companies is not providing a B2C-like experience. B2B buyers are also B2C buyers when they are off the clock, and they expect a similar experience when they shop online. They want a user-friendly interface, an easy-to-use shopping cart, fast and secure checkout and access to detailed product information. By providing a B2C-like experience, B2B eCommerce companies can increase customer satisfaction and loyalty, and ultimately drive sales and revenue.
To provide a B2C-like experience, B2B eCommerce companies need to focus on the user experience. This means creating a website that is easy to navigate, with clear and concise product descriptions, high-quality images and intuitive search functionality. B2B buyers want a seamless shopping experience that allows them to quickly find the products they need and make a purchase without any hassle. By providing a B2C-like experience, B2B eCommerce companies can differentiate themselves from the competition and build a loyal customer base.
Mistake #2: Poor Mobile/Tablet B2B Experience
Another common mistake made by B2B eCommerce companies is not providing a good mobile and tablet experience. With more and more people using mobile devices to access the internet, B2B buyers are no exception. In fact, many B2B buyers are placing orders from a job site or while on the go, and they need to be able to do so easily and quickly from their mobile or tablet device. B2B eCommerce companies that neglect the mobile/tablet experience risk losing potential sales and customers.
To provide a good mobile/tablet experience, B2B eCommerce companies need to focus on creating an optimized mobile-responsive website. This means designing a website that is easy to navigate on a smaller screen, with clear and concise product descriptions, high-quality images and fast load times. By providing a good mobile/tablet experience, B2B eCommerce companies can increase customer satisfaction and drive sales.
Mistake #3: Neglecting SEO
One of the most important aspects of B2B eCommerce is search engine optimization (SEO). B2B buyers often start their search for products online, and if a B2B eCommerce company's website does not appear in the search results, it may miss out on potential sales. Neglecting
SEO can be a costly mistake for B2B eCommerce companies, as it can result in low traffic and poor conversion rates.
To avoid neglecting SEO, B2B eCommerce companies need to focus on creating high-quality, informative content that is optimized for search engines. This means using targeted keywords and phrases throughout the website, including in product descriptions, category pages and blog posts.
B2B eCommerce companies should also focus on creating product listings that are rich in content, including detailed product descriptions, high-quality images and customer reviews. By focusing on SEO, B2B eCommerce companies can increase their visibility in the search results and drive more traffic to their website.
Chapter 5
Why BigCommerce Is A B2B Bestseller
What Makes The Platform Business-Focused
Now onto the meat and potatoes of this eBook; why BigCommerce is taking over business-to-business eCommerce.
Open-SaaS
BigCommerce is an Open-SaaS platform, meaning that it offers the benefits of both open-source and SaaS platforms. But what does that mean as an online merchant?
The open-source component of BigCommerce provides merchants with the flexibility to customize their website's design, functionality and integrations to suit their unique business needs. Meanwhile, the SaaS aspect of the platform ensures that merchants don't have to worry about the technical aspects of maintaining and hosting their eCommerce website.
This means that eCommerce merchants can get the best of both worlds: the ability to customize their website and the convenience of not having to manage the technical aspects of running an eCommerce business. With BigCommerce's Open-SaaS model, merchants can create unique, customized experiences for their customers, while still having access to reliable, secure infrastructure.
Reliability of SaaS
One of the biggest benefits of using a SaaS platform like BigCommerce is the reliability and stability it provides. SaaS platforms offer a level of uptime and performance that is difficult for businesses to achieve on their own, especially small businesses without dedicated IT teams. With BigCommerce, merchants can be confident that their website will be available and performing at a high level around the clock.
BigCommerce's reliability is backed by a 99.99% uptime guarantee, meaning that merchants can rest assured that their website will be available to customers at all times. This high level of uptime is essential for eCommerce businesses, as any downtime will result in lost sales and revenue. Additionally, BigCommerce's SaaS model means that the platform is constantly being updated and improved, providing merchants with the latest features and security updates.
Customization of Open Source
One of the main advantages of open-source eCommerce platforms is the ability to customize and extend the functionality of the platform to suit the unique needs of a business. With BigCommerce's Open-SaaS platform, merchants can take advantage of the customization capabilities of open source while still having the convenience and reliability of a SaaS platform.
BigCommerce's open roots mean that merchants have access to a wide range of integrations and add-ons, allowing them to extend the functionality of their eCommerce store beyond what is provided out of the box. Additionally, the platform offers a variety of customization options, including custom themes, plugins and APIs, giving merchants the flexibility to create a unique, branded experience for their customers.
