When products or services are sold between businesses online, you need a B2B ecommerce site. This category covers online stores that sell products or services designed for companies or professionals. From wholesaler websites to marketplaces where you can buy from multiple suppliers, there are several types of business-to-business ecommerce.
After looking at the types of B2B ecommerce, we will see how to launch an online store and which features the website needs. Finally, we will look at examples of ecommerce sites in different B2B sectors.
Types of B2B ecommerce
A B2B ecommerce site is a website a company uses to sell products (or services) to another company. B2C ecommerce, by contrast, sells directly to the end customer.
When we talk about B2B ecommerce we are really referring to several types of online store that fall under this umbrella category. What they have in common is that they all sell to another business, whether a company or a professional.
Wholesalers
Wholesale online stores work like their physical counterparts. Wholesalers sell goods in large quantities at lower prices than retail. They are the natural place to buy if you are a manufacturer or a distributor who then resells.
Manufacturers
Companies that manufacture products use ecommerce to sell them on. A practical example is a hardware component manufacturer selling to wholesalers or to other manufacturers.
Distributors
Distributors are all the business models that act as intermediaries between manufacturers and other buyers. Manufacturers often do not sell their products exclusively themselves, but rely on distributors to reach a wider market.
B2B2C
A particular type of B2B ecommerce is what is known as B2B2C (business to business to consumer). In B2B2C a B2B company and a B2C company work together to reach the end customer.
When products are sold as white label, the product can be rebranded before sale and is no longer tied to the manufacturer. B2B2C works differently: the product stays tied to the brand that makes it. One of the biggest advantages of the B2B2C model is the chance to strengthen the identity and reliability of the brand.
Marketplaces
Marketplaces are a particular kind of B2B ecommerce. You will be familiar with companies like Amazon: the same business model can also be applied strictly to B2B. Amazon itself, with Amazon Business, applies the marketplace model to B2B ecommerce reserved for companies and professionals.
What sets a marketplace apart from traditional ecommerce is that it is an online store selling products (or services) from different suppliers. The advantage is that you can buy several products together without placing separate orders with different companies. Marketplaces often offer bulk buying too, so in that sense they overlap with wholesaler stores.
How to launch a B2B ecommerce site
Launching B2B ecommerce is easier when you already have an established business, because it means extending your activity online. Even with the groundwork done, there are important points to consider when starting a business or taking your business online.
We have gathered some practical advice to help you work out where to start, summarised in these steps:
- write a business plan;
- choose an ecommerce platform;
- start small and grow in three phases: startup, growth, expansion.
Write a business plan
If you already have a company, adapt the business plan to the needs of selling online. A business plan should include a set of core documents:
- Executive summary: a section summarising the business plan itself. It should explain what the business does, its goals, its target audience, its products (or services), the current situation and financial forecasts, plus information on the team and the marketing strategy.
- Company description: this covers the company structure, mission, values and business model. It can also help to add information on your sector.
- Financial and operating plan: here you consider everything related to costs, revenue and suppliers, as well as the equipment and facilities you need to operate.
- Marketing plan: a detailed section setting out the marketing activities you will run, both online and offline.
Choose an ecommerce platform
The choice of platform for your B2B ecommerce site depends on several factors. There are many platforms available today, and each suits different business needs.
These are the aspects to weigh up when choosing.
Type of hosting
When choosing an ecommerce platform, the first thing to know is that there are two options:
- hosted solutions
- self-hosted solutions.
Hosted platforms provide both the platform and built-in hosting (hosting is the service that provides the server or web space needed to make the site accessible). Examples include Shopify, Wix and BigCommerce.
If you use an open source solution such as WooCommerce, Magento or PrestaShop, you will have a self-hosted solution and will also need to choose a suitable hosting service. Depending on traffic (and the platform), ecommerce sites usually need a cloud plan or a dedicated server.
Platform features
Another point to consider is the type of store you want to build. You need to make sure the features you require are available.
Options you might want to check include:
- multi-currency and multilingual support;
- available payment options;
- integrations with CRM and ERP systems;
- integrations with warehouse systems;
- built-in reporting and marketing tools.
As you can see, there is a lot to take into account.
Budget
Budget obviously shapes the choice of platform. Costs vary considerably from one platform to another.
On top of the running cost of the platform, meaning the monthly or annual fee for the platform or the hosting plan (for self-hosted platforms), you need to add other costs for:
- the initial design of the store;
- additional features in the future (for example to expand into another market);
- maintenance for updates and changes;
- licence fees;
- transaction fees.
Start as a startup, then expand
You cannot set up a complex business overnight. The best approach is to start with a minimal version, for example following the startup model.
In the first phase you can test the market to validate the business idea. At this stage, focus on keeping the budget under control and collecting feedback that helps you make the right decisions.
Once the idea is validated, you can move into a growth phase: expand the team and test new marketing strategies to keep the business growing.
Only at a more mature stage should you start thinking about expansion, for example working to reach new markets or adding more distribution channels.
Essential features of a B2B ecommerce site
There are different ways to build a B2B ecommerce site, partly because they depend on the platform you choose. Some factors, however, matter in every business-to-business store. Let's go through them.
Improve product catalogue management
How the product catalogue is organised is one of the top priorities in B2B ecommerce. Finding the product is the step that makes buying easier, so it has to be as smooth as possible.
When structuring the catalogue, assess these points in particular:
- Categories and subcategories: this structure makes products easier to search and helps buyers find items similar to the one they want.
- Filters: there should be filters for different product attributes, including availability, size, material and brand.
- Better search: ideally, the search function helps people find what they are looking for as quickly as possible. Autocomplete and suggestions help a lot here.
