When implementing eCommerce development, you will see a ton of platforms appearing. Therefore, if you start your eCommerce business, your first responsibility is that choose an amazing platform to come along with. You can feel overwhelmed when facing lots of information, then we’re here to help you. We make a list of the top best B2B eCommerce platforms to scale your B2B business rapidly. Let’s read our post to grasp some useful knowledge.
What is B2B eCommerce?
B2B eCommerce, often known as wholesale eCommerce, is simply online shopping between companies rather than between a company and a consumer (B2C).
B2B eCommerce advantages include the opportunity to reach a completely new group of clients (companies), streamline your sales procedures to increase the effectiveness and profitability of your company and take advantage of big data.
Type of B2B business
Different B2B company kinds will require distinct things. Organizations must first comprehend the contrasts between them before conducting any study into a solution:
- Business-to-business-to-consumer or B2B2C (B2B2C) eCommerce eliminates the intermediary, typically between the B2B company and the B2C, bringing the companies in direct touch with the customer.
- Retail: Retail eCommerce is a business-to-business (B2B) model where you offer your products in bulk and at a discount to other companies rather than to consumers individually.
- Manufacturers: Manufacturers use parts and raw materials along with manual labor and equipment to make completed things on a huge scale. The final products are sold to other manufacturers, suppliers, or distributors in a B2B business.
- Distributors: Distributors collaborate closely with manufacturers to make their products more visible, boost sales, and move them along the distribution chain.
Must-have Features for B2B eCommerce Platforms
Ability to sell B2B and B2C on the same platform
The ability to sell to both B2B and B2C customers on the same platform in the current eCommerce environment can save you time and money. Selling to B2B and B2C customers does not always need to be different silos within your firm.
However, not all eCommerce platforms provide this capability, therefore it’s crucial to do your homework while looking at potential solutions.
Easy to add new channels and technology partners
Modern eCommerce has transformed as a result of the omnichannel experience, which enables businesses to operate across multiple channels, including social media, internet platforms, and physical storefronts. Sales are aided by a uniform experience across all channels, which also improves customer satisfaction.
Finding a platform feature that prioritizes omnichannel must be a key step in the research process. Being able to sell to clients through any channel they use is one of the keys to business success given how much the shopping experience has evolved in the previous ten years.
Ability to sell internationally including multi-language support
In a way that has never been possible before, the global economy is now achievable. A person in America can buy a product on Amazon or eBay from China, and it will come within a week.
Given how interconnected the globe is, being able to sell worldwide is essential for long-term and sustained success, which begins with multilingual support.
You can choose a service that will develop with you and provide you the flexibility to sell into new areas whenever you pick by locating a platform that offers internationalization.
Access restriction options
Compared to B2C eCommerce enterprises, B2B eCommerce businesses are frequently more complex. Because of the complexities and regulations frequently associated with selling to other businesses, you must be able to adjust your eCommerce platform to account for various user-specific customer experiences.
Therefore, your favorite eCommerce platform should enable you to individually permit or prohibit access to particular areas of your website. You might, for instance, wish to:
- Keep your bulk pricing a secret from your B2C clients.
- Remove all pricing information (for a variety of reasons).
- Completely conceal your B2B website from those who are not signed up.
Examining your B2B buyers’ experiences as well as your diversity of clients and items will help you decide how to employ these alternatives. You must first ensure that the B2B eCommerce software you select enables you to make these decisions. If not, future difficulties in laying out these channels will arise.
Pricing, payment, and ordering customization and options
B2B companies have a lot of moving pieces. To establish a single order management and customization system, a number of diverse systems—including customer management tools, fulfillment facilities, and punchout catalogs—need to collaborate.
In order to avoid disarray, confusion, and potential issues with inventory management and order fulfillment, you must make sure your B2B eCommerce platform supports transactional choices in a single integrated solution.
This is especially important if your company is a hybrid one that provides both B2C and wholesale channels because managing and decreasing channel conflict are essential to the success of your enterprise.
Besides, based on their tier, region, or other characteristics, you might wish to offer your best clients other delivery choices.
