What to Look for in a B2B eCommerce Platform (And How to Evaluate Them)

Generally speaking, you’re searching for an advanced, adaptable, and scalable eCommerce solution as you get ready to launch a business-to-business (B2B) eCommerce platform.

Needs like bulk ordering, adjustable price tiers, and sophisticated logistics management are relevant when your customer is another firm, as opposed to selling directly to the final consumer. You need a B2B eCommerce platform that can manage the volume and complexity of your business without depleting technological resources or causing a lack of creativity in order to handle all of this.

So, how do you pick the best eCommerce platform for your business-to-business (B2B) enterprise? Your needs, financial limitations, and long-term business growth plans will determine that. With a list of factors to take into account as you select providers, this tutorial explains how to choose the best platform for you.

A B2B eCommerce Platform: What Is It?

B2B eCommerce platforms are digital systems that facilitate online sales transactions between businesses.

A business-to-business (B2B) platform is made to manage a variety of intricate needs, in contrast to a business-to-consumer (B2C) eCommerce platform, which is focused on direct sales to customers. B2B businesses typically process large orders and provide wholesale pricing. They might have to handle complex shipping procedures and transactions involving multiple currencies.

Essential B2B eCommerce Platform features

• Self-service options
• Unified B2B and B2C selling
• Flexible payment options
• Personalization capabilities
• Responsive web design
• Advanced analytics and reporting
• Automation

Although most B2B platforms share some essential characteristics, what is deemed a “must-have” depends on your particular operational needs, customer experience objectives, and financial concerns. The following are some crucial elements that you might want to give top priority to:  

1. Self-Service Options

The majority of buyers are gravitating toward these digital-first experiences, even though self-service goes against the conventional B2B sales procedure. 75% of B2B buyers prefer a rep-free experience, according to Gartner. For this reason, during the last three years, 73% of B2B sellers reported a rise in demand for digital B2B sales procedures, with 14% indicating a notable increase.

A B2B eCommerce platform’s self-service features enable clients to easily handle their own orders, eliminating the need for continuous interaction with salesmen and customer support agents. This autonomy provides flexibility and round-the-clock service availability, which expedites purchases and improves client satisfaction.  

Select a platform that enables customers to accomplish the following things in a B2B online customer portal without needing to get help from sales representatives:

• See customized catalogs
• Unlock price lists for wholesale.
• Put goods in their virtual shopping basket.
• Pay for their order and check out.
• See the history of orders 

The transition to self-serve has been clearly demonstrated by FOGA, a premium health shake brand. After facing friction with manual subscription management and repeat ordering, they partnered with Codup to streamline their B2B buying experience.

Customers who previously relied on back-and-forth emails and order confirmations now enjoy a fully self-serve experience managing subscriptions, customizing boxes, and placing large recurring orders with confidence.

“The first results are excellent,” the FOGA team shared.

“Our B2B customers now feel more empowered to manage their own orders online. The combination of intuitive UX and flexible backend controls has significantly improved buyer satisfaction and operational efficiency.”

2. Unified B2B and B2C Selling

By offering a single interface for managing customer interactions, a combined B2B and B2C platform streamlines operations if you sell to both businesses and individual consumers.

A unified commerce strategy improves operational efficiency by keeping consistent data across all customer groups on the same platform, as opposed to using two different eCommerce systems. By enabling you to run on a single platform rather than two, less middleware and spotty integrations boost ROI. For this reason, it has been demonstrated that unified commerce systems like Codup can lower total cost of ownership (TCO) by as much as 36%. 

Consider Instent, provides a modern and revolutionary line of promotional tents, printed flags, custom furniture and trade show displays that are used for promoting businesses during events

“Our biggest frustration was seeing resources tied up in platform workarounds instead of creating a more seamless buyer experience”

-Operations Lead at Instent

After partnering with Codup, Instent consolidated their digital infrastructure bringing B2B and B2C onto a unified, flexible B2B eCommerce platform. The result? Streamlined operations, reduced overhead, and a significant improvement in both team efficiency and customer satisfaction.