Use Front-End Technologies That Work Best For You
One of the advantages of using BigCommerce is the ability to choose the front-end technologies that work best for your business. BigCommerce allows merchants to choose the technology that is best suited to their development team's skill set and the requirements of their website.
Additionally, BigCommerce offers a headless commerce option, allowing merchants to decouple their front-end and back-end. This approach gives businesses even greater flexibility in terms of customization, as they can create a custom front-end experience while still taking advantage of the reliability and security of the BigCommerce back-end.
UX/UI Customization:
In the competitive eCommerce industry, customization is key. It is crucial to have a unique and visually appealing online storefront that stands out from the competition. BigCommerce provides a wide range of UX/UI customization options, allowing merchants to create an online store that accurately represents their brand and engages their target audience. This includes customizable themes, drag-and-drop page builders, and the ability to add custom HTML and CSS code. With these features, merchants can tailor their storefront to their specific needs and create a seamless user experience for their customers.
One major benefit of BigCommerce's UX/UI customization features is the ability to improve website performance. By creating a website with fast loading speeds, minimal clicks to checkout, and an overall user-friendly interface, customers are more likely to have a positive experience and convert. This can result in increased sales and customer loyalty. Additionally, the ability to make changes to the storefront on the fly with BigCommerce’s Page Builder allows merchants to respond quickly to changes in consumer behavior and stay ahead of the competition.
Back End Integrations:
BigCommerce's back-end integration capabilities are a major selling point for merchants. The platform allows for seamless integration with a variety of third-party apps and tools, including
payment gateways, shipping providers, ERP systems and CRM softwares. This provides merchants with the flexibility to choose the tools that work best for their business and tailor their back-end processes to their specific needs.
One of the biggest benefits of back-end integrations is the ability to automate processes and streamline operations. For example, integrating with a shipping provider allows merchants to automate the shipping process, reducing the risk of errors and improving efficiency. Additionally, integrating with a CRM system can provide valuable customer data and insights, allowing merchants to better understand their customers and create targeted marketing campaigns.
Another benefit of BigCommerce's back-end integrations is the ability to provide a seamless omnichannel experience for customers. By integrating with marketplaces and social media platforms, merchants can expand their reach and sell their products where their customers are already shopping. This allows for a cohesive brand experience across multiple channels and can increase brand visibility and sales.
Key Takeaways:
BigCommerce's Open-SaaS platform offers a range of benefits for eCommerce merchants, including the ability to customize their website to suit their unique business needs, the reliability and stability of a SaaS platform, the flexibility of open-source eCommerce platforms and the ability to choose front-end technologies that work best for their business. With BigCommerce, merchants can create a unique, branded eCommerce experience while still having access to reliable, secure infrastructure.
BigCommerce B2B Edition
Remember the list of what makes B2B different from B2C websites displayed above? Many of BigCommerce B2B Edition’s most important features stem from these exact customer requests. Remember the feature you most identified with? Great - let's jump in.
Price Lists and Customer Groups
Price lists and customer groups are two essential features for B2B companies that need to offer customized pricing to their customers. BigCommerce B2B edition offers powerful tools such as price lists and customer groups that help you streamline your pricing and deliver a personalized shopping experience.
With price lists, you can easily display different prices for different customer groups, including wholesale or bulk orders. This means you can offer the right pricing to your customers based on their specific needs, whether they are contractors, architects or small-scale customers.
Similarly, customer groups allow you to segment your customers based on specific characteristics, such as their industry or location. This helps you deliver more targeted marketing campaigns and tailor your product offerings to each group.
For example, let's say you run a construction supply company. With BigCommerce B2B edition, you can offer different pricing to building contractors and architects who order in bulk, compared to smaller-scale customers who purchase individual items. By utilizing price lists and customer groups, you can ensure that each customer is presented with the appropriate pricing for their needs, leading to increased customer satisfaction and loyalty.
In short, BigCommerce B2B edition empowers you to take control of your pricing and customer segmentation. With these powerful features at your fingertips, you can deliver a personalized shopping experience that keeps your customers coming back for more.
Corporate Account Management
As a B2B merchant dealing with large corporate accounts, you need a solution that allows you to manage your clients efficiently. That's where BigCommerce B2B edition's corporate account management feature comes in.
Corporate account management enables you to assign different roles and permissions to each corporate client, ensuring that they can manage their account and make purchases according to their specific needs. This feature is particularly useful when dealing with corporate clients
that have multiple decision-makers and stakeholders, each with different purchasing processes.
For example, let's say you run a B2B wholesaler that supplies office furniture to various corporate clients. By utilizing corporate account management, you can ensure that each client can assign different roles and permissions to their employees, streamlining the purchasing process and making it easier for each department to place orders and track their purchases.
