# What B2B businesses can learn from B2C e-commerce Author: Pal Sinha, Barnali Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali Published: 2022-09-27 Category: BUSINESS Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/business Meta Title: B2B E-commerce: The New Age of Business Purchasing Habits Meta Description: Discover how B2B purchasing habits have evolved with Sana Commerce's research findings. Learn why traditional methods no longer suffice in today's URL: https://financedigest.com/what-b2b-businesses-can-learn-from-b2c-e-commercehtml ![undefined](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cm5qst7v3003gwirgwqtxn8i8/images/e-commerce-1736815151502-compressed.jpg) ![](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cm5qst7v3003gwirgwqtxn8i8/images/michiel-schipperus-450x651-1736815151564-compressed.jpg) _By_ **_Michiel Schipperus,_** _CEO Sana Commerce_ Business purchasing [habits have drastically changed over the last few years](https://www.financedigest.com/100-years-of-uk-holidaying-habits.html "100 YEARS OF UK HOLIDAYING HABITS"). Gone are the days of making [business critical purchases through lengthy email chains](https://www.financedigest.com/2023-supply-chain-trends-for-businesses-to-ensure-a-more-efficient-supply-chain-strategy.html "2023 supply chain trends for businesses to ensure a more efficient supply chain strategy") and voicemail messages. Research conducted for Sana [Commerce shows that businesses](https://www.financedigest.com/smishing-is-a-new-virus-plaguing-big-business-conversational-commerce-to-the-rescue.html "‘Smishing’ is a new ‘virus’ plaguing big business – Conversational Commerce to the rescue!") now buy 75% of all their products online, representing a 21% increase in the last three years. It also revealed that 90% of Business-to-Business (B2B) buyers rely on [online channels to find new suppliers](https://www.financedigest.com/tesco-to-charge-online-booker-suppliers-new-fulfilment-charge.html "Tesco to charge online, Booker suppliers new fulfilment charge"). With the significant shift in B2B purchasing habits also comes new [business processes](https://www.financedigest.com/5-reasons-why-modernising-is-the-most-important-ongoing-process-for-any-business.html "5 Reasons Why Modernising Is The Most Important Ongoing Process For Any Business"), and a change in customer expectations. Customers now expect the same experience they get when they engage with Business-to-Consumer (B2C) e-commerce platforms. **Traditional B2B buying methods have major flaws** Email was the most popular buying method as recently as 2019. E-commerce closely followed in second place, and phone orders were in third place. It wasn’t uncommon for buyers to verbally place an order with a sales representative, over the phone, and not receive any further communication until the arrival of the product or service. These purchase methods lack visibility and are notoriously error prone. Although email and phone orders are time-consuming, they’re still often processed incorrectly, or never delivered at all. While e-commerce has been a popular buying method for several years, the implementation of most B2B e-commerce platforms has been all but a smooth ride, especially for IT leaders. In a survey of over 1,000 IT leaders, conducted on behalf of Sana Commerce, 84% of IT leaders reported that their current B2B e-commerce solution has negatively [impacted their business](https://www.financedigest.com/exclusive-qatarenergy-boss-says-world-cup-tension-will-not-impact-german-business.html "Exclusive-QatarEnergy boss says World Cup tension will not impact German business"), rather than helped it. A lot of the gripes are related to maintenance issues and downtime. But most B2B platforms are also lagging in offering conventional features that we’re used to as consumers. Surprisingly, 77% of B2B portals only allow [bank transfers to pay for orders](https://www.financedigest.com/austrian-regulator-orders-system-relevant-banks-to-up-capital-buffers.html "Austrian regulator orders system-relevant banks to up capital buffers") – compared to 7.7% of B2C webstores. It’s not surprising that 1 out of every 4 customer complaints are directly related to a [poor B2B e-commerce experience](https://www.financedigest.com/poor-user-experience-plaguing-wealth-management-firms-warns-radical-company.html "Poor user experience plaguing wealth management firms, warns