Heavy focus on user/customer experience
The user experience is the most crucial factor whenever organizations seek to build an eCommerce website. To make their experience more rewarding and engaging, B2B clients need to connect with your brand and your site’s user experience and user interface (UX/UI).
For instance, you can think about automating your eCommerce product videos to produce videos in large quantities. Videos are more visually engaging than text, and by increasing the number of your creatives, you should see higher conversion rates.
Finding a platform with the customizing options you require is your best choice as more and more B2B companies go toward an enhanced UX/UI with optimization possibilities. Discover a platform that helps you to build an eCommerce website that is:
- Easy-to-use and intuitively designed templates.
- Brandable and customizable.
- Responsive across a range of devices.
- Simple to add tools to, such as plug-ins for personalization, rewards programs, and lead capture forms.
Security
Security is obviously the top priority for every organization. Because hackers frequently attempt to destroy websites, keeping your information secure is more crucial and challenging in the world of eCommerce. The top B2B eCommerce platforms must therefore protect the data of both buyers and retailers.
If a B2B digital commerce platform can offer the best response to cope with the following issues, it is deemed to be highly secure:
- Credit card information: It is often entered by your consumers when they make a purchase, including the primary account number (PAN), cardholder name, and expiration date. You risk facing legal action if your customers’ credit card information is stolen from your website in addition to losing that customer forever.
- Customer information: The identification and payment information provided by your customers. Name, address, email, order products, passwords, and so forth are a few examples.
- Fraud prevention: Stop individuals from placing fake orders.
- SSL certificate: A fundamental prerequisite for securing internet connections and preventing hackers from accessing and altering any data transported between two computers is an SSL certificate. Server and server or a server and a client are the two systems mentioned (for instance, an eCommerce website and a client).
- Security for the Admin account: This keeps unauthorized users from accessing and taking over the entire website.
Product Catalog Management
The main factor influencing company performance for B2B store owners is product catalog management. If you’re handling a large number of product catalogs in different formats from your suppliers, your product content may be jumbled up. It can be difficult to arrange this data and make it ready for product listings at times.
Make sure the platform can handle complicated product catalogs. You might need to incorporate a PIM (product information management) solution on occasion. eCommerce businesses may manage, arrange, enrich, and disseminate product data across numerous channels and sources using PIM solutions.
Advanced SEO Tools
Regardless of the business model you’re utilizing, being on the top page of search engines has a direct impact on the purchasing decision. Search engine optimization is your best marketing investment (SEO).
Especially, an SEO system is present on all B2B eCommerce platforms. But it’s essential that you pick a bundle that includes tools that help improve your website’s SEO.
B2B eCommerce platform comparison
Shopify Plus
One of the most well-known eCommerce platforms in the world, Shopify, has over 1 million eCommerce websites. Shopify Plus is a dedicated B2B eCommerce platform that offers Shopify.
Using the same platform, retailers can manage B2B and B2C sales with Shopify Plus. The ability to personalize and optimize conversions is one of the standout features, along with connections with ERP and CRM systems and more than 100 payment processors.
When: 2014
Where: Shopify Plus supports all foreign currencies and languages and is accessible worldwide.
Pricing: Based on your income, pricing might range from $2,000 to $40,000 per month. Pricing switches from a subscription charge to a revenue-based cost of 0.25% of monthly income once merchants reach $800,000.
Customer profile: Shopify Plus users include Nestle, Leese, Pepsi, and Bombas. Shopify Plus is used by over 7,000 B2B eCommerce firms.
Pros:
- Scalability – Shopify Plus offers your brand limitless options and capacities.
- Pricing: It is reasonable and predictable; it starts at about $2,000 per month and remains that way once you join up.
- Reliability: Assurance that your company is operating successfully and smoothly.
- Built-in Tools: You have access to a wide range of built-in tools and integrations with Shopify Plus.
- Support: With Shopify Plus, you get unrivaled customer assistance and account management.
Cons:
- Limited Backend Customization: Any backend integration must use their API.
- Content Management Restrictions – Shopify’s primary area of expertise is not publishing.
- Platform Lock-in: A hosted platform prevents you from accessing the FTP or database, which may be a drawback for some people.
