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What is B2B eCommerce?

Business to business eCommerce, or B2B eCommerce, is an online business model that refers to business transactions between two businesses, rather than transactions between a company and individual consumers. Typically, B2B eCommerce facilitates transactions between a manufacturer and a wholesaler, or a wholesaler and a retailer.

How Does B2B Differ From B2C?

The key difference between B2B and B2C models is that B2B transactions occur between two companies, while B2C refers to selling to individual consumers directly. The specific areas where these models contrast the most include:

  1. Purchasing process. In comparison to a B2B purchasing process, B2C transaction is usually much simpler and shorter, as it involves one consumer making a purchasing decision based on their individual needs. A B2B purchasing process is far more complex because the purchasing decisions involve greater money and risks, and are usually made by a number of stakeholders. As a result, it can often take days, weeks or even months to finalize.
  2. Brand loyalty. In a B2B setting, brand loyalty is a crucial part of the sales process, as businesses tend to seek long-term commitments when they engage with other businesses and foster partnerships that generate a good portion of their revenue.
    In a B2C setting, on the other hand, brand loyalty plays a significantly smaller part in the sales process, as the value of a purchase is much smaller and consumers have a huge array of other options to choose from.
  3. Product knowledge. Due to the size of the investment, they’re making, B2B customers are usually more educated about the products or services they’re buying. B2C customers, on the other hand, have less in-depth product knowledge and may even succumb to impulse purchases.


What is B2B Marketing?

B2B marketing is employed by companies seeking to sell their products to other companies. It is usually feature-led and focuses on the value and the logic of a product. Customers are more detail-oriented and are information seekers, that’s why the most effective B2B marketing strategies focus on providing in-depth, educational information that assists decision-makers with finding the right solutions for their problems.

What Are the Best B2B Marketing Strategies?

Logical arguments, financial benefits, and strong data matter a great deal to B2B customers. Understandably, marketing success comes from providing valuable content to the industry and making a product seem like a natural choice. The most popular B2B marketing strategies include:

  • Educational webinars
  • Whitepapers, eBooks, guides, etc.  
  • Thought leadership
  • Case studies
  • Video testimonials
  • Native advertising
  • Marketing automation and CRM tools
  • Trade shows and networking events

Want to Learn More?

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