This not only saves time and increases efficiency, but it also enhances the overall customer experience, leading to increased customer loyalty and retention.
Restricted Login
If you are a B2B merchant dealing with sensitive products or information, you need a solution that provides extra security measures. That's where BigCommerce B2B edition's restricted login feature comes in.
Restricted login enables you to restrict access to certain areas of your website or specific products to authorized customers or customer groups. This feature is particularly useful for B2B companies dealing with sensitive products that require additional security measures.
For example, let's say you run a B2B supplier of industrial chemicals that sells products to specific industries, such as the military or government. With restricted login, you can ensure that only authorized customers have access to these products, reducing the risk of misuse or unauthorized access.
This feature not only ensures the safety and security of your products but also helps you comply with any regulatory or legal requirements.
Invoice Portal
Your B2B eCommerce store likely deals with large corporate accounts with complex payment processes. Therefore, you need a solution that enables you to manage your invoices and payment history efficiently.
That's where BigCommerce B2B edition's invoice portal feature comes in. Invoice portal allows you to provide your customers with easy access to their invoices and payment history. This feature is particularly useful for B2B companies that deal with large corporate accounts with various payment terms.
For instance, let's say you run a B2B supplier of office equipment that sells to corporate clients with different payment terms, such as Net30 or Net60. By utilizing an invoice portal, you can ensure that each corporate client can easily access their invoices and payment history, enabling them to manage their accounts and make timely payments. This feature not only improves the overall customer experience but also helps reduce the administrative burden on your accounting team by automating the invoice management process.
Implementing an invoice portal feature like the one provided by BigCommerce B2B edition can lead to significant cost savings and efficiency gains. It enables you to provide your customers with easy access to their invoices and payment history while automating the invoice management process, freeing up time for your accounting team to focus on more value-added tasks.
Sales Representative Masquerade:
One of the features of the B2B Edition of BigCommerce is the ability for sales representatives to "masquerade" as a customer on the storefront, enabling them to see the site as the customer would see it.
This feature is particularly useful for sales reps who need to provide assistance with the ordering process or have to troubleshoot any issues a customer may be having. By being able to see exactly what the customer is seeing, the sales rep can offer more efficient and accurate support. The masquerade feature also helps to build trust and transparency between the customer and the company, as the customer knows that the sales rep has a full understanding of their order and any issues that may arise.
Sales Representative Quoting:
In addition to the masquerade feature, the B2B Edition of BigCommerce offers sales representatives the ability to create custom quotes for customers. This feature allows reps to offer a personalized touch to the ordering process and can help to build relationships with customers.
By providing custom quotes, sales reps can ensure that customers are getting the best pricing and products for their needs, while also simplifying the ordering process. This feature can be especially beneficial for B2B companies that offer a wide range of products or services, as it allows sales reps to tailor their recommendations to each customer's specific needs.
Shared Shopping Lists:
Another feature of the B2B Edition of BigCommerce is the ability to create and share shopping lists among customers and teams. This feature is particularly useful for B2B companies with large teams or multiple customers who need to place regular or recurring orders. Shared shopping lists can help to simplify the ordering process, ensure consistency among orders and reduce the likelihood of errors or oversights.
This feature can also help to build relationships and trust between the company and its customers, as customers feel that their ordering preferences are being taken into account.
Buy Again:
The B2B Edition of BigCommerce also includes a "buy again" feature, which allows customers to quickly and easily reorder products they have previously purchased. This feature is particularly useful for B2B companies with customers who place recurring orders or have a high volume of repeat business.
By simplifying the ordering process, the buy again feature can help to increase customer satisfaction and loyalty, while also reducing the amount of time and effort required for both the customer and the company. Additionally, the buy again feature can help to boost sales and revenue for the company by encouraging customers to make repeat purchases.
Chapter 6
6 Bonus B2B Tips From Our Team
You Won't Get These B2B eCommerce Tricks Anywhere Else
Tip #1: Use Customer Data To Create Targeted Email Campaign
One of the most effective ways to market to B2B customers is through targeted email campaigns. However, it's not enough to just send generic emails to your entire customer list. To truly maximize the impact of your email campaigns, you need to use customer data to create targeted emails that are relevant to each recipient.
Using customer data to create targeted email campaigns means segmenting your customer list based on demographics, past purchase history, and other relevant information. For example, if you sell products to both small businesses and large corporations, you may want to create separate email campaigns for each group. You can also target customers based on the specific products or services they've purchased in the past, or their browsing behavior on your website.
