B2B E-commerce: Complexity and Technology Requirements
B2B e-commerce has grown rapidly — buyers expect the same digital experience they have as consumers, but procurement processes require additional capabilities: customer-specific pricing, complex approval workflows, purchase orders, net payment terms, and account management. B2B e-commerce platforms must handle this additional complexity.
B2B Specific Requirements
- Customer-specific pricing: Different prices for different customers — contract pricing, volume discounts, negotiated rates. Not catalogue pricing.
- Account structure: Multiple buyers under one account with different roles (requisitioner, approver, accounts payable)
- Approval workflows: Orders over certain values require approval before processing
- Purchase orders: Pay by PO number rather than card; net 30/60/90 payment terms
- Bulk ordering: CSV upload or list ordering for large orders
- Reorder: Easy reordering of standard baskets and previous orders
- Integration with ERP: Order data must flow into the customer's ERP for procurement management
Platform Options
Shopify Plus with B2B features, Adobe Commerce (Magento B2B), OroCommerce (purpose-built B2B), Salesforce Commerce Cloud (B2B), Commercetools (composable, requires engineering). The right choice depends on catalogue complexity, customer-specific pricing requirements, and existing ERP/CRM landscape.