3. Flexible pricing and payment options

Because buyers typically pay for goods in bulk, business-to-business transactions are different from direct-to-consumer purchases. The majority of wholesalers agree to delayed payment terms that provide them ample flexibility to make a profit on the products they sell, rather than paying for inventory up front. To keep track of their purchases, they also require purchase orders or invoices.

Without having to deal with individual payment inquiries, flexible pricing and payment alternatives in business-to-business transactions allow you to prioritize customer convenience, meet a variety of company demands, and expedite the transaction process. 

When narrowing down the list of B2B eCommerce platforms, keep the following features in mind:

Minimum order pricing: By encouraging higher order volumes, minimum order pricing helps to balance revenue and operating expenses.

Customer-specific B2B price: Seek out a platform that can provide customized pricing structures and customer-specific pricing that take into account the particular relationships and agreements of each client, including net payment terms. 

Custom discounts: By providing discounts, merchants can honor devoted clients, appropriately price intricate or sizable orders for their corporate clients, and encourage large purchases.  

(Note: Codup Functions allows you to create unique discounts for business-to-business transactions.)

Several payment methods: You can accommodate a range of client needs by providing a number of payment methods, including PayPal, bank transfers, and credit cards. In addition to lowering manual labor, an integrated invoicing workflow with automated billing can help maintain a steady cash flow. 

Integration of payment gateways: Virtual points of sale (POS) for online payments made possible by payment gateways provide quick and safe transactions for a seamless shopping experience.

To safely store credit card information so that it can be used for future purchases without having to enter it again, use credit card vaulting.

A candle brand’s wholesale price list for retailers. Make personalized price lists for B2B wholesale clients using Codup. 

4. Personalization Capabilities 

Customized storefronts can improve your B2B eCommerce platform’s purchasing experience and increase brand loyalty by fostering a closer, more intimate relationship with each business client.

According to Adobe, 52% of B2B businesses prioritize personalization, which is a significant increase from 38% in 2022 when a similar poll was conducted. Legacy software and technology are cited as the main barrier by slightly more than one-third of those who are not using B2B customisation. The appropriate B2B eCommerce platform can address that issue.

When looking for a B2B eCommerce platform that enables you to design unique storefronts for each customer, you should look for the following personalization features: 

• Well chosen products
• Customized branding
• Custom currencies for international business-to-business clients, including relevant taxes and tariffs
• Customized shipping and payment options

Divide B2B audiences according to shared attributes using Codup’s segmentation tools. Then, use information from their unified profiles to customize the entire purchasing process, from retargeted advertisements that highlight products they’ve left in their online cart to customized in-person product recommendations that highlight items they’ve discussed with a sales representative.  

5. Responsive Web Design

The user interface of your B2B ecommerce platform should be simple for users to use on any device, even if you are creating your storefront on a desktop.

According to Nicholas Lachhman, associate ecommerce manager at Dermalogica Canada, “Customers used to be so frustrated by our platform that they would rather call us on the phone to place orders.” Customers are already ordering thousands of dollars’ worth of merchandise via their mobile phones because they are so at ease with the experience.

When shortlisting B2B ecommerce platforms, mobile-friendly and responsive design is a particularly crucial quality to take into account because clients are increasingly using mobile devices for business transactions.  

A responsive platform facilitates a smooth user experience on a variety of devices. This indicates that the website adapts automatically to the screen it is displayed on. While mobile users view vertical pictures and big, finger-friendly buttons, desktop users may see full-screen designs.  

6. Advanced Analytics and Reporting

Sales trends, B2B consumer behavior, and overall business success across your online storefronts may all be better understood with the use of analytics and reporting. You can use these insights to find growth opportunities and make data-driven decisions.

