It is now well recognized that eCommerce is all-pervasive and growing at a great pace touching all our lives. Each of us actively participate in this digital revolution every day and all the time. However, when it comes to our business transactions, we are still dependent largely on the offline model of transactions. It is important to understand the reasons and address them so that we can truely leverage the benefits of digital commerce.

Limitations of eCommerce for B2B

B2B transactions are essentially between two businesses.

They differ from B2C transactions in a number of ways
1. Smaller number of customers: Unlike B2C, we are dealing with a much smaller number of potential customers in the B2B space.This makes it a bit of a risky venture for small and medium eCommerce businesses.
2. Price Revelation: Unlike in the B2C, sellers do not want to reveal their price publicly to all and sundry. They would rather keep the cards to themselves until they undertsand the seriousness of the enquiry and customise the offer based on several other parameters such as credit, relationship with the customer and the need to achieve monthly or quarterly targets in the B2B space.
3. Leanthy decision-making: Unlike B2C, the decision to finalise and order involves leangthy decision-making process within the organization. Typically it follows multiple levels of negotations between the two businesses before an order is confirmed.
4. Decision makers are not users of the platform: The final decions maker is never really the user of the B2B platform. That role is probably delegated to a member of the staff who only executes the order. This makes it trickier to deal with.

Overcoming these limitations

While these limitations are here to stay for busiensses, they are being denied the benefits of digital eCommerce. By participating in eCommerce these businesses would benefit by increasing their reach, getting the best price as determined by the market forces, reduce errors in order management and also reduce cost of operations.

There are some ways businesses can participate while keeping in mind the tricky nature of B2B
1. Anonymous Listing: Most B2B platforms publish the prices with names of the sellers prominently displayed to all users. While this is great tool in the B2C platforms where the sellers want to reach customers and be known in the market, it is not welcome in the B2B environment. distiE is a unique platform where the prices are visible to users but the identity of the seller is not revealed to the buyer until they confirm the purchase. In this way, the sellers can confidently publish the real prices without hesitation. The buysers are serious buysers because they have already been vaidated by distiE team prior to registration and are here for the benefits of the platform.
2. Best price wins: If multiple selelrs have listed the same product with different condistions such as MOQ or target based incentives, distiE algorithm identifies the best price for the quantity sought by the buyer. Depending upon the buyers needs order is sent to the most suitable seller only.
3. Multiple users from the same organization: All sales and buying managers of the organization can potentially sign-up individually on distiE. They can each browse and identify opportunity to maximize their objectives while sharing the same company profile. distiE has in-built tools to ensure no conflict between users of the same profile
4. Lead generation only: The orders placed by busyers have all the data points related to their identity, the quantity, price, part number and description of the product as well as their address and contact details. This can easily be downloaded as a worksheet and handled in the ERP of the sellers. However, recognizing that the final decision regarding credit and logistics are still a step away, such orders can be treated as leads rather than final orders. In this way, we can overcome the issue of decison-making process of the businesses.

In addition to this, distiE offers an option of store-front for businesses that wish to have a digital presence of their own. Such a store front can then be accessed only by their regerstered buyers. This custom storefront becomes a powerful tool for completely digitizing the order management process. Sellers can seamlessly share their storefront link with customers, providing a direct and user-friendly channel for transactions. This not only simplifies the buying process for customers but also ensures that orders are efficiently managed within the distiE platform.

The custom storefront feature is a key benefit included in distiE's Premium Membership, making it an attractive proposition for sellers looking to elevate their online presence. In addition to the storefront, premium members enjoy unlimited product listings, allowing for a comprehensive showcase of their catalog. The flat fee of Rs 50,000 per month provides predictability and affordability, making it a cost-effective choice for sellers of all scales.

A dedicated storefront within the distiE ecosystem offers sellers increased visibility among potential buyers. Customers browsing the platform may discover and explore the seller's store, leading to enhanced sales opportunities. This heightened visibility is particularly valuable in a competitive marketplace, allowing sellers to stand out and attract a broader customer base.

The custom storefront not only serves as a transactional space but also as a canvas for sellers to express their brand personality. Sellers can tailor the shopping experience, from branding elements to product displays, creating a cohesive and memorable journey for their customers.

In conclusion, distiE offers a unique digital journey for the IT Channel community by which they can leverage the full benefits that digitalization brings while addressing their tricky limitations. Check out a demo storefront now