Request demo

What is Business to Business (B2B)? Find out what B2B means and how an e-commerce portal works.

What is B2B e-commerce

What is B2B e-commerce?

B2B e-commerce refers to online commercial transactions that take place between two companies. A Business to Business e-commerce portal works similarly to an online store, the difference being that it is aimed at legal entities and not individuals. We say that it works similarly, because its role is the same, namely to present to customers the product and/or service offer of the company that owns it.
The concept of e-commerce is constantly evolving, and depending on how transactions are carried out, we currently encounter the following types of B2B portals:

  • 1. Buyer-oriented

    these are owned by a community of companies interested in buying various products or services, which aim to carry out the acquisition process as efficiently as possible. This portal helps buyers to obtain the best prices from suppliers and benefit from low administration costs. On the other hand, suppliers have the opportunity to promote their catalogs to potential customers.

  • 2. Supplier-oriented

    these are managed by suppliers who aim to generate an online sales channel to potential customers. These portals offer suppliers increased visibility in the market, helping them attract more prospects. In turn, buyers also benefit from such a portal because they have access to detailed information about suppliers and can search more efficiently for similar products and services.

  • 3. Independent

    are managed by a third party that offers a common B2B platform – accessible to both suppliers and buyers. Registered members of the platform can display advertisements, request offers or organize auctions.

  • 4. Vertical trading platforms

    these connect every sector of a particular industry. These portals increase operating efficiency and reduce logistics costs.

  • 5. Horizontal trading platforms

    these connect suppliers and buyers from various industries around the world. They are similar to a huge marketplace where people can sell or purchase products or services.

How does a B2B e-commerce portal work?

How does a B2B e-commerce portal work

Within a B2B portal, the company - supplier presents its products or services, along with prices, stocks and other useful details for the sales process, such as personalized discounts for customer types. The company - customer accesses the B2B portal, analyzes the available offer, and if interested, can place an order or a request for quotation, as appropriate.

B2B e-commerce platform

Most of the time, the company that owns the B2B e-commerce portal will provide its customers with registration details or allow them to create their own account. This way, each customer will benefit from secure access to information related to online orders, balances or personalized offers, and the offer presented can be adjusted according to the preferences of the user who is logged into the portal.

Nowadays, B2B e-commerce activity has borrowed many of the advantages offered by the B2C business to consumer platform. Thus, a B2B e-commerce portal can be as attractive as an online store, including specific elements of the latter, such as promotions, discounts, detailed product images and presentations, online support, coupon systems or loyalty points, etc.

E-commerce B2B portal – what are the advantages?

  • Access to a new market, which is constantly growing, and to new categories of consumers, such as those who prefer online commerce to the detriment of traditional ones
  • Customer loyalty, thanks to the safe and fast way in which they can purchase products and services
  • Access to a promotion and sales channel available 24/7, accessible from anywhere there is an internet connection, including from mobile platforms
  • Facilitating communication with customers, through the possibility of integrating an online support service
  • The possibility of updating the available offer in real time
  • An easy way to present a large number of product features
  • The possibility of attaching images, presentations, video demonstrations or other multimedia information to help with sales
  • Reducing the costs involved in printing catalogs, as they can be presented in electronic format
  • Access to a wide variety of promotion methods, specific to online commerce: newsletters, banners, etc.
  • Access to a flexible application, which can be customized to the specifics of the business, workflows, etc.
Both Manufacturers and Distributors in the B2B field can have an e-commerce platform. Because everyone has different needs, a B2B online commerce portal offers different advantages. Thus:

A B2B portal for Distributors offers:

  • Full catalogs with images
  • Detailed product specifications
  • Multiple units of measure for the same product
  • Multi-depot storage
  • A quick and easy way to order

A B2B portal for Manufacturers offers:

  • Increased customer security
  • Customer access to negotiated prices
  • Detailed product information, such as manufacturing method
  • Information about the status of the order/ordered products

B2B e-commerce portal integrated with the ERP software

Connecting a B2B portal module to the ERP system involves the automatic exchange of information between them. Thus:

  • Information about customers who register in the portal is also transmitted to the ERP
  • The commercial policies established in the relationship with partners, once set in the ERP software system, are also taken over in the portal: any order created in the portal takes into account the payment terms and discounts established in the customer contracts
  • The prices available in the price lists in the ERP are synchronized with those in the portal, and any changes made in the ERP are also visible in the portal
  • All orders placed in the B2B portal automatically arrive in the ERP to be processed
  • The stocks in the ERP are also visible in the portal
  • Customers can see the status of orders, balances, invoices, etc. at any time

Advantages of Ecommerce platform integration with an ERP system

  • Ensures information transparency
  • Automates the order taking process
  • Provides self-service functionalities
  • Reduces order fulfillment time and increases order accuracy
  • Eliminates the possibility of human error
  • Provides increased security for registered users

Learn more about e-commerce solutions

The platforms from Senior Software are aimed at all companies that carry out commercial transactions and want efficient promotion in the online area, whether they are wholesalers, resellers or retailers.
See more details

B2B and B2C e-commerce platforms in Romania

Promote your business intelligently with the right e-commerce platform!

Whether you need an e-commerce platform for business-to-business or business-to-consumer activities, Senior Software solutions help you simplify your company’s processes and offer you everything you need to achieve the desired sales performance. Choose the sales portal that suits you:

  • B2B Portal
Increase your business visibility and improve your relationship with your business partners with the SeniorB2B business-to-business e-commerce platform. Senior Software’s B2B sales platform ensures efficient promotion of your product portfolio, secure access for each user and, last but not least, simplifies customer ordering processes and helps you manage customer orders in much more less time and efficiently.
Discover the b2b portal

  • B2C Portal

Buyers are increasingly turning to e-commerce, which is why we provide you with modern online stores, with all the necessary tools to attract as many customers as possible and achieve the desired sales performance. With SeniorB2C you promote your business simply and quickly and attract customers from everywhere. Your products gain maximum visibility on the market and you process more orders in a very short time.

Discover the b2c portal

What is B2B (Business to Business) e-commerce?