4 e-commerce trends in the B2B landscape

1. Artificial Intelligence (AI)

A technology that can no longer be ignored and from which there is much to gain. Which AI technology suits your B2B e-commerce strategy and contributes to the efficiency of your business processes? With the right AI tool, it is possible to automate operations, giving employees more time for strategic plans and tasks, for example. Some examples of how AI can support your B2B organization:

• Content creation: AI creates texts that match an organization's tone-of-voice. Think product descriptions or translations of text on product detail pages.
• Real-time market insights: AI analyzes real-time data think valuable information about market trends, competitors and price dynamics. This allows you to better anticipate market changes.
• Customer service: Advanced chatbots and virtual assistants automate and improve customer service. This is how you meet customer needs and operate more efficiently.

These are just a few examples of how AI can be applied if you do it the right way. And this is just the beginning; the possibilities are growing.

2. Marketplaces

The importance of marketplaces in B2B e-commerce has increased in recent years, and it is also a major trend this year.

Listing products on marketplaces boosts brand awareness and market reach. Thanks to these platforms, the visibility of your product is increased as it appears in general searches and recommendations such as "customers also viewed...". Comparison tools help customers bypass the marketing noise and choose the best deal based on price or features. This not only benefits a B2B organization, but also buyers looking for the product that best suits their needs. Moreover, marketplaces offer a wide range of listings in one place, saving time and convenience.

In the past, the barrier to entry for marketplaces was high. This challenge is getting smaller thanks to advanced PIM systems that make product data migration and management easier.

3. Personalization

Personalization is already widely used in the B2C market; it is also becoming increasingly important in B2B e-commerce. Instead of a one-size-fits-all approach, business customers also expect a customized experience that matches their needs and preferences. Using data, you as a wholesaler or brand manufacturer can gain interesting insights about customer behavior, preferences and purchase history. These insights make it possible to apply the following personalizations, for example:

• Targeted product recommendations
• Dynamic pricing and discounts
• Personalized, relevant content
• Assortment tailored to the customer

Personalization not only increases customer satisfaction and loyalty, but can also boost sales and turnover. An important asset to stay one step ahead of the competition.

4. Digital Sales Rooms

A fast-growing trend within B2B e-commerce are Digital Sales Rooms (DSRs). DSRs are virtual rooms in which you bring together all relevant sales materials, such as presentations, contracts, price tables and multimedia content. This allows you to offer a personalized and engaging experience to (potential) customers. By centralizing everything in one place, you work more efficiently and better guide customers through the complex B2B buying process. Moreover, DSRs offer the ability to track interactions and customer behavior, which provides valuable insights. You can use these insights to optimize the buying process and further increase customer satisfaction.

Keep up or excel?

To stay relevant as a wholesaler or brand manufacturer, it is important to move with, or even excel at, these trends. This way, you not only stay relevant, but also competitive. Therefore, constantly review and evaluate your B2B e-commerce strategy and make sure your organization is ready to innovate and invest in new technologies and developments.