The Impact of the Changing B2B E-Commerce Landscape
Posted: Wed Jan 29, 2025 5:16 am
The B2B buyer population has changed. In 2014, about half of it was millennials , nearly double the number in 2012. That number isn't decreasing.
The Impact of the Changing B2B E-Commerce Landscape
Why do millennials matter? Because they have special expectations.
Generation X (Gen X, born between 1965 and 1980) B2B buyers expected phone calls and follow-up. Millennials expect the same level of service, but without the lengthy discussions. Most of them grew up in a time when technology (primarily the Internet) allowed them to research products on their own, without outside help.
This shift is the foundation for modern demand generation. Information previously provided by sales teams is now delivered to customers through marketing materials (mostly digital). As a result, the online experience is becoming a critical component of business.
B2B buyers expect a rich, complete, and efficient online shopping experience. This means that the User Experience (UX) you provide must compete with that of B2C brands, namely:
Site navigation and search should be clear;
Product catalogues are available online;
Content should allow customers to find the information they need.
While the primary goal of a B2B website may once have been to get indonesia phone number data site visitors to pick up the phone or fill out a form, the initial stage of the sale can now take place entirely online.
But many companies were not ready for the transformation of consumer habits, and their websites lost their relevance. For example, a large enterprise for the production and sale of pipes, Dontes, has an outdated website that is not optimized for the mobile version:
"Dontes"
"Dontes"
And a flawless mobile experience is important, even if you’re shopping on a computer. According to a Google report , 42% of B2B customers use mobile devices when placing an order. Other research shows that 60% of respondents will look for another company if they see that their current supplier doesn’t have a convenient mobile app.
This means that B2B brands need an optimized mobile app that provides a consistent customer experience on both desktop and smartphone.
A more recent example against this background is the website of the industrial enterprise SUZMK Energo: it provides a consistent experience for studying products both on a computer and on a mobile device.
The Impact of the Changing B2B E-Commerce Landscape
Why do millennials matter? Because they have special expectations.
Generation X (Gen X, born between 1965 and 1980) B2B buyers expected phone calls and follow-up. Millennials expect the same level of service, but without the lengthy discussions. Most of them grew up in a time when technology (primarily the Internet) allowed them to research products on their own, without outside help.
This shift is the foundation for modern demand generation. Information previously provided by sales teams is now delivered to customers through marketing materials (mostly digital). As a result, the online experience is becoming a critical component of business.
B2B buyers expect a rich, complete, and efficient online shopping experience. This means that the User Experience (UX) you provide must compete with that of B2C brands, namely:
Site navigation and search should be clear;
Product catalogues are available online;
Content should allow customers to find the information they need.
While the primary goal of a B2B website may once have been to get indonesia phone number data site visitors to pick up the phone or fill out a form, the initial stage of the sale can now take place entirely online.
But many companies were not ready for the transformation of consumer habits, and their websites lost their relevance. For example, a large enterprise for the production and sale of pipes, Dontes, has an outdated website that is not optimized for the mobile version:
"Dontes"
"Dontes"
And a flawless mobile experience is important, even if you’re shopping on a computer. According to a Google report , 42% of B2B customers use mobile devices when placing an order. Other research shows that 60% of respondents will look for another company if they see that their current supplier doesn’t have a convenient mobile app.
This means that B2B brands need an optimized mobile app that provides a consistent customer experience on both desktop and smartphone.
A more recent example against this background is the website of the industrial enterprise SUZMK Energo: it provides a consistent experience for studying products both on a computer and on a mobile device.