Radical Company"). These shortcomings negatively impact customer relationships, and fundamentally, lead to a loss of [sales and soured brand](https://www.financedigest.com/geelys-ev-brand-zeekr-aims-to-double-sales-in-2023-expand-in-europe.html "Geely’s EV brand Zeekr aims to double sales in 2023, expand in Europe") perception. The progression of purchasing as an online-first activity has expedited the [need for a new approach to B2B e-commerce](https://www.financedigest.com/5-reasons-why-e-commerce-sites-need-a-token-gateway.html "5 reasons why e-commerce sites need a token gateway"). Ultimately, [businesses expect](https://www.financedigest.com/german-businesses-expect-only-mild-recession-as-disruptions-ease.html "German businesses expect only mild recession as disruptions ease") the same level of convenience, efficiency and service in B2B transactions as they experience in B2C services. This is a customer need that urgently needs to be met. **B2C e-commerce is the new benchmark** There are several reasons why B2B customers have seemingly u-turned on their expectations of B2B e-commerce: **1.Millennials are** [transforming the industry](https://www.financedigest.com/how-solvency-ii-transformed-itself-the-fund-industry-and-regulation.html "How Solvency II transformed itself, the fund industry and regulation") The growth of the working Millennial population, and Gen Z’s entrance into the workforce, has introduced greater diversity in terms of age and tech know-how. Millennials are digital natives, meaning they’re accustomed to communicating, engaging, and purchasing online. With this knowledge comes a clear idea of what a good online customer experience looks like. **2.Increasing** [technology in the workplace](https://www.financedigest.com/why-technology-will-free-britains-young-workers-from-presenteeism-in-the-workplace.html "WHY TECHNOLOGY WILL FREE BRITAIN’S YOUNG WORKERS FROM PRESENTEEISM IN THE WORKPLACE") The rapid introduction of collaboration [technologies has streamlined business](https://www.financedigest.com/technology-is-a-tonic-for-late-business-payments.html "TECHNOLOGY IS A TONIC FOR LATE BUSINESS PAYMENTS") communication, and increased efficiency. [Businesses have widely classified long phone calls and email chains as burdensome and unproductive to employees’](https://www.financedigest.com/why-investing-in-employee-health-can-be-good-for-business.html "Why investing in employee health can be good for business") professional ambitions. As a result, the traditional purchasing methods of email and phone orders no longer work in the workplace. **3.Convenience is a priority** In its survey, Sana Commerce found that customers considered visibility of product features, ease of check out, ease of repeat ordering and [access to order history to be fundamental in e-commerce](https://www.financedigest.com/meet-chris-shalchi-the-man-democratizing-access-to-e-commerce-expertise.html "Meet Chris Shalchi, The Man Democratizing Access To E-Commerce Expertise"). Ultimately, buyers in B2B [sectors are consumers](https://www.financedigest.com/consumer-durables-sector-still-feeling-the-effects-of-recession.html "Consumer durables sector still feeling the effects of recession") too. We’re accustomed to transacting autonomously and transparently from [businesses all over the world](https://www.financedigest.com/national-world-launches-new-ad-manager-platform-powered-by-danads-empowering-businesses-to-take-control-of-their-advertising.html "National World launches new ad manager platform, powered by DanAds, empowering businesses to take control of their advertising"). Understandably, we [expect the same when we’re making purchases for our business](https://www.financedigest.com/t-mobile-sells-wireline-business-to-cogent-for-1-expects-hefty-charge.html "T-Mobile sells wireline business to Cogent for , expects hefty charge"), especially since the stakes are often higher. On average, companies in the [survey declared spending](https://www.financedigest.com/six-in-ten-britons-will-spend-less-at-christmas-deloitte-survey.html "Six in ten Britons will spend less at Christmas -Deloitte survey") $3m USD every year online, and making 428 business-critical purchases and orders everyday. It’s fair to say that they would want the most convenient experience when doing so. **Taking a new approach to B2B buying** A crucial facet of the B2C e-commerce experience is