- Knowledge – Shopify Plus does call for a certain amount of knowledge, which may necessitate additional training.
- Payment Gateways – Shopify payments must adhere to their terms and conditions and are not available in all countries. You are further charged by Shopify for chargebacks.
Magento Commerce for B2B
Who: Magento B2B Commerce is a well-liked open-source B2B eCommerce platform that provides a vast extension library and numerous connectors.
What: The Magento B2B commerce platform provides all the essential features of the B2C version of Magento together with extra tools for managing numerous brands and partner accounts. B2B customers, for instance, can rapidly place orders with your business by entering SKUs or uploading CSVs.
When: 2008
Where: Available worldwide
How much: Magento Commerce is quote-based. Pricing starts at $3,000.
Customer profile: 260,000 merchants use Magento B2B Commerce, including 3M and Procter & Gamble.
Pros:
- High customization and flexibility
- Integral Capabilities & Functionality
- Advanced SEO
- Mobile-friendly and omnichannel support
- A Global Platform with Strong Community Support and Scalability
Cons:
- Due to its intricate architecture, Magento requires both time and knowledge.
- High Development Costs
- The Demand for Strong Hosting
WooCommerce B2B
Who: The official eCommerce plugin for WordPress-based websites is WooCommerce.
What: This open-source eCommerce plugin was created with all sizes of retailers in mind. It provides a big plugin library so that store owners can personalize their online business.
When: 2011
Where: Available worldwide
Pricing: WooCommerce is free. Additional plugins may have their own costs.
Customer profile: WooCommerce powers 26% of all eCommerce sites, with clients like Weber, Ghostbed, and AeroPRess.
Pros:
- Totally open-source and free
- 100% adaptable
- Superior adaptability
- Significantly increases conversion rate
Cons:
- Additional fees for additional plugins
- flaws in the security
- Business expansion is challenging.
CS-Cart
Who: Whether you sell to consumers, businesses, or both, CS-Cart is a multi-vendor eCommerce platform designed to make things simple for merchants.
What: To help you properly personalize your store, CS-Cart offers over 500 features, including drag-and-drop design templates.
When: 2005
Where: Available worldwide
Price: Pricing starts at $2,450 for B2B businesses, with a 15-day free demo.
Customer profile: CS-Cart is the eCommerce platform behind 35,000+ stores, including over 1,300 virtual malls like ShopClues.com.
Pros:
- Offers solutions for managing marketplaces
- Provides tools for vendor administration
- Enables handling of orders and products
- A responsive storefront with a built-in CMS
- Integrated marketing tools
Cons:
- After 30 days, separate support payments with additional costs are required.
- Incline learning curve
- Only Multi-Vendor plans can use the mobile application.
OroCommerce
Who: It is one of the few really adaptable, enterprise-grade B2B eCommerce systems created specifically for B2B use. Manufacturers, distributors, wholesalers, suppliers, multi-channel retailers, and marketplace sellers of any size should use OroCommerce.
What: This platform has two editions, a free Community Cloud and a premium Enterprise Edition, both of which support multiple websites, different currencies, and cloud hosting with OroCloud.
When: 2012
Pricing:
- Starting Price: $45000.00/year
- Free Version: Free Version available.
- Free Trial: Free Trial available.
Where: Available worldwide
Pros:
- A fully designed eCommerce platform with a B2B focus.
- Integrations with OroCRM, OroPlatform, and other marketing tools out of the box.
- Extremely adaptable B2B workflow.
- Has a feature for training.
- Shopping lists with multiple pricing options.
- The customer Satisfaction Algorithm is a behavior-based feature that assesses how well customers respond to and perceive OroCommerce.
Cons:
- Restricted extension market.
- Although it has many great features and an excellent interface, the platform is still relatively young, indicating that there is still much space for improvement. However, as the B2B market expands, this will change over time.
- Insufficient for small enterprises.
NuOrder
Who: NuOrder’s B2B eCommerce platform suggests a collaborative wholesale experience that makes things for B2B merchants and buyers alike faster, more attractive, and more profitable.
