It’s unclear why B2B ecommerce is often compared with B2C, given how different the experiences are for buyers and the underlying infrastructures for selling products online. Yet the comparisons persist, with many B2B companies frustrated that they can’t fully monetize their ecommerce channel. In fact, 65% of B2B leaders said that ecommerce was broken at their organization in the 2024 State of B2B Ecommerce Report by Forrester Consulting and Zoovu.
These decision-makers are striving to make changes, as 74% of the survey participants recognize the need to digitally transform the selling experience. Yet they are often hampered by ecommerce platforms that can’t handle the complexity and volume of their product data.
For many of these businesses, especially those with vast amounts of inventory, it is challenging to maintain accurate, clean and current product information online. It is not uncommon to see product information maintained using a variety of formats such as catalogs, PDFs and both printed and digital sell sheets. Ensuring consistency and accuracy of product information across all these formats is nearly impossible without a dedicated team responsible for overseeing hundreds, if not thousands, of SKUs. As a result, only 4% of B2B companies make all their products available online, leaving money on the table.
However, there are ways for B2B companies to improve the performance of their ecommerce platforms. Before tackling those, let’s first understand how we got to this point by taking a closer look at the history of ecommerce.
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The Problem with Comparing B2B and B2C Buying Experiences
For too long, the assumption has been that B2B would follow the path of B2C in delivering buying experiences online. Consumers have been conditioned to expect the easy, self-service experience of online shopping, regardless of product or platform. One click is no longer a novelty, it’s the norm. This is because many consumer products sold online are typically less complex and expensive than B2B products.
For example, the risk of buying a sweater that doesn’t fit simply can’t be compared to purchasing the wrong medical supplies.
Still, consumer conditioning seeps into the B2B experience. Businesses fundamentally understand the online buying process often involves research, an authorized purchase order, a complex supply chain and interacting with a qualified sales professional to produce a quote.
For today’s buyers, however, it’s human nature to expect the B2B buying process to be streamlined. Arguably, streamlining the process is where the biggest disconnect happens, but it’s not due to a lack of trying.
Many attempts at fully automated self-service have failed in B2B. What has worked is maintaining a human touch. In these environments, B2B ecommerce makes it easier for buyers to conduct research on a vendor’s site and narrow the selection process. However, a human is often required to cost, price and quote the purchase order. For example, buying replacement parts for industrial machinery often requires the expertise of a live salesperson.
Then came AI. Could it replace your best salesperson? Not quite. Not yet.
Where AI Supports B2B Ecommerce
While a lot of AI discussions are future-focused, B2B businesses that view it as an augmentation strategy as opposed to a replacement tactic are realizing significant gains.
AI can help a B2B salesperson automate the mundane and repetitive tasks that are part of their job. For example, AI can engage a customer in a pre-qualification process using intelligent agents and narrow the product selection process before putting a live salesperson on the line. The salesperson can respond to qualified inquiries faster, with a higher level of service and attention to detail, making them more valuable to customers and their employers
AI also can fix the issue of inconsistent product data by generating copy, therefore eliminating paper-based formats while also redirecting customers to the company’s website as a single source of information.
Both of these examples can be significant timesavers, enabling B2B companies to make their ecommerce channels more profitable. Yet before they can realize the benefits, businesses need to be sure their infrastructure and data are prepared for AI.
Prepare to Make the Most of AI
Based on conversations with top decision-makers, here are three ways B2B companies can improve the ecommerce experience for buyers:
1. Cleanse your product data. Generating sales collateral based on inconsistent or inaccurate product data is risky on a good day. Before AI can deliver any benefits, clean your product data.
2. Connect product data with key stakeholders in the supply chain to create better online customer experiences. Nobody likes to be notified after a purchase that the product isn’t available. This is especially true in B2B, where online purchases are more complex and most customers are buying a product with multiple parts. By having insight into the supply chain and automating mundane processes, sales reps and customers alike will not be caught off guard by potential delivery issues.
3. Use AI to personalize customer recommendations. Once the product data is cleaned and the inventory is accurate, AI can be used to make personalized recommendations based on the buyer’s specific needs. This is usually a combination of generative AI working with quality data to walk a buyer through the search and discovery process, generate a CPQ, and explain why certain products are the right fit based on the buyer’s existing products and/or future needs.
While B2B ecommerce is not likely to ever be a one-click experience, there is still plenty of room to improve the status quo. First, B2B companies should not compare their ecommerce channel with the B2C experience. Second, address the underlying infrastructure by making sure data is clean and accurate. Third, use AI to automate and remove unnecessary barriers to selling online. Combining proven ecommerce best practices with technology will close the missed opportunities gap for B2B companies.
Jonathan Taylor is the CTO at Zoovu, an AI-powered product discovery and ecommerce experience platform. He is a technology veteran with more than 15 years of experience using tech and data to drive business growth and innovation. His background is in software engineering and computer science. Before Zoovu, Taylor worked in C-suite roles at SmartFocus, Sentillian and 3i-MIND, where he focused on personalization, real-time interaction and strategic technical architecture.