Two UK examples. RS Components uses filters heavily: its connectors category lets buyers narrow the results by availability, brand, mount type, current rating, IP rating and many other technical attributes. Viking, the office supplies store, relies on subcategories: top-level categories such as Catering & Hospitality or Cleaning & Hygiene branch out into more specific product groups.
Invest in content creation
A successful online store needs a solid content marketing strategy. Content creation covers several areas, all of them essential.
First, there are the product descriptions: product pages must be detailed and carefully built in every respect. That means showing product images and videos, and also adding important details such as technical specifications and any data sheets on compatibility with other systems.
Thermo Fisher, for example, adds supporting documents to its product pages that show how well the product performs in different use cases.
Another useful feature for product pages is comparison between similar products. Sigma-Aldrich, for instance, shows a side-by-side comparison of similar products and lets you highlight the differences between them.
Beyond product pages, content also helps with material that is not directly tied to the sale but to customer education. This includes product selection guides, case studies and videos showing practical applications. Much of this content can also bring in organic traffic.
So content creation goes well beyond detailed product pages and can extend into the after-sales phase.
For example, the Italian manufacturer Telwin has an Academy section on its website with detailed information on the correct use and maintenance of batteries, plus full training courses.
Sigma-Aldrich has a section of calculators and apps offering calculators, conversion tables and unit converters, all tools that come in handy for laboratory preparations.
These two examples show how content marketing and dedicated site sections can improve the customer experience by helping buyers get the most out of the products.
Plan the interface and design
As mentioned when discussing catalogue organisation, a B2B ecommerce site needs proper attention to design. Browsing the site to find a product to buy must be smooth and free of friction. Every area of the site should be designed to guide visitors towards what they want.
That means structuring the navigation menus properly, placing the catalogue filters well and providing advanced checkout features. For the checkout, for example, you can offer two ways to order: as a guest, or by creating a profile so that the next order is quicker.
Another example is Thermo Fisher's Quick order feature, which lets buyers place a fast order by product ID and also upload an xls file with the list of products to order.
And today a responsive site that works perfectly and is easy to navigate on every device (smartphone, tablet and desktop) is a must.
Offer advanced purchasing options
Customisable purchasing options are a must in B2B ecommerce. B2B buyers can have very different needs, especially for bulk orders.
So consider aspects such as:
- setting a minimum order quantity;
- tiered pricing by quantity ordered;
- discounts on wholesale purchases.
It also helps to offer a wide choice of accepted payment methods to meet the different needs of the companies buying from you.
Improve security
Every website should focus on security, and this applies even more to ecommerce sites that handle payment data and personal information. Both for UK GDPR compliance and to avoid data breaches, security should be at the top of any store owner's list.
Fortunately, reliable platforms and hosting providers offer advanced server hardening and disaster recovery systems.
Optimise speed
User experience on a website depends on several factors:
- on one side, usability, shaped by design and interface as we saw above;
- on the other, usability is also affected by loading speed.
With large catalogues, site speed matters even more. A study commissioned by Google and carried out by Deloitte (Milliseconds Make Millions) found that a faster site reduces the bounce rate. A 0.1 second improvement in mobile load speed cut the bounce rate on lead generation information pages by 8.3%.
Showcase reviews
Reviews, mentions, video testimonials and case studies belong on every online store. A good product page with all the technical specifications can clear up some doubts, but in many cases it is reviews and real experiences that make the difference. This holds for B2C and B2B alike.
Manage customers
Customer management is another point to plan for in B2B ecommerce. You need a CRM to organise customer information, track orders and stay in touch with leads. Lead generation tools often include a CRM or connect to one through extensions or third-party tools.
Ecommerce platforms can also include a CRM or offer integrations. PrestaShop, for example, has a B2B mode you can switch on to unlock extra fields on each customer's page (such as company name and company identification number).
B2B ecommerce examples
Alibaba
Alibaba is a B2B ecommerce site in the marketplace category. It covers a wide range of product categories, from household goods to industrial supplies. You can also browse a list of global suppliers, grouped by country and filterable by category.
Amazon Business
Amazon Business is the version of Amazon for companies. It lets you buy products in bulk at better prices across many categories, from office supplies to workplace safety products.
Berlin Packaging
Berlin Packaging is a reference point for the packaging industry. The US version of its website gives direct access to the online store. A useful touch is the option to browse products either by industry (for example automotive packaging) or by function (for example sustainable packaging).
Unite (formerly Mercateo)
On Unite (formerly Mercateo) you can buy office supplies, electronics, packaging materials and office furniture. Searches can be filtered by category or by brand. There is also a separate, multilingual version for each country.
Medline
In healthcare, Medline manufactures and distributes medical supplies, from equipment and theatre clothing to care and diagnostic tools. Its catalogue is split by country.
Thermo Fisher
Thermo Fisher makes tools for biotechnology and the pharmaceutical industry. Its products range from laboratory equipment to culture media and reagents.
The store is well structured, with advanced filters by product category and specific types based on the category selected. Key information is given prominence, such as access to pricing and availability and the quick order feature mentioned earlier.
Build an ecommerce site that converts with Visilay
Even if your B2B store is already up and running, there is always room to improve. At Visilay we have worked with several ecommerce clients, including Bosatta, a B2B store where we worked on multi-country sales and fixed user experience problems that were getting in the way of completed purchases. With the right analysis we can help you find the weak points in your store and sales process and adopt solutions that improve conversions.
The rules for getting an online store's categories and product pages found, filters and platforms included, are in our guide to ecommerce SEO.
For the paid side of an online store, with the numbers on feeds, ROAS and minimum budget, we have written a dedicated guide: Google Ads for ecommerce.
