In recent years, the world of B2B e-commerce has undergone a remarkable transformation. Today, B2B buyers expect a contemporary and seamless online experience, similar to what they encounter in consumer-oriented e-commerce platforms. To meet these evolving demands, B2B enterprises must strike a delicate balance between providing speed and user-friendliness, while still accommodating the intricacies and distinctiveness of the B2B buying journey.
According to Lance Owide, the B2B general manager at BigCommerce, their objective was to enhance the platform’s capabilities by introducing new functionalities like inventory management and quoting. Following the acquisition of a technology partner last year, the company prioritized integration and reimagined the buyer experience. In response to customer feedback, BigCommerce recognized the demand for self-service options, particularly the ability for customers to log in, independently manage their orders, request quotes, and access customized pricing.
The most recent BigCommerce update introduces compatibility with Multi-Storefront (MSF), an upgraded B2B buyer portal, and headless support, consolidating advanced B2B features into a single, comprehensive solution. This update equips B2B brands with enhanced capabilities to transform B2B e-commerce experiences, surpass buyers’ expectations, maximize conversions, and cultivate unwavering brand loyalty.
With the B2B Edition, merchants now have the opportunity to leverage the power of Multi-Storefront functionality. This means that all the comprehensive features offered by B2B Edition, including company account management, shared shopping lists, quoting, and invoice portals, can be seamlessly enabled across any storefront they create.
By expanding beyond selling in various regions or under multiple brands, the merchants can significantly reduce operational and maintenance costs by consolidating the systems typically required for managing multiple sites. This streamlined approach enables merchants to simplify their operations and efficiently handle crucial aspects such as customer management, product catalog, order fulfillment, and storefront analytics. Not only does this result in cost savings, but it also saves considerable development time.
The B2B Edition now presents an upgraded buyer portal, offering a personalized and efficient buying experience for both merchants and buyers. This revamped portal streamlines administrative processes, alleviating workloads and fostering improved customer satisfaction, loyalty, and repeat business, which are vital aspects for any B2B merchant.
The expanded buyer portal seamlessly integrates with any BigCommerce theme, enabling swift setup and immediate utilization. We have completely reimagined the buyer’s management of orders, quotes, invoices, shopping lists, and all associated administrative tasks related to their relationship with the merchant. This includes features like address books, user logins, and approval workflows.
Merchants can leverage the new buyer portal to:
With the modernized buyer portal, merchants gain greater flexibility, streamline operations, and provide an exceptional buying experience that meets the needs of their customers, ultimately driving business growth in the B2B space.
In the latest update, they introduce headless functionality to the B2B Edition, enabling its deployment on any framework. This advancement opens up a world of possibilities for your business. Merchants now gain access to a Microservices-based, API-first, Cloud-native SaaS, and Headless (MACH) architecture, along with modular components that can be combined to build agile storefronts. These storefronts can be continuously improved and optimized as your business evolves and expands.
The B2B Edition is headless agnostic, meaning it can seamlessly integrate into the existing BigCommerce HTML theme or CMS platform using the buyer portal API. This integration further enhances the personalization of the buyer’s purchasing experience.
By harnessing the power of headless functionality, merchants can effortlessly customize their buyer experience, integrate with various frameworks, and unlock new levels of flexibility and scalability. This empowers businesses to stay agile in a dynamic market, deliver exceptional buyer experiences, and drive growth in the ever-evolving B2B landscape.
The landscape of eCommerce is evolving rapidly, and B2B enterprises are no exception. Historically, B2Bs have been more cautious when it comes to embracing digital transformation. However, with changing customer expectations, there is a significant and unavoidable shift in the way B2Bs conduct online business.
In this dynamic environment, BigCommerce stands ready to support B2Bs as they continue to flourish. We understand the importance of keeping pace with growth and adaptation. Our platform offers the tools and solutions needed to expand into new regions, diversify product offerings, and deliver exceptional customer experiences. So with BigCommerce, the merchants can not only enhance their current capabilities but also lay the groundwork for future success.