For instance, you could create reports to see:

• Comparisons between B2C and B2B sales
• Top B2B clients or sales sites
• Top-selling wholesale goods
• Average order value by kind of customer
• Use of discounts

These insights are displayed by Codup’s Analytics without the use of external software or data connectors. Select from more than 60 pre-made reports or custom data explorations to create your own.  

7. Automation

A large portion of the conventional B2B sales cycle involved human involvement, such as negotiating payment arrangements, processing orders, and creating customized outreach. Nowadays, a lot of vendors provide automated features to relieve you of these duties and free up your time for more urgent chores that require your focus.

Choosing a B2B eCommerce platform with native automation features might provide you a competitive edge in addition to the evident improvements in operational efficiency. Indeed, according to 47% of B2B vendors, their purchasing process is still only somewhat automated.

You may create custom processes with Codup, a native workflow engine, to automate repetitive tasks like:

• Making real-time-updating customer segments
• Requesting that clients put their initial order
• Establishing new accounts with clients
• Creating purchase orders and invoices
• Contacting customers after a purchase using Codup development team, which displays the possible workflows inside the eCommerce dashboard.

After looking for a sophisticated, adaptable commerce solution, Allied Medical switched to Codup. Victoria Madden, delivery manager at CyberWorkshop, the brand’s ERP integration partner, says the platform’s automation features “helped to reduce manual processing time and empowered their team to shift their focus from repetitive tasks to customer support, improving the level of service.” 

These automations have resulted in significant enhancements to Allied Medical’s back-end operations and client experience. They had a 14% increase in transactions across both B2B and B2C channels while reducing the amount of time spent on back-end chores by 40%.

Key Considerations When Choosing A B2B eCommerce Platform

• On-premises versus cloud-based
• Out of the box versus open source
• Complete buying cycle support Excellent technical and customer service support Integration with current systems
• Structure of prices
• Adherence to data protection and security laws
• Scalability of businesses 

To make sure your B2B eCommerce platform satisfies your fundamental needs, there are other aspects to take into account. You can choose the best platform that not only supports but also improves business success by following these suggestions: 

Cloud-Based vs. On-Premise

You, the user, can access a cloud-based B2B eCommerce platform through the internet, which is hosted on the servers of the service provider. Because you usually don’t have to buy and maintain hardware or software, cloud-based platforms like Codups’ Extend Commerce have benefits including scalability and cheaper upfront expenditures. For B2B eCommerce companies, these platforms offer remote accessibility, user-friendliness, and lower IT upkeep.

An on-premise platform, on the other hand, is set up and operates on a business’s local servers. You have total control over the system with this configuration, which enables more flexibility. It does, however, come with higher upfront software and hardware investment expenses. Because you need an internal IT staff or an outside provider to handle server maintenance, software upgrades, and security protocols, ongoing maintenance expenses are also greater than with hosted solutions.

Open Source vs. Out of the Box

A system having publicly accessible source code that permits substantial customization and change is known as an open-source B2B eCommerce platform. Unbounded creative freedom for customized functionality and design is provided by this openness. However, rather than depending on a prebuilt solution, you are in charge of deploying upgrades, security patches, and any consumer features you require, which calls for committed assistance and knowledge from software developers.

With preset features and limitless customization options, an unconventional platform like Codup offers instant usability. Numerous built-in features are available with this kind of service, such as configurable one-click checkout, integrated security, compliance, data encryption, fraud and bot prevention, and simple integrations that can help you save development time and guarantee a successful launch. 

Support for the Entire Purchase Cycle

Negative customer experiences during the digital sales process cost the average B2B company 21% of potential sales. Reduce these losses by choosing a business-to-business eCommerce platform that can simplify the purchasing process and make the entire customer journey from product discovery to order fulfillment easy.

Features that accommodate B2B buyer preferences while lessening the administrative load on your staff include customization, self-service portals, and variable pricing alternatives.

