B2B eCommerce Platform

A SaaS B2B e-commerce platform is business-to-business Software-as-a-Service. B2B SaaS is cloud-based e-commerce software that’s typically sold on a subscription basis. While this type of platform might be ideal for SMBs that don’t require bespoken functionality, SaaS is not ideal for those who require specific customisations.

When choosing, look for a scalable, headless, API-driven solution with a modular cloud-based architecture. Preferably, it’s open-source software with a crucial set of features out of the box. Some essential features to look for include corporate account management with account granularity and access levels and account-based catalog, pricing, and promotion management.

Yes, there are plenty of free solutions, which are typically labelled as open source. However, open source entails additional expenses, such as licensing, hosting provider, security and PCI compliance, and custom development fees.

The advantages include broadening your customer base, reaching new markets, creating a superior customer shopping journey, using better data analytics and reporting, as well as integrating critical systems to create a single source of truth.

It can be applied to many industries, from wholesale to retail, from construction to healthcare. As long as businesses trade with other businesses electronically, they are deemed to be engaging in B2B ecommerce.

A typical ecommerce website takes from six to ten weeks to develop. Websites for smaller businesses can be usually accomplished within a month, while a larger business might require additional development work and custom modules that can take months to build and refine.

Provided the software of your choice is API-driven and easy to integrate with, ERP integration (as well as integrations with any other system) should not be difficult and can be accomplished within a couple of days by a single developer through low code scenarios. With that said, ERP integration is a complex process, so choosing ecommerce solution partners should be made with ERP integration (and your business objectives) in mind.

Security should be one of your top priorities. Among a few important elements that ensure the security of your software are regular backups, layered security, SSL and PCI DSS certification and best-of-breed security solutions.

The three types of B2B ecommerce are direct, indirect, and marketplace. Direct B2B ecommerce is when a business sells products or services directly to another business through an online platform. Indirect B2B ecommerce (or B2B2C) is when a business uses an online platform to sell products or services to consumers. Marketplace B2B ecommerce is when businesses use an online platform to sell products or services to other businesses.

Virto Commerce is the best platform for B2B. It has all the necessary B2B-specific features out of the box, extends to accommodate any unique business scenario, integrates with third-party systems, and scales as your business grows.

There are several key features that differentiate a B2B from a B2C platform. Among those are corporate account and user management with access levels and permissions, contract pricing and catalog management, quote and discount management, ability to purchase in bulk, and custom reporting.

 

Read more on B2B ecommerce features.

There are several possible ways to build a B2B platform. For example, you can build it yourself from scratch or use available out-of-the-box open-source modules. You can also outsource development to a web development company or find a solution provider and integrator that can help you find the best solution for your business and integrate it into your existing business processes. If you want to build a B2B ecommerce platform, but are not sure where to start, Virto Commerce can help.

 

You can schedule a demo now and see how Virto Commerce can help your business.

Some of the latest trends in B2B ecommerce include the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning, the rise of mobile commerce, and the popularity of subscription-based models.

 

Learn more about the latest B2B trends.

When selecting a B2B ecommerce platform, you'll need to consider your business's needs. If you're selling products in bulk or if you have a large number of customers, then you'll need a platform that can handle these types of transactions. You'll also need to consider the cost of the platform, the level of support, and possible customizations you might require. Once you've considered these factors, you'll be able to narrow down your search to select the optimal platform for your business.

 

If you’re not sure where to start or what to look for, you can contact Virto Commerce now and our sales team will help!

Virto Commerce is an open-source ecommerce platform based on Microsoft technologies. The solution is cloud-based and API-driven which means it’s scalable and flexible by default. Virto’s headless nature allows you to extend your digital ecosystem with multiple channels and tailor them to specific market requirements. The solution’s modular and composable architecture allows you to create new functional components quickly and integrate them seamlessly into the ecommerce platform. Virto Commerce offers multiple out-of-the-box features, including those that are specific to the B2B market. This way, you get access to the corporate account and user management, access control and permission management, contract-based catalogue management and pricing, among other features. Under the hood, you can add any other functionality that’s required for your business thus stretching the capabilities of the platform to serve your unique business agenda.