7 Reasons Why B2B Is The Future Of Commerce
Business to business (B2B) is the method of doing commerce where businesses trade and transact with other businesses rather than end customers. These businesses use the traded offering to step up their offering or to resell it to make profits. This is in contrast to the businesses selling to customers (B2C).
B2B is not a new concept, but it has gained more attention in recent years due to the rapid growth of e-commerce and digital technologies. B2B transactions are becoming more efficient, convenient, and transparent, thanks to the online platforms and tools that facilitate them.
But why should you care about B2B? What are the benefits of doing business with other businesses? Here are seven reasons why B2B is the future of commerce.
1. B2B is a huge market with a lot of potential.
According to Forrester, the US B2B e-commerce market was worth $1.134 trillion in 2018, accounting for 12% of the total US B2B sales. By 2023, this percentage is expected to climb to 17%, reaching $1.8 trillion in value. This means that there is a lot of room for growth and innovation in the B2B space, as more businesses adopt online channels and solutions to streamline their procurement and sales processes.
2. B2B allows you to leverage economies of scale and scope.
By doing business with other businesses, you can benefit from economies of scale and scope. Economies of scale refer to the cost advantages that arise from producing or buying large quantities of a good or service. Economies of scope refer to the cost advantages that arise from producing or offering a variety of goods or services that share common inputs or processes.
For example, if you are a manufacturer of electronic components, you can sell your products to other businesses that need them for their production or resale, such as wholesalers, retailers, or other manufacturers. By doing so, you can reduce your unit costs, increase your output, and diversify your revenue streams.
3. B2B allows you to build long-term relationships and loyalty.
Unlike B2C transactions, which are often one-time or occasional, B2B transactions tend to be recurring and long-term. This is because businesses usually have ongoing needs for certain goods or services, and they prefer to work with reliable and trusted partners who can meet their requirements and expectations.
By doing business with other businesses, you can build long-term relationships and loyalty with your customers, suppliers, and distributors. You can also benefit from word-of-mouth referrals, repeat purchases, cross-selling opportunities, and customer retention.
4. B2B allows you to differentiate yourself and add value.
In a competitive market, it is not enough to offer a good product or service at a reasonable price. You also need to differentiate yourself from your competitors and add value to your customers. This is where B2B can help you.
By doing business with other businesses, you can showcase your expertise, credibility, and professionalism. You can also offer customized solutions, tailored advice, and personalized service that meet the specific needs and preferences of your customers. You can also provide after-sales support, warranties, guarantees, and feedback mechanisms that enhance customer satisfaction and loyalty.
5. B2B allows you to leverage technology and innovation.
Technology and innovation are driving forces behind the growth and transformation of B2B commerce. Thanks to the internet, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, blockchain, big data, and other digital technologies, B2B transactions are becoming more efficient, convenient, and transparent.
By doing business with other businesses online, you can access a wider market, reach more customers, reduce operational costs, improve communication and collaboration, automate processes, enhance security and trust, and gain insights and analytics that help you optimize your performance and strategy.
6. B2B allows you to adapt to changing customer expectations.
Customer expectations are changing rapidly in the digital age. Customers are looking for more than just products or services; they are looking for solutions that solve their problems and add value to their lives. They are also looking for convenience, speed, quality, transparency, personalization, and social responsibility.
By doing business with other businesses online, you can adapt to these changing customer expectations and deliver what they want when they want it. You can also use online platforms and tools to communicate with your customers effectively, understand their needs and feedback better, and respond to their queries and complaints faster.
7. B2B allows you to contribute to social good.
Doing business with other businesses online can also have positive social impacts. By reducing physical transportation and paper usage, you can lower your environmental footprint and carbon emissions. By sourcing from ethical suppliers and selling to responsible buyers, you can support fair trade practices and human rights standards. By donating a portion of your profits or products to charitable causes, you can make a difference in the lives of others.B2B is not only good for your business, but also for the society and the planet
B2B is the future of commerce. It is a huge market with a lot of potential, that allows you to leverage economies of scale and scope, build long-term relationships and loyalty, differentiate yourself and add value, leverage technology and innovation, adapt to changing customer expectations, and contribute to social good.
If you want to succeed in the B2B space, you need to have a clear understanding of your target market, your value proposition, your competitive advantage, and your online strategy. You also need to have a reliable and user-friendly website, a strong online presence, and a responsive and professional customer service.
What is B2B and Why is it Important?
B2B stands for business-to-business, which refers to the method of doing commerce where businesses trade and transact with other businesses rather than end customers. For example, a manufacturer may sell its products to a wholesaler, who then sells them to a retailer, who then sells them to the final consumer. B2B is different from B2C (business-to-consumer), where businesses sell directly to customers.
B2B is important because it allows businesses to create value by providing goods and services that other businesses need to operate, grow, or improve their offerings. B2B transactions are usually larger in volume, value, and complexity than B2C transactions, and they often involve long-term relationships and contracts. B2B also enables businesses to access specialized expertise, technology, and resources that they may not have in-house.
How is B2B Demand Changing Globally?
The global demand for B2B products and services is changing rapidly due to various factors, such as digital transformation, globalization, sustainability, and innovation. Some of the trends that are shaping the B2B market are:
– The rise of e-commerce: More and more B2B buyers are using online platforms to research, compare, and purchase B2B products and services. According to Forrester, the B2B e-commerce market topped $1.134 trillion in 2018 and is expected to reach $1.8 trillion by 2023 in the US alone.
– The shift to customer-centricity: B2B buyers are becoming more demanding and expect personalized, convenient, and seamless experiences from their suppliers. B2B sellers need to adopt customer-centric strategies and technologies to meet the changing needs and preferences of their buyers.
– The emergence of new business models: B2B sellers are exploring new ways of creating and delivering value to their buyers, such as subscription-based, outcome-based, or platform-based models. These models allow B2B sellers to differentiate themselves from their competitors and increase customer loyalty and retention.
– The focus on sustainability: B2B buyers are increasingly concerned about the environmental and social impacts of their purchases and are looking for suppliers who can help them achieve their sustainability goals. B2B sellers need to demonstrate their commitment to sustainability and offer solutions that can reduce the carbon footprint, waste, and resource consumption of their buyers.
References:
https://www.infosys.com/about/knowledge-institute/insights/Documents/future-customer-engagement.pdf
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Business-to-business#cite_ref-7
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Business-to-business#cite_ref-13
https://www.feedough.com/business-to-business-b2b/
https://www.investopedia.com/terms/b/btob.asp
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Business-to-business
(https://www.feedough.com/business-to-business-b2b/)
(https://www.investopedia.com/terms/b/btob.asp)
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