Targeted email campaigns are much more effective than generic campaigns because they speak directly to the customer's needs and interests. When a customer receives an email that is relevant to them, they're much more likely to engage with it, click through to your website, and ultimately make a purchase.
To create effective targeted email campaigns, you'll need to invest in a good email marketing platform that allows you to segment your customer list and create customized emails. As Klaviyo Masters Platinum partners, we recommend Klaviyo to our B2B clients. You'll also need to continually analyze your customer data to ensure that you're sending the right messages to the right customers. By doing so, you'll be able to improve your email marketing ROI and build stronger relationships with your B2B customers.
Tip #2: Implement a Customer Loyalty Program
Implementing a customer loyalty program can be an effective way to increase customer retention and foster long-term customer relationships. A well-designed loyalty program can motivate customers to continue purchasing from your business, while also providing them with additional incentives and benefits.
One key advantage of a customer loyalty program is that it helps to increase the lifetime value of your customers. By incentivizing customers to return to your business, you are able to generate additional revenue and increase customer loyalty over time. This can be particularly beneficial for B2B retailers, as building long-term relationships with customers is often a key component of success in this industry.
Another benefit of implementing a customer loyalty program is that it can help to differentiate your business from competitors. By offering unique rewards and incentives to customers, you can create a unique value proposition that sets your business apart from other B2B retailers in the market. This can be particularly important in competitive industries where customers have many different options to choose from.
When designing a customer loyalty program, it is important to consider the specific needs and preferences of your target customer base. This may involve conducting customer research or analyzing past customer data to better understand what types of rewards and incentives are most likely to resonate with your audience. Additionally, it is important to track and analyze the results of your loyalty program over time to ensure that it is generating the desired results and delivering a positive ROI for your business.
In summary, implementing a customer loyalty program can be a valuable strategy for B2B retailers looking to increase customer retention, differentiate themselves from competitors, and generate long-term revenue. By offering unique rewards and incentives to customers, you can motivate them to return to your business and build long-term relationships that drive success in the B2B eCommerce industry.
Tip #3: Provide How-To & Tutorial Videos for key Products
In today's fast-paced digital age, it's important to provide your B2B customers with a range of resources to help them understand how to use your products effectively. One of the most effective ways to achieve this is through how-to and tutorial videos. By providing clear and concise video content, you can help your customers to quickly and easily learn how to use your products, which can in turn increase their satisfaction with your brand.
How-to and tutorial videos can take a variety of forms, depending on your industry and the products that you offer. For example, a construction equipment company might create videos that show how to operate different types of machinery, while a software company might create videos that demonstrate how to use specific features of their products. Whatever the focus of your videos, it's important to make them engaging and informative, using high-quality visuals and clear, jargon-free language.
One of the key benefits of how-to and tutorial videos is that they can help to reduce customer frustration and confusion. By providing clear, step-by-step instructions on how to use your products, you can reduce the likelihood that your customers will experience difficulties or give up in frustration. This can help to increase customer satisfaction and loyalty, as well as reducing the burden on your customer service team.
In addition, how-to and tutorial videos can help to position your brand as a thought leader in your industry. By creating content that demonstrates your expertise and knowledge, you can help to establish your brand as a trusted resource for your customers. This can in turn increase customer loyalty and retention, as well as attracting new customers to your brand. So if you're not already creating how-to and tutorial videos for your key products, it's time to start!
Tip #4: Provide Excellent Customer Support - Chatbot/Live chat
Providing excellent customer support is essential for any B2B retailer looking to succeed in today's market. One of the most effective ways to do this is by implementing a chatbot or live chat system on your website. These tools allow customers to quickly and easily connect with your support team, ask questions, and receive assistance in real time.
By offering chatbot or live chat support, you can provide your customers with a more convenient and personalized experience. Customers can get answers to their questions quickly and easily, without having to wait on hold or navigate complex phone trees. Additionally, you can use these tools to proactively reach out to customers who may be struggling with the purchasing process, offering guidance and support to help them make a purchase.
Another benefit of implementing chatbot or live chat support is that it can help you identify and resolve customer issues more quickly. By monitoring customer conversations and analyzing common issues, you can identify areas where your products or services may be falling short and take steps to address these issues proactively.
To implement chatbot or live chat support, you'll need to choose a platform that meets your needs and integrate it with your website. Many popular chatbots and live chat providers offer robust integrations with leading eCommerce platforms like BigCommerce, making it easy to get up and running quickly (we are fans of Gorgias). You'll also need to ensure that you have a dedicated support team in place to respond to customer inquiries and provide assistance when needed.
