Magento eCommerce Platform for B2B Applications
Traditionally, e-commerce sites were tied to a retail type of business, or business-to-consumer (B2C). That is no longer the case. Though e-commerce sites are quite strong among B2C businesses, business-to-business (B2B) companies are catching up.
The Amazon era is here, and even the slowest technology adopters are giving into the e-commerce wave. Companies that remain skeptical will run into trouble sooner or later. Most businesses, however, are taking this shift seriously and are fully restructuring their sales and distribution channels.
Competition is just one of the factors affecting this change. Another one is buyers themselves. Companies increasingly find that it is their customers that are pushing for the move toward e-commerce. Today’s buyers are looking for self-service online portals that both simplify and speed up the purchasing process. Intuitive portals that recreate B2C purchasing structures will receive the highest grades.
There are many e-commerce solutions, each with its own pros and cons. Though e-commerce platforms typically focus on either B2C or B2B applications, Magento easily supports both. As an open-source, cloud-based e-commerce platform, Magento offers a range of powerful features online sellers need.
Just recently, Forrester named Magento the leader for B2B Commerce Sites for Midsize Organizations. This comes as no surprise. The platform is loaded with high-power features and provides a scalable solution for any business type. This software has been the leading product in the e-commerce industry for many years.
Here are some of the key features that Magento offers to B2B businesses:
Full Support for B2B Business Structure
Magento provides full support for B2B online sale structures. Management of multiple brands, key accounts, and channel partners are among many features this platform offers. Fully flexible and scalable, Magento was designed to support some of the most robust business processes and stakeholder needs.
Dealer portals allow buyers easy access to self-managing accounts and support for both tier pricing and rules based on the specific dealer. Preferred products, transaction history, and credit status are just some of the data points that users can access at any time.
Custom Storefronts
Online storefronts provide easy ways to customize the selling process. Companies can offer unique catalogs, then set specific prices and promotional campaigns based on market segment. The checkout process provides customers with different payment methods, based on the options they choose. This allows buyers to complete their purchases hassle-free.
Real-Time Inventory Management System
The platform includes a full-featured, real-time inventory management system. This helps customers and sales personnel work with the most accurate inventory information, which in turn informs purchasing decisions and increases chances for a sale.
Seamless Ordering System
Magento provides an intuitive ordering system and allows customers to look up products in multiple ways. For example, they can select products based on their SKUs or simply use the pre-built preferred products feature.
Marketing- and Sales-Ready
As a fully responsive platform, Magento supports any personal device. Customers can look up products, request a quote, or make purchases at any time. In addition, the platform offers content management and a promotion system that allows for targeted marketing and sales campaigns.
Flexible Management and Integration
As an open-source, cloud-based platform, Magento stays true to its community by offering a highly sophisticated product at an affordable price. Its stable core engine requires only a minimal amount of maintenance compared to competing e-commerce platforms. Furthermore, Magento’s robust API allows it to connect to any external system without major modifications. Lastly, Magento can be customized to support any business feature the user requires.
Blue Stingray has a dedicated team of qualified Magento experts to help you take advantage of this powerful, versatile platform. We can help you create a custom store from ground up, build dedicated dealer portals, or refine functionality with custom extensions.
To schedule a free, no-strings-attached consultation and demo, contact us at info@bluestingray.com, and we will be happy to talk to you about how this platform can revolutionize your business.
