We all know that shoppers are buying more online than ever before. But did you know that it’s not just consumers, but businesses too, which are making the move to online orders? Online retail for B2B businesses is one of the biggest ways you can grow your business, right now… here’s how.
In the age of Covid-19, with people across the world staying home and not visiting physical premises to buy goods, customers are moving to online purchasing in their droves. In fact, in June 2020, global retail e-commerce traffic stood at a record 22 billion monthly visits – and it’s projected to continue to grow to 22% of all global retail sales by 2023. Even more excitingly, a 2018 survey found that 48% of companies now conduct 50–74% of all corporate purchases online. If you haven’t adapted to ecommerce yet, all that revenue opportunity is just waiting for you to embrace.
The good news is that even if your company has had a difficult year in the wake of the pandemic, that business hasn’t gone anywhere – it’s just that your clients are selling to their customers online. And now that they have adapted and seen how much more efficient digital selling is for their business, they expect their suppliers to do the same.
Curbell Plastics is the perfect example of a B2B business which has embraced ecommerce – and is reaping the rewards. The American fabricator supplies plastic materials to corporate clients, and though it has sold to loyal customers since 1942 from a small New York machine shop, it has embraced online selling to its clients through a modern, responsive online platform, which is totally mobile optimised – making it easier than ever for clients to order from them.
So how do you set up your own ecommerce? As far as resources go, once you have the web hosting and initial platform development taken care of, all you need to maintain an online store is a computer and the internet. And even if your business isn’t currently a particularly technological one, it’s easier than you’d think to adapt your physical shop to an online one.
One thing you’ll be surprised about, is how it’s not actually expensive to do so – a SouqBox ecommerce solution starts at just £200pcm, with the potential B2B sales as a result far surpassing the initial cost. Plus taking away the need for physical space for a business means that money can be more wisely spent on developing your ecommerce platform.
Today, online ordering has provided not only a lifeline for both consumer and B2B sales, but an exciting new opportunity for new, bigger ticket B2B sales. Once you can offer a wider variety of products thanks to being online, you’re more likely to get those big sales from new clients.
While some small businesses are hampered – and even going out of business – as a result of the restrictions of the pandemic, adding ecommerce to your business not only gives a more efficient way for your existing customers to continue to buy from you, but opens up your business to a world of new customers.
If you haven’t yet embraced ecommerce for your business, now’s the time – you’ll be amazed by the doors to growth which it opens.