What: The B2B eCommerce platform generates a gleaming digital catalog that allows buyers and sellers to place orders at any time, day or night. With digital line sheets, retailers may save money, maintain their catalog online or on an iPad, and expand their customer base by finding new clients through the NuOrder marketplace directory.
When: 2011
Where: Available worldwide
How much: Pricing ranges from $7,000 to over $100,000, charged annually.
Customer profile: NuOrder supports more than 2,000 brands and 500,000 retailers, including Rag & Bone, Lacoste, and more.
Pros
- The simplicity and usefulness of Nuorder are excellent.
- An amazing aspect is the customer’s ability to filter and build unique options.
Cons
- There are only a few platform-specific customizations available.
- It’s challenging at first, but when you get used to using it every day, it gets easier.
- Instead of just adding or accepting a customer through the online tradeshow, you have to enter FC and then wait for the sync.
3dcart
Who: The B2B eCommerce platform from 3dcart has all the tools B2B merchants want for eCommerce marketing, including capabilities for social media, email, affiliate monitoring, and more.
What: Retailers have access to hundreds of pre-made store templates. B2B finance and more than 160 payment processors are supported by 3dcart. Administration of sales taxes, international shipping, client groups, and a sales rep module for account-based marketing and compensation management are other B2B capabilities.
When: 2001
Where: Available worldwide
How much: Starts at $379/month.
Customer profile: Over 3,000 merchants use 3DCart, with wholesale customers representing their second largest industry vertical.
Pros
- Scalable and full of features
- Fantastic marketing attributes
- It is a free, mobile, and responsive platform.
- The flexibility of payment gateways
- No coding knowledge is necessary
Cons
- Increasing learning curve
- Support is inconsistent.
- Just a few third-party programs
Pulse Commerce
Who: Pulse Commerce, formerly GoECart, is a multichannel eCommerce platform with support for B2B, B2C, and multi-brand eCommerce websites.
What: The ordering and inventory management solutions from Pule Commerce are integrated with the turnkey eCommerce platform. The ECommerce platform has built-in SEO, personalization, and advanced search capabilities, and it supports multiple brands, sites, and languages.
When: Rebranded in 2017
Where: Available worldwide
How much: Pricing is available upon request.
Customer profile: Total customer counts are not available, but include Badgley Mischka, Goode Co., and SoocerPro.com.
Pros
- Have a committed account manager and support staff
- Flexible and Trustworthy
- Most of the time, the admin panel is clear and simple to use.
Cons
- The challenging learning curve to set it up and use it
InsiteCommerce
Who: The B2B eCommerce platform InsiteCommerce is designed to support connections with your ERP and PIM, enabling merchants to consolidate all of their eCommerce activities into a separate platform.
What: Since its inception, InsiteCommerce has concentrated on providing support for distributors and manufacturers. Their cloud-based B2B eCommerce system is called InsiteCommerce. Merchants may add PIM, analytics, sales enablement, and even a branded mobile app to their eCommerce ecosystem.
When: 2004
Where: Available worldwide. The InsiteCommerce globalization management system supports multiple currencies, languages, calendars, taxes, and more.
How much: Pricing is available upon request.
Customer profile: Notable customers include Royal Canin, Morsco, and Buyers Products.
SeeBiz
Who: A unique B2B wholesale marketplace and business networking tool called SeeBiz. It facilitates the gathering in one spot of wholesale companies from all across the USA.
What: SeeBiz offers a powerful online marketplace tailored to the specific needs of a wholesale firm, which enables wholesale business owners to interact with merchants all over the world.
When: 2015
Where: only available in the United States
How much: It starts at $45.00 per month
Customer profile: SeeBiz also has a huge wholesale marketplace filled with over 600,000 products provided by 1000+ verified vendors.
Feature
- Establish Long-Lasting Business Connections
- Follow closely the most recent market trends
- Numerous Vendors to Choose From
- Free Business Promotion
Conclusion
It’s the end of our post about the top best B2B eCommerce platforms. There are some names that you’re familiar with such as BigCommerce, Magento, and Shopify, however, there are others new you may feel strange about at first. But we want to introduce a variety of platforms for you to see and choose what is suitable for you. We hope, you have some useful information and enjoy this post. If you have any questions or wish to know about our service, just contact us.