In short, implementing chatbot or live chat support is a key way to provide excellent customer support in the B2B space. By offering real-time assistance and personalized support, you can improve the overall customer experience and drive more sales for your business.
Tip #5: Use Google Analytics to Track Customer Behavior and Improve UX
In today's age of data-driven decision-making, it is critical to collect and analyze customer behavior data. One of the most effective tools for collecting data is Google Analytics. By using Google Analytics, B2B retailers can gain insights into their customers' behavior and preferences, which can help them to improve their UX and increase their conversion rates.
Google Analytics provides a wealth of information about customer behavior, such as which pages they visit, how long they stay on the site, and what actions they take. By analyzing this data, retailers can gain insights into what their customers are looking for and how they interact with their website. For example, if customers are spending a lot of time on a particular page but not converting, retailers can use this information to identify areas of improvement for that page.
In addition to providing insights into customer behavior, Google Analytics also offers tools for improving the UX of a website. For example, the Behavior Flow report shows how customers move through a website, which can help retailers identify areas of friction or confusion. By making adjustments to these areas, such as simplifying the checkout process or improving navigation, retailers can create a better user experience that drives higher conversion rates.
Overall, using Google Analytics to track customer behavior and improve UX is a critical tool for B2B retailers looking to stay competitive in the eCommerce landscape. By collecting and analyzing data, retailers can gain insights into their customers' behavior, preferences and pain points, which can be used to create a better user experience that drives higher conversion rates.
Tip #6: Make the Returns Process Clear and Easy
Returns are an inevitable part of any eCommerce business, including B2B. Despite the fact that many businesses overlook the importance of creating a streamlined returns process, this is a crucial component in driving customer loyalty and repeat business. By making the returns process clear and easy, you can assure your customers that they are making a safe purchase with your business, and that they will be taken care of in the event that they need to make a return.
One way to make the returns process easy is to provide a clear and concise returns policy on your website. This should include information on the time frame for returns, the condition of the items that can be returned, and any fees associated with the returns process. By providing this information upfront, customers will have a clear understanding of what they can expect if they need to make a return.
Another way to make the returns process easy is to provide customers with a simple and streamlined returns process. This can include a user-friendly online returns portal, where customers can initiate the returns process and receive a prepaid return label. It is also helpful to provide a clear timeline for when customers can expect to receive their refund or exchange.
One example of a company that has created a clear and easy returns process is Zappos. The online shoe retailer offers free shipping on all orders and allows customers to return items for up to a year after purchase. They also offer a 365-day return policy, giving customers plenty of time to make a decision about their purchase. By making returns easy and hassle-free, Zappos has built a loyal customer base and has become known for their excellent customer service.
In summary, making the returns process clear and easy is essential for B2B retailers looking to build customer loyalty and drive repeat business. By providing a clear returns policy and a streamlined returns process, you can ensure that your customers have a positive experience with your business, even in the event that they need to make a return.
Summary
BigCommerce is an exceptional B2B eCommerce platform that stands out for many reasons. First, its platform's scalability is capable of handling large orders and high traffic volumes. The platform also has an extensive range of features that cater to the needs of B2B merchants. This includes features such as customer groups, price lists, restricted logins and invoice portals, which can significantly enhance the user experience. Additionally, BigCommerce provides a B2B Edition with a suite of features tailor-made for B2B sellers, including sales representative masquerade, quoting, shared shopping lists, buy again, and payment method visibility control. These features can help streamline and improve the B2B buying process for customers.
BigCommerce also offers open SaaS, which combines the reliability of SaaS with the customization of open source. The platform's UX/UI customization and back-end integrations further provide merchants with the flexibility to create a personalized eCommerce experience for their customers. BigCommerce's B2B-specific features are especially beneficial to eCommerce merchants as they allow businesses to manage and customize their operations to suit the unique demands of B2B transactions.
To further assist B2B merchants, BigCommerce offers several tips, including using customer data to create targeted email campaigns, implementing a customer loyalty program, providing how-to & tutorial videos, providing excellent customer support via chatbots and live chat, using Google analytics to track customer behavior and improve UX, and making the returns process clear and easy.
Overall, BigCommerce's user-friendly platform, extensive range of features and B2B-specific solutions make it the best choice for B2B eCommerce sellers. Its commitment to providing a seamless and personalized user experience and the ability to scale operations as the business grows makes it an ideal platform for businesses of all sizes.
Our team here at Groove Commerce specializes in building B2B websites on BigCommerce. If you are interested in learning how partnering with our team can create impact-driven results for your online store, check out our B2B case studies below. Once you’re ready, use the Contact Us form on our website to get in touch with a B2B eCommerce expert.
