Once upon a time, B2B transactions were all about handshakes, lengthy meetings, and endless paperwork. Fast forward to today, and the landscape has dramatically shifted. B2B buyers now crave the same seamless, intuitive, and personalised online experiences they’ve come to expect as consumers.
This is a trend we have been aware of at Fluid Commerce for some time, as we witnessed the shift towards B2B ecommerce websites and paid marketing campaigns performing much better when they are tailored towards providing an outstanding user experience.
Ultimately all customers are human beings, whether they are buying the latest gadget for their kitchen, or ordering cables for their business. The same things attract them when purchasing online, and luckily the technology now exists in the B2B ecommerce sphere to deliver that experience to those customers.
The statistics supporting this trend
Let’s have a look at the data and statistics that demonstrate that B2B customers want the same great experience as their B2C counterparts.
Gitnux has found that:
- 80% of B2B buyers now expect the same buying experience as B2C customers.
- 95% prefer to purchase online with self-serve information and ordering options
- 63% of B2B buyers expect the same level of service as B2C customers
- 86% would rather reorder using a self-service portal than talk than talk to a sales representative.
Meanwhile, Gartner reports that 83% of B2B customers favour ordering or paying through digital commerce platforms, and Statista found that 81% are willing to pay more for better e-commerce platforms.
These figures speak for themselves, and show just how much growth potential awaits B2B companies that are willing to invest in their ecommerce offering.
Personalisation is expected
Personalisation is a term that comes up time and again when talking about ecommerce websites, but what is it, and why do B2B ecommerce companies need to use it?
Ecommerce personalisation is the practice of tailoring the online shopping experience to individual users based on their behaviors, preferences, demographics, and other data. The goal is to improve user engagement, increase conversions, and boost customer loyalty by making the shopping experience more relevant and convenient.
B2B companies need to not only be aware of personalisation, but actively use it in their ecommerce offering in the same way B2C brands do.
Let’s look at the evidence for this:
According to Gitnux:
- 73% of B2B buyers want the same kind of personalized experience they get as consumers. This means tailored product recommendations, content, and pricing.
- 72% expect vendors to customise engagement based on their industry, previous purchases, and even their role in the company.
- 50% say personalization is one of the top features they want in a supplier’s e-commerce experience.
Real time service
The modern B2B buyer lives in a Slack-and-Zoom world, so making them wait three days for a quote is not going to cut it. They want fast responses, just like an ordinary consumer would. Companies that do not respond to their B2B customers within a matter of hours, or even minutes, risk losing those customers permanently as they will seek out a company that will.
B2B companies that continue to operate a system of getting back to customers within days will see their revenue slip in the increasingly competitive ecommerce market. The technology exists to help companies respond to enquiries rapidly so there is no reason for this to happen.
Gitnux confirms that this shift in the expectations of B2B customers is real and that 80% expect real-time interactions and say that consistent communication improves their experience. Meanwhile, Convince & Convert reports that 67% expect an email response within one hour. Not “by close of business,” not “in 24 hours,” but within sixty minutes.
The cost of falling behind
As mentioned above, neglecting these evolving expectations can be very detrimental to your business. If your site isn’t user-friendly, your buyers will notice, and with how easy it is to open another tab to visit a competitor website, they’re very likely to bounce.
A whopping 97% of B2B buyers report frustration with suppliers’ e-commerce platforms. (Enterprise Times). Even scarier: 85% said they’d switch suppliers if the digital experience doesn’t meet expectations (Enterprise Times). That loyalty you thought you had? It’s on a very short leash.
Final thought
The message is clear: B2B buyers are no longer content with outdated, clunky platforms based on CRM systems. They want the same efficiency, personalisation, sleekness and responsiveness they’ve grown accustomed to in their personal shopping experiences.
For B2B sellers, this should be a call to action. Embrace the digital transformation, prioritise a user experience that respects their time and intelligence, and watch your customer satisfaction and loyalty soar.
Remember, in the world of B2B e-commerce, adapting isn’t just beneficial, but essential.
Need further advice?
Fluid Commerce is an Adobe Commerce, Google, Bing and Meta-certified agency focused on helping B2B brands embrace the future and grow profitably. We are also recognised as a Gold Partner with Hyvä for the number and quality of the ecommerce sites we have delivered using Hyvä’s front-end themes. We are experts at turning around B2B websites and supporting their marketing efforts to deliver the results the companies we work with are looking for.
For help with developing or promoting your B2B ecommerce website, contact the Fluid Commerce team here.
