Why Do VAR Businesses Need a B2B eCommerce Platform?

B2B eCommerce has rapidly increased in popularity and has become the fastest-growing business model globally. As businesses and supply chains were impacted by the pandemic, digital-enabled sales interactions became more significant. VAR business processes should start considering B2B eCommerce now as we move towards a more digital future.

What is a Value-added Reseller (VAR) and B2B eCommerce Platforms?

Value-added resellers (VARs) resell products and services with added custom features and services to third-party products and increase their brand value. In addition, they’re a valuable distribution channel for manufacturers.

Organizations rely on VARs as channel partners to deliver their products to the end user. The original equipment manufacturer ( OEM ) sells its products to the VAR, who then bundles them with an add-on to resell.

The VAR’s value-added approach may take on a variety of forms. VARs may provide unique software products in addition to the original item, or they may provide consultation or other professional services, but one thing is for sure: VARs always provide something extra to their customers besides the original product.

B2B eCommerce Platform

business-to-business (B2B) transaction occurs when businesses transact with each other, as opposed to a business-to-consumer (B2C) transaction, which refers to a transaction between companies and their customers. An online business/ eCommerce platform makes it possible for businesses to sell goods and services online.

The Rise of B2B eCommerce: Why VAR Businesses Need to Take Notice?

There has been explosive growth in eCommerce over the past few years. This has intensified the need for IT VAR eCommerce software businesses to concentrate their efforts online as eCommerce has become an essential tool for growth. As the business-to-business (B2B) industry continues to develop, eCommerce is no longer an option, but a necessity.

Companies that sell B2B products nowadays are more likely to offer eCommerce rather than in-person sales.

How does eCommerce integration meet the needs of VARs?

eCommerce integration is a win-win for both you and your customers. Here are some key B2B eCommerce features for IT resellers to look for when choosing an eCommerce platform:

• Increased customer satisfaction

A reseller eCommerce platform integration is a key need for an IT reseller to streamline their business processes and keep their customers satisfied and boost their bottom line.

By integrating the eCommerce platform for IT and office supplies VARs with their back-end systems, they can provide customers with a convenient way to purchase the products and services they need.

In addition, eCommerce integration can help VARs to better manage their inventory and orders, as well as gain real-time insight into their business.

• Increased efficiency

Many processes are automated and errors are eliminated by integrating all the software applications you use. By providing a single source of data, you can make it easier for your team to find relevant information quickly when they need it.

• Integrates with your existing systems

The last thing you want is to have to rebuild your entire infrastructure just to accommodate a new eCommerce platform. Look for a platform that can integrate easily with your existing accounting, CRM, and ERP systems.

• A robust catalog management system

Adding and updating products in your online catalog should be easy. An eCommerce platform with powerful search and filtering capabilities makes it easier for your customers to find what they’re looking for.

• Reducing costs

An eCommerce platform that integrates directly with ERP solutions draws data directly from ERP software. This eliminates the need to store additional data. Moreover, your IT department does not have to maintain data to ensure that your eCommerce business store displays the correct information.

With integrated eCommerce, you reduce costs by eliminating this manual maintenance requirement.

The Challenges of B2B Integration: What Needs to Be Considered?

B2B integration is an ongoing, challenging process necessary in an ever-changing business environment. It doesn’t matter whether you have your B2B integration solution or a cloud-based integration service, they both pose some challenges when it comes to integrating them into a business ecosystem.

More business partners mean more integrations for businesses. Due to this, the complexity of these integrations increases as non-traditional communication technologies are used more extensively. As a result, B2B integration processes are becoming more costly.

• Keeping up with technology, protocols, and standards is always a challenge for B2B integrations.
• Integrations require careful consideration of ever-changing government regulations.
• Data volume creates integration problems.
• Smaller companies often lack the resources and budget to seamlessly integrate their business.

Benefits of a B2B eCommerce Platform

B2B integration offers the following benefits:

• Information processing is faster, cheaper, and less likely to result in errors.
• Faster and more efficient decision-making through improved visibility of revenue-driven business models.
• Automating and digitizing information reduces rework and increases cash flow.
• A seamless integration of ERP software with an eCommerce platform removes all eCommerce-related challenges.
• Orders, pricing, discounts, and history are all collected in one place with B2B eCommerce software integrated with VAR ERP software.

How to Choose the Right B2B eCommerce Platform?

When it comes to B2B eCommerce, the wrong platform can cost you time, money, and customers. So how do you choose the right one? Look for a platform that is easy to use and navigate, fast, and flexible. As your business grows, the eCommerce platform should support scalability.

The platform you choose should have a robust set of self-service features that will allow your customers to manage their accounts and place orders easily. This is crucial for any B2B business as it will save you a lot of time and hassle in the long run.

The Bottom Line

An eCommerce strategy for B2B businesses aims to attract, retain, and repeat customers online. As B2B buyers increasingly use the internet, businesses are being challenged to become digitally savvy.

Taking advantage of this growing industry at this time will be a game-changing business decision. By implementing customer-centric solutions, tracking data, and creating flexible payment options, eCommerce can boost conversions exponentially.