How to Build a Successful B2B eCommerce Strategy in the IT Industry

Finding the right base is paramount. Well known B2B eCommerce platforms such as Shopify Plus, Magento, and BigCommerce are often thought of as leading eCommerce platforms for B2B space, providing various robust features for the IT space such as:

• API functionality to integrate existing ERP systems with existing or established CRM systems
• The capacity for cross-channel selling
• Custom dashboard capabilities for user experience

If your buyers typically are buying in bulk, you may want to explore wholesale eCommerce platforms that have capabilities for catalog management and B2B workflows.

Companies like Redington Online are already utilizing this type of platform to create a frictionless buying experience for their partners, providing access to their catalog and ordering function friction free.

Data is king in the IT space, and it should also be king for your B2B eCommerce marketing strategies. You should be able to leverage dashboards to do the following:

• Identify how customers shop, and what considerations factor into their buying decisions
• Identify your best-sellers
• Forecast your demand, and manage inventory
• Use platforms like Google Analytics, Tableau, and analytics already built into your eCommerce platforms

Given the rise of mobile commerce, you will need to ensure your wholesale eCommerce platforms are mobile friendly. Omnichannel buying experiences also allow IT buyers to:

• Research on their mobile device
• Place their order on their desktop
• Return to buying journey from an email or chat

Continuity provides assurance for buyers, relieves friction from the buying experience, provides convenience, and will establish trust in the long run.

IT professionals are busy people, and the faster you can eliminate the friction from the buying journey the better. By using a few simple solutions, consider:

• Quick reorder. It should be really easy for repeat buyers to reorder, as they are typically looking for a few quick clicks.
• Payment Flexibility. You should be able to offer credit terms for your customers, allow for purchase orders, and accept digital wallets as part of the payment process.
• Frictionless checkout. The more you can reduce repeated steps from the buying journey to the checkout process, the better your eCommerce initiative will be.

Content is the heart of engagement and tells the world you are a thought leader in your business. You can develop numerous content strategies, for example:

• Publish white papers, case studies and tutorials to showcase thought leadership.
• Create keywords to get viewers to your site, focusing on terms like "IT procurement solutions," "B2B IT eCommerce," and "B2B eCommerce strategy."
• Use high-quality product images, descriptions, and meta tags to optimize your product pages.

A service like Redington Online that supports product content, offers partner product content, makes IT procurement very simple by allowing the IT buyer to understand and evaluate solutions prior to making a purchasing decision.

A very strong customer support ecosystem can elevate good businesses to great businesses. You may want to consider:

• Dedicated Account Managers, which support personal relationships by designating solely dedicated experts for key accounts.
• 24/7 support — consider chatbots or AI driven tools that provide round-the-clock assistance without proportional staffing costs.
• Comprehensive FAQs and Knowledge Bases. Ahead of and in addition to excellent customer service, give your customer the option of resolving their own issues.

New technologies are here to stay and are getting better with every passing day. Learn them, incorporate and use:

• Artificial Intelligence (AI) — use AI for personalized recommendations and predictive analytics to stay ahead of demand.
• Blockchain — to help with security around transactions, and help to manage unknown complexity around supply chain.
• Internet of Things (IoT) — to properly enhance inventory tracking and keep clients current in real-time.