4 Sure-Fire Ways to Fail in B2B E-Commerce

4 Sure-Fire Ways to Fail in B2B E-Commerce
Looking to make the leap into e-commerce? Many B2B companies like yours are jumping
into the digital commerce market because their customers are asking for it, the technology is
attainable and, frankly, the competition is already there. With researchers projecting that B2B
e-commerce sales in the U.S. alone will reach $1 trillion by 2020, B2Bs don’t want to miss
this profitable sales channel opportunity.
Unfortunately, some businesses are launching their e-commerce sites before coming up with
a solid strategy – one that outlines business requirements, measurable goals and a multifaceted
marketing plan. As a result, companies can make some major mistakes – some that
can bring their e-business to a screeching halt. If you want a chance at e-commerce success,
be sure you don’t follow these failed moves:
Way to fail #1: Create a makeshift e-commerce solution
Commerce platforms are not made to be universal, so don’t think you can buy just any e-
commerce software and tack it onto your current backend systems. You need a platform
made specifically for your type of business that offers features like customer-specific pricing,
easy payment options and punch-out capabilities.
The platform must also be able to integrate and communicate seamlessly with your ERP
system if you want to see consistent, up-to-date information related to products, including
product specs, digital assets, inventory and more. The best way to make this happen is by
having a dedicated product information management (PIM) solution. A PIM acts as a data

management system to provide one reliable place to manage, house and share all your
product data and content.
Before reaching out to e-commerce providers, meet with your IT, sales and product teams to
determine your system requirements and limitations. The software platform is the cornerstone
of your e-commerce. Without the proper platform and systems in place, you can expect
mounting negative effects such as inefficiency, additional costs and customer frustration.
Way to fail #2: Provide bare bones content
Manufacturers may provide you with information about their products, but have you ever
really looked at it to see how helpful it actually is for customers? Just because the
manufacturer provides the data doesn’t mean it’s the best or most relevant information for
that product. Unfortunately, most distributors tend to use only this basic information on their
site, so customers are forced to either call customer service or try a different supplier’s site to
get answers. You never want a potential customer to leave your site because your content is
lacks the specifications and features needed to make a purchasing decision.
Product content fuels your online sales; when that content features SEO-rich descriptions,
tags and links, you have a greater chance of attracting visitors and ranking higher in searches.
So go the extra mile and include more value-added information about your products by
enriching the descriptions, product bullets and specifications. Provide additional images,
product videos and important documents like installation manuals, user guides and MSDS
sheets. The benefits to beefed-up content are twofold: customers will recognize you as a
valuable resource for product information and Google and other search engines will notice
your unique and relevant content and help bring more attention to your site.
Way to fail #3: Avoid interaction
Are you an introvert when it comes to social media? Do you feel it’s just a channel for B2C
companies or young people to interact? Well, as we told you in a recent blog, social media is
fast becoming a popular marketing channel for B2B companies. The majority of B2B
companies actively engage in social networks like Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter to market
their company and products, but many of them are also using social media to help make
purchasing decisions. This additional channel allows you to interact with customers, industry
organizations and colleagues, and is a great way to promote your products, share industry
news and provide an online Q&A. The advantage to social media is you’re in control of your
content, and your posts and tweets keep you relevant and connected with people.
In addition to social media, interaction is also critical throughout the stages of the customer
lifecycle. Send personalized offers to customers with relevant product promotions to show
you know them and their buying habits. Offer 24-hour assistance with a customer portal and
online chat so that you can provide answers to their questions any time of day. Then, once a
customer makes a purchase, follow up by sending them a customer satisfaction survey to

collect important feedback. This continuous level of engagement gives you great insight, and
makes for a positive customer experience.
Way to fail #4: Offer a Yugo experience
Just because you have an e-commerce site doesn’t mean people are going to flock to it. If
you’re not offering a dynamic experience online, you might as well call it a day. Sites without
features like internal search, easy navigation or a responsive design do as much good as the
Yugo car did back in the 1980s. Cheaply made, underpowered and undependable, the Yugo
was one of the worst vehicles ever made. So why would you want to provide a Yugo-like site
for customers? The user experience is everything, so if your site is slow, lacks content or
makes it difficult to find products, people will go elsewhere. Don’t underestimate your
customers; they are digital-savvy shoppers who know what they want, and you can bet
they don’t want to spend a long time searching for products or information.
When it comes to B2B e-commerce, you can’t afford to fail. The stakes are high in this
increasingly competitive sales channel, so avoid these costly mistakes by building out a
structured strategy that provides goals and initiatives for both the present and the future.