Seventy percent of today’s small online B2B businesses say they have lost a deal because potential customers had trouble ordering on their websites. And more specifically 35 percent blame their site’s inability to support promotional discounts or promotions.
The results are highlights of CloudCraze’s 2017 B2B Digital Commerce Imperative study.
CloudCraze, a B2B/B2C cross-channel eCommerce solution native on Salesforce (NYSE:CRM), surveyed nearly 200 IT and marketing professionals with an online presence about the challenges and opportunities they face serving customers across channels.
The company wanted to learn how brands that have already made the move online can drive greater sales through digital.
2017 B2B Ecommerce Trends
In general, CloudCraze’s study noted that a gap has emerged between the commerce expectations of B2B buyers and what brands are able to provide.
“Many [B2B businesses] struggle to meet the complex needs of their buyers due to a reliance on inflexible, outdated commerce systems,” wrote CloudCraze in its report. As a result, 31 percent say they’ve missed out on at least $2 million in sales.
Another notable finding was that business buyers’ expectations center around convenience. This is not entirely surprising. Most B2B customers demand mobile access to their commerce platform (55 percent), convenient payment processes (52 percent) and advanced payment features (50 percent).
But the study also unearthed some interesting data about B2C companies as well in its surveying.
When asked what would solve their customers’ pain points, B2C businesses said payment management was the first priority, with 26 percent ranking it highest on their list. Omnichannel account engagement came in second at 24 percent and storefront management third at 23 percent.
CloudCraze also surveyed 197 B2B and B2C businesses in September 2016. Download the full report for more industry insights on B2B and B2C customer expectations and business readiness in 2017.
Image: CloudCraze
This article, “70 Percent of B2Bs Have Lost Sales to Online Ordering Issues, Report Says” was first published on Small Business Trends