To improve client satisfaction and encourage repeat business, you should also make sure your platform offers strong after-sales service features like simple returns, easy restocking, and effective customer support. 

Customer Service and Technical Support

Every minute a business’s B2B eCommerce website is down, they lose money. Providing excellent customer service enables you to reduce downtime and quickly fix problems. Choose a business-to-business eCommerce platform that offers round-the-clock assistance, a wealth of self-help materials, and committed account managers who can be reached by phone or email.  

Integration with Existing Systems

Your company’s B2B eCommerce platform may serve as its main “brain.” However, not every business process is automatically covered by the platform. To handle B2B orders, for instance, you may have a stand-alone inventory management or order management system. Verify if the vendor you have shortlisted has integrations with these systems.

Consider more than just the integrations you require right now; consider the systems you may add as your business grows. That might include:

• B2B marketplaces
• Systems for enterprise resource planning (ERP)
• Tools for managing customer relationships (CRM)

For example, Codup provides several plug-and-play connectors and strong API features. Before consumers place their orders, sales representatives and customers can verify inventory availability thanks to DARCHE’s integration of the B2B eCommerce platform with its ERP system. 

Pricing Structure

Examine the pricing structures of the B2B eCommerce systems you are considering in order to make an informed choice. Consider development, maintenance, and transaction fees in addition to the base price. A value-based and transparent pricing structure works effectively for companies that are growing quickly.

The total cost of ownership drops significantly when B2B and B2C channels operate on a unified commerce platform. Without relying on patchy middleware or expensive point integrations, Codup acts as the centralized brain of your business streamlining sales, inventory, data, and operations to deliver the seamless omnichannel experience modern B2B buyers expect.

That’s exactly why FOGA made the switch.

“Our previous setup was held together by manual workarounds,” said their co-founder.

“Every new feature required extra dev time and duct-tape fixes. With Codup, we finally have the flexibility to experiment, automate, and scale without the constant technical debt.”

Unified is The Future of Commerce

To safeguard your company and win over customers, you must adhere to industry security and data protection requirements. Verify that the B2B eCommerce platforms on your shortlist include security capabilities to protect important company information, such as:

• Encrypting data
• Frequent upgrades to security
• Using payment tokenization to handle payments securely
• Multi-factor authentication combined with role-based user permissions
• Compliance with SOC 2 Type II and SOC 3
• Standards such as the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) are being followed.

You can run your B2B eCommerce business safely using platforms like Codup, which are PCI-compliant and provide strong security features to protect critical client credit card information. 

Business Scalability

For retailers preparing for future expansion, scalability is essential. Over time, be sure your new platform can manage more products, bigger transaction volumes, and more traffic to your B2B eCommerce website.

With features like B2B eCommerce automation to help your business expand, Codup is a scalable eCommerce platform made with high-volume merchants in mind.

“We needed a partner who wasn’t just selling tech but investing in B2B for the long haul,” said the Director of Operations at Talman Equipment. “With Codup, we saw a clear commitment to the B2B space, deep domain expertise, strategic partnerships, and a development team that understood how real industrial buyers operate.”

Talman’s decision to switch to Codup paid off.

Where their previous platform required 9–12 months for new feature rollouts, Codup helped them launch buyer-facing tools in under 30 days. Their development costs also dropped significantly from custom-coded portals costing over $1 million to scalable storefronts delivered for a fraction of the price.

Codup’s B2B eCommerce Platform Is Built for Growth

Customers are embracing B2C-style experiences that they have grown accustomed to when making individual purchases rather than only accepting self-service. You shouldn’t be prevented from taking advantage of these high-value online sales by your B2B eCommerce platform.

The ideal partner for growing B2B eCommerce brands is Codup. In addition to having the sophisticated features we’ve described, it’s designed for expansion, so there won’t be a need to replatform in the future.

Contributors

• 

  Calister Maloney

  writer

  Content Lead