{"id":10555,"date":"2022-11-22T10:58:13","date_gmt":"2022-11-22T18:58:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.qad.com\/blog\/?p=10555"},"modified":"2022-11-22T10:59:20","modified_gmt":"2022-11-22T18:59:20","slug":"most-marketing-leaders-are-investing-in-b2b-digital-commerce-why-arent-you","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.qad.com\/blog\/2022\/11\/most-marketing-leaders-are-investing-in-b2b-digital-commerce-why-arent-you","title":{"rendered":"Most Marketing Leaders Are Investing in B2B Digital Commerce: Why Aren\u2019t You?"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”10557″ img_size=”full”][vc_column_text]Digital commerce continues to grow in importance\u2014and not just for companies that sell business-to-consumer (B2C). The <\/span>Gartner Digital Commerce Survey<\/span><\/a> found that 86% of marketing leaders believe that <\/span>digital commerce<\/span><\/a> will be their most important market channel over the next two years.<\/span><\/p>\n

E-commerce has upended how we all shop. B2C e-commerce customers are now used to, and increasingly prefer, self-serve buying options. However, business-to-business (B2B) companies have been traditionally <\/span>reluctant to adopt e-commerce<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n
86% of marketing leaders believe that digital commerce will be their most important market channel over the next two years.<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

It\u2019s fair to say that e-commerce technology grew from B2C practices and that B2B companies did not have the tools to serve their customers in the same way. However, that has changed. These days B2B companies can leverage comprehensive digital commerce platforms that allow them to meet their customers\u2019 needs, and attract new ones.<\/span><\/p>\n

Why Change? Your Customers Want You To<\/span><\/h2>\n

Whether we shop B2B or B2C, most of us start our buying journey with a web search. This means that in order to meet the needs of today\u2019s B2B customers, your website needs to act like a <\/span>virtual sales representative<\/span><\/a>. When your customers log in, they need to be able to see their order history, as well as products and pricing.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ideally, a B2B digital commerce solution should have a smart and quick reorder form so that customers can easily place repeat orders. In addition, features like punchout catalogs, private B2B portals and automated quoting will help companies gain new customers.<\/span><\/p>\n

That\u2019s just on the customer end. A comprehensive B2B digital commerce solution should also help your sales representatives sell more effectively, for example, by generating catalogs and presentations that their customers will be interested in.<\/span><\/p>\n

B2B Digital Commerce is Complex\u2026but Not That Complicated<\/span><\/h2>\n

Every company is unique and has its complexities. B2B companies often incorrectly assume that:<\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Their products are just too complex for e-commerce, or\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  2. That there are no digital commerce solutions that will be able to handle their unique needs.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Neither assumption is true. Robust digital commerce solutions designed to specifically address the needs of B2B companies are available. These solutions offer advanced features such as:<\/span><\/p>\n