DIGITAL COMMERCE FOR MANUFACTURING

Leveraging SaaS as an Entry-Point to Complex B2B Ecommerce

Selling online will soon be a functional requirement for all B2B and Manufacturing businesses. But setting those organizations up with the right ecommerce platform that supports, not hinders, their business is tricky. Jace Anderson, Director of Accounts, outlines four steps mid-market B2B Manufacturers can take to start selling online using software-as-a-service (SaaS) solutions.

The Time for B2B Manufacturers to Sell Online is Now

“80% of B2B sales interactions between suppliers and buyers will occur in digital channels by 2025.” - Gartner.

Getting online can be daunting for B2B and Manufacturing companies looking to make the jump. As most of them are researching their options, these types of businesses are identifying the massive requirements to do so. 

Why Digital Commerce is More Difficult for Manufacturers than Retail 

When setting up a B2B or Manufacturing organization’s online store, many of the challenges we’re seeing include:

• Complex product configurations—Many ecommerce platforms do not support the functionality their products require.
• Multiple rules and requirements for bundling—Options for creating value-added bundles or add-ons are limited in most ecommerce platforms.
• Configurable roles and permissions—These organizations need to be able to designate various levels of control to ensure proper governance over their content and products.
• Expertise in staff and operating an ecommerce experience—Since digital commerce is a new sales channel for most of these organizations, in-house talent may not be in place yet.
• Logistics and inventory management issues—Each different operational system within the organization needs to be able to share data to ensure optimal stock efficiency.
• Multiple locations, warehouses, and resellers—Different distribution channels, locations, and setups also complicate an organization's operational systems.

How B2B Manufacturers Can Use SaaS Solutions to Start Small 

So how can these companies dip a toe in and get started?

We’ve found leveraging SaaS providers in a decoupled system can be a great starting point for companies with complex ecommerce requirements. This lowers the barrier to entry for these companies, creating a manageable digital experience platform by leveraging the ease-of-use functionality of modern ecommerce SaaS platforms like Shopify, BigCommerce, StoryBlok and many others. 

Whether the company is on WordPress, Weebly, SquareSpace or GoDaddy, there are a few fundamental steps we’ve seen companies take to test the water of online sales. There are a few ways to do it, but the pathways are structurally similar. 

Four Steps to Selling Online for B2B Manufacturers

1. Select a minimum viable product offering

The best way to start selling online is by choosing a simple product or product line that translates well to online sales. That means little to no configuration, easy shipping, and easy tracking. At this point, you can even include a geo-fenced selling area (i.e., selling online in the US only) to simplify the process even further. 

2. Choose a technology that can grow with you

Ecommerce, ERP, 3PL, and other SaaS companies will get you started in your selling journey. The longer you can utilize their offering, the longer you stay in a simplified tech stack. 

3. Integrate with new technologies and platforms

A composable approach allows companies to swap out platforms once they outgrow them. Eventually, the company may choose to remove their ecommerce engine (Shopify or BC or other) due to the platform's limitations. With a composable approach, the company can do this with little friction and next to no change to their customer experience. 

4. Continue to innovate

To reach this step could take 1-3+ years as products are added and limitations are reached, requiring new technologies. However, change never stops, as companies will continue to expand their online presence and keep up with new technological trends.

If complex ecommerce is your endpoint, we highly recommend a composable approach (which will cost more upfront) to set you up on an architecture that can grow with your business as the company switches in and out technologies. 

At Acro Commerce, we use our Gesso accelerator to set up companies on a composable architecture, speeding up steps 1 to 4 and establishing a technical architecture that doesn’t sacrifice future development. 

However, if baby steps aren’t for you, we’re also happy to discuss full-fledged solutions, skipping straight to 100. 

Make your tech stack fit your exact needs, not the other way around.

If you need a hand getting your website and business to the next level, contact our team of experts using the form below.