elasticpath-报告：解决B2B电子商务难题（英文）-2019.12-25页_4mb

报告摘要

B2B Commerce Study Summary

Core Content

This report explores the challenges and opportunities in B2B commerce, emphasizing the need for tailored digital solutions to meet the evolving demands of B2B buyers. It highlights the importance of purpose-built B2B eCommerce platforms that address the unique complexities of B2B transactions, such as contract-based pricing, account-specific catalogs, and multi-touchpoint interactions.

Main Views

B2B Commerce is Complex: Unlike B2C, B2B buying involves longer sales cycles, multiple stakeholders, and contractual agreements. These factors require specialized tools and systems to support the buying process effectively.
Legacy Systems Fall Short: Most B2B companies are using B2C platforms, which are not suitable for B2B needs. These systems limit the ability to manage complex orders, flexible pricing, and account-based buying agreements.
Digital Experience is Critical: Over 80% of respondents agree that poor commerce experiences will negatively impact customer retention and acquisition. A strong digital experience is essential for maintaining competitiveness.
Sales Technology Matters: Sales representatives need tools that support consultative selling rather than just administrative tasks. Technologies like real-time quoting, mobile support, and CRM are key to enabling this.
Future-Proofing is Necessary: Purpose-built B2B eCommerce systems are crucial for adapting to future customer expectations and leveraging new technologies like IoT and automation.

Key Information

Customer Experience Challenges

45% of respondents have lost a customer due to poor commerce experiences.
52% believe Amazon Business is a significant threat.
82% agree that not improving the commerce experience will negatively impact customer retention.
80% agree that not improving the commerce experience will negatively impact customer acquisition.

Sales Technology Adoption

82% have invested in CRM and basic tools like digital payments and e-signature.
Only 35% offer mobile support and 38% offer real-time quoting, which are critical for modern sales.

B2B Buyer Behavior

75% of B2B buyers agree that their purchases typically involve multiple roles, teams, and locations.
B2B buyers prioritize efficiency and the ability to handle complex buying scenarios, such as job-based purchasing and multiple carts.

Features Needed for B2B Commerce

Account-specific buying agreements
Flexible pricing models
Commerce-enabled IoT
Automated reordering
Self-service checkout
Guided selling
Unified cross-channel experiences

Maturity Curve for B2B Commerce

Digitize your catalog – Make products available and discoverable online.
Enable self-service for simple orders – Allow customers to reorder easily.
Secure long-term revenue with consultative selling – Use the time saved to build stronger relationships.
Look to automate – Implement automated systems to reduce costs and improve efficiency.

Benefits of Purpose-Built Systems

Higher revenue and loyalty: 53% of all respondents and 61% of C-suite respondents attribute profit margin growth to digital buying and selling tools.
Better customer loyalty: Customers are more loyal today due to improved digital experiences.
Improved sales performance: Sales teams are performing better now than five years ago, thanks to digital tools.

Conclusion

B2B commerce requires a strategic, purpose-built approach that aligns with the unique needs of buyers. Legacy systems and B2C platforms are not sufficient to meet these demands. By investing in the right technologies and processes, businesses can enhance customer experiences, secure long-term revenue, and future-proof their operations.

Methodology

Survey conducted in June 2019 by Elastic Path.
300 respondents from various departments and industries.
Departments: 68% IT, 14% Sales, 13% Marketing, 5% Commerce.
Industries: 50% High Tech, 25% Manufacturing, 11% Wholesale Distribution, 8% Consumer Packaged Goods, 5% Food and Beverage.
Job Titles: 36% Director, 32% Manager, 25% C-Suite, 6% Vice President, 2% President.

展开完整摘要