E-Commerce itself is a challenging business domain and things get even more complicated if it gets combined with the B2B business scenario. The needs of B2B e-commerce merchants are quite distinct from the ones selling in the B2C domain. Therefore, only having a full-feature Magento store will not be enough. You would need to think something completely different, as you are dealing with businesses rather than customers and they would not be browsing your stores as individuals do. Magento 2 is a platform that comes with the right set of features to suffice the needs of B2B e-commerce enterprises. Let’s explore the features that make Magento 2 development the right choice for such businesses.
Bulk Order: Since B2B customers shop in bulk rather than make individual purchases, there is a need for the store to support bulk orders. With Magento 2, the merchants can offer large quantities of items along with bulk discounts. They can specify minimum order thresholds as well.
Quick Order: The platform also extends the “Quick Order” functionality to facilitate the placement of repeat orders. The functionality enables the customers to search the products easily and select them in bulk in one go when they buy them repetitively. All they need to do is to enter the product SKU or upload an order sheet.
Tiered Pricing: B2B merchants may have to set unique prices for different customers, depending on factors such as the order quantity, frequency of repeat purchases, etc. Magento 2 allows tiered pricing, with specific price lists, payment options, and shipping methods for specific customers.
Account Management: Another key functionality that this platform brings to such businesses is that of effective account management. It enables the merchant to set roles and permissions and also create sub-accounts, as the need may be, so that he can exercise complete control over the accounts.
Quotation Process: Another default feature that Magento 2 caters for B2B sellers is Quotation Process. Such enterprises deal with a large number of suppliers and there is a need to manage the complex quotation process from start to finish. The entire process flow is managed effectively with this feature.
Inventory Tracking: Another complexity in this business domain relates to inventory tracking and management, which is again well-resolved by this choice of platform. It enables the merchant to track the inventory across various warehouse locations, online and offline.
Custom Configurations: B2B businesses require custom product configurations as buyers seek refined categorizations as they navigate the stores. With Magento 2, the category pages can be tailored with customized views and categories that match the buyer’s expectations and needs.
Payment options and credit limits: Payments in this vertical come on a monthly or quarterly basis and retailers and wholesalers are given specified credit limits. The Magento 2 platform provides a default functionality called Purchase Orders, which facilitates the management of payments and credit limits.
SEO and E-mail marketing: The platform also extends effective SEO and e-mail marketing features that are effective for generating traffic and engaging customers respectively. With these features, the business can bring in customers and retain them for the long-run.
ERP integration: ERP integration is essential for B2B concerns as they enable them to handle the entire operational complexities, including the ones involving logistic and financial operations. Magento 2 infrastructure supports ERP integration and enables the streamlining of diverse business functions for the enterprises.
Conclusion
Considering the suitability of the platform, it becomes imperative for B2B enterprises to opt for it. However, there is a need for an expert Magento agency that can take care of the entire aspects of e-commerce development or migration to this platform. We, at Magento US, are a reputed technology partner you can trust. Get in touch with us to hire Magento 2 developers with extensive skill and expertise.
