Distributors are facing a trio of challenges that include growing market pressure, increasingly complex supply chains, and B2B customers’ expectation of immediate, personalized service. Yet despite these demands, many companies still rely on outdated systems and siloed workflows that slow the industry’s adoption of a digital-first mindset.
To avoid these roadblocks, distributors need solutions that will modernize operations. With b2b commerce sales projected to grow 7.8% per year, reaching $3 trillion by 2028, embracing a more tech-driven approach will become mandatory for survival in competitive markets.
As a catalyst for transformation, e-commerce strategies can be tailored for distribution and leveraged to facilitate improvements across customer experience, sales enablement, and supply chain optimization.
Distribution-Focused E-commerce Platforms Packs Powerful Tools into Single System
The B2B distribution industry is on the cusp of a significant digital shift. Buyers now expect the ease, speed, and real-time service they experience on consumer platforms. 40% of B2B buyers expect responses to their inquiries within an hour, and more than half prefer to place online orders rather than going through traditional methods. Distributors constrained by issues like manual entry, siloed systems, and long quoting cycles may have difficulty keeping up.
With the right tools, companies can reshape their operations through dynamic, accessible channels that enhance customer engagement and expedite order processing to grow revenue. E-commerce platforms operate 24/7, allowing users to place orders, check pricing, and track shipments at their convenience. They can also manage their own accounts, view purchase histories, and reorder products quickly through customer self-service portals. And as buyers become accustomed to new procedures and systems, platforms with predictive analytics capabilities can forecast demand, anticipate consumer behavior, and optimize inventory management, which contribute to smarter decisions.
However, e-commerce platforms vary widely in capability. The true benefits shine through when e-commerce seamlessly integrates with a distributor’s enterprise resource planning (ERP) system, which typically serves as an operational nerve center. By bridging gaps between sales, inventory, and order fulfillment, ERP-integrated e-commerce platforms provide seamless data flow and eliminate inefficiencies to provide a competitive advantage. Companies that implement ERP-integrated e-commerce platforms report faster pricing, reduced manual errors, and higher average order value.
Unified Commerce Empowers Sales and Personalizes Experiences
The notion that e-commerce sidelines sales teams can result in missed opportunities that hurt companies, customers, and the sales team itself. B2B e-commerce platforms amplify sales representatives’ effectiveness with insights that unify digital and human touchpoints, enabling more personalized, consultative engagement. The strategy works by:
- Providing customer insights on a scale: E-commerce systems leverage real-time behavioral and transactional data from ERPs to offer a better understanding of customer preferences, allowing sales teams to facilitate more meaningful interactions.
- Personalizing across channels: Unified commerce makes experiences more consistent, whether a buyer initiates contact online, through a sales representative, or via a mobile app. Using customer-specific data, ERP-integrated platforms ensure the same tailored recommendations and pricing are always applied.
- Streamlining processes: Sales representatives can also use the insights to enhance conversations, respond to inquiries faster, and offer smarter recommendations, leading to stronger relationships and more revenue.
Unified commerce is not intended to replace human interaction but instead can enhance it with digital precision and real-time capabilities. In fact, teams using data and generative AI to personalize the customer experience are 1.7 times more likely to gain market share than those who don’t.
Ignoring E-Commerce’s Momentum Could Hinder B2B Growth
Beyond customer engagement, e-commerce plays a key role in reshaping supply chain operations. When incorporated with ERP and warehouse management systems, e-commerce platforms enhance visibility into inventory, automate workflows, and reduce costly errors often caused by manual processes. This integration is crucial, as any effective strategy-commerce or otherwise — requires strong connections and collaboration between all levels of an organization. B2B e-commerce platforms take this step further, supplying insights that can tighten the alignment between distributors’ organizational goals, team training, and long-term operational plans.
The B2B e-commerce movement has grown tremendously in recent years and will continue its trajectory as technological advancements bolster the momentum. Among organizations with an e-commerce offering, the channel has surpassed in-person sales to claim the top revenue-generating spot. From 2023 to 2024, in-person revenue declined five percentage points, while one-third of revenue now flows through e-commerce. This transformation, fueled by a jump in customer confidence with remote and self-serve transactions, particularly for orders exceeding $500,000, underscores e-commerce’s value and the evolving expectations of B2B buyers.
Overlooking the benefits of implementing a comprehensive e-commerce strategy at this point risks leaving profits and market share on the table. Connecting with prospects, scaling successfully, and navigating digital-first industries necessitate solutions that work seamlessly in conjunction with existing systems to deliver the best possible results. In addition to maximizing operational efficiency, aligning eCommerce and ERP platforms will reliably deliver the innovative, personalized experiences that today’s customers now consider non-negotiable.
Travis Rothstein is currently a senior manager of Acquisition Sales & Integrations at Advantive.