For online B2B ventures, and especially those involved in wholesaling, creating an online ordering system is very much recommended. There are many benefits of installing an ordering system on your B2B ecommerce site, specifically arranged for the use of clients and to place and arrange regular orders. Installing an ordering system can free up sales reps for other tasks, streamline accounting, improve the accuracy of orders, and generally increase the efficiency of your enterprise. Olympic Eyewear, a distributor of wholesale sunglasses, says that there are quite a few differences between a B2B ecommerce ordering system and the familiar shopping cart which is a feature of B2C ecommerce sites.
What is a B2B Online Ordering System
Most broadly defined, a B2B online ordering system is an online ordering system used by wholesalers to purchase bulk goods from manufacturers or by retailers to purchase bulk goods from wholesalers. Often, orders are placed as and when they are needed by means of contacting the supplier and placing an order. With an online ordering system, the entire process becomes more streamlined and the party using the system can place repeat orders and modify their arrangements as they wish.
However, it is not just the ordering process that an online ordering system can automatically handle. In the world of wholesaling, there is a frequent need for sales reps to themselves contact potential customers and arrange orders for wholesale shipments. This is because the marketing done by wholesalers is not the same as with B2C ecommerce enterprises. There are no mass advertising campaigns on social media. Instead, sales reps will contact companies that could be interested in stocking their product and make the case. With an online ordering system, this type of marketing can be done through the wholesaler’s website, but clients still need to be contacted by the wholesaler first.
Main Components of a B2B Online Ordering System
As mentioned, B2B online ordering systems are different from the ordering systems used by ordinary ecommerce consumers. They have many significant differences, and they are designed to fulfill distinct roles. To understand this better, here follows the main components of a B2B online ordering system:
Invitation Only Access for Sales Reps and Customers
In wholesaling, pricing is not something that is broadly advertised, instead negotiations with clients are made at the point when sales are arranged. Accordingly, access to the actual ordering system, where prices can be viewed and status can be tracked, should be restricted only to confirmed customers and sales reps. This also allows you to negotiate and change pricing on an order-by-order basis.
Customer Specific Order Forms
B2B business is all about having a distinct relationship with each individual customer. Consequently, it should be possible to create order forms tailored to the specific customer. This will also allow the customer to make repeat orders that are nevertheless tailored to their specific requirements.
Integrations with Other Applications
Integration with other available applications is something that should certainly be accounted for in every B2B online ordering system. Unlike the one-off transactions of B2C enterprises, wholesale orders are very specific and detailed. Sometimes you need to use other apps to organize it all properly, and they should be well-integrated into the ordering system.
Last Word
B2B ordering systems provide many benefits to both customers and wholesalers. They allow for detailed and tailor-made orders to be arranged, repeated, and modified as required. They also allow for effective negotiation of prices and provide a certain marketing role as well. If you are involved in online wholesaling, then an ordering system comes much advised.