giving customers useful insights throughout their buying journey. Customers have full visibility of information such as prices, delivery timelines, and stock, as well as easy [access to communication channels for support](https://www.financedigest.com/51-of-brits-support-teresa-may-and-would-grant-access-to-their-personal-communication-and-internet-browsing-history-as-part-of-the-snoopers-charter.html "51%* of Brits support Teresa May and would grant access to their personal communication and internet browsing history as part of the Snooper’s Charter "). B2C businesses are able to achieve this by integrating their systems (namely their enterprise resource planning (ERP) system and webstore) to enable real-time updates. These features are often lacking from the B2B buying experience. Adopting a B2B e-commerce website and buying process that resembles the B2C model will help your customers to better [manage their business](https://www.financedigest.com/four-reasons-whycloud-based-inventory-management-is-important-for-your-ecommerce-business.html "Four reasons whycloud-based inventory management is important for your ecommerce business"). They’ll be more efficient, and equipped with insights to build and maintain better communication with their customers. It’s worth mentioning that creating and adopting a B2B e-commerce solution isn’t solely for your customers’ benefit. Developing an efficient and streamlined solution will reduce the load on your IT leaders, giving them more free time to work on innovating. But arguably most importantly, equipping your [business to directly meet customer demand has long-term benefits](https://www.financedigest.com/5-ways-cfo-and-cio-collaboration-can-benefit-the-business.html "5 Ways CFO and CIO collaboration can benefit the business"). The future is online, so giving your B2B website proper [consideration will help you to future-proof your business](https://www.financedigest.com/5-considerations-when-trying-to-grow-your-business-during-a-pandemic.html "5 Considerations When Trying to Grow Your Business During a Pandemic"). **Michiel Schipperus, CEO Sana Commerce** Sana Commerce’s [CEO Michiel leads one of the fastest growing SaaS companies](https://www.financedigest.com/in-listening-mode-new-bayer-ceo-keeps-open-mind-on-company-split.html "In listening mode, new Bayer CEO keeps ‘open mind’ on company split") in the Netherlands. He’s built Sana Commerce from 1 to 550+ team members in the last 10 years. Michiel started with Sana Commerce’s mother company as an 18-year-old, working part [time while studying Economics and Business](https://www.financedigest.com/why-the-new-year-is-the-best-time-to-start-your-dream-tech-business.html "Why the New Year is the best time to start your dream tech business") at Erasmus University in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Two years after finishing his master’s degree, Michiel joined spin-off Sana Commerce full time. From a personal perspective, Michiel is married to Leonie, and has two [young children](https://www.financedigest.com/why-teaching-your-children-financial-literacy-from-a-young-age-will-set-them-up-for-success.html "Why teaching your children financial literacy from a young age will set them up for success"). Michiel: “My passion for B2B e-commerce is simple: I’ve seen [businesses thrive by selling online and achieving worldwide e-commerce success](https://www.financedigest.com/tips-on-how-startups-can-turn-their-business-into-a-success.html "Tips on how startups can turn their business into a success"). I’m still excited about the [impact we make together with companies](https://www.financedigest.com/the-severe-impact-of-downtime-on-companies-bottom-lines.html "The severe impact of downtime on companies’ bottom lines") around the world, by making their ERP and e-commerce work as one. Second, it’s always been my aim to build a company culture that people love. It’s been inspiring to see over 500 people, each with their own unique talents, grow and develop together with Sana Commerce. My aim is to make sure they look [back on their time](https://www.financedigest.com/love-in-a-time-of-inflation-how-much-will-valentines-day-set-you-back.html "Love in a time of inflation: how much will Valentine’s Day set you back?") with us with nothing but pride and satisfaction on what they’ve learned and achieved.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. ---