Factors To Consider Before Choosing A B2B E-commerce Platform

Understanding the factors to consider before choosing a B2B e-commerce platform is crucial to stay competitive. In today’s world, most B2B buyers purchase online. Thus, having an online presence is important. You will need a comprehensive e-commerce platform to make an expansive e-commerce store. Moreover, the platform should be well customized that can meet the needs of the users.  

 Here are some of the most important factors that you should keep in mind to grow your business effectively. 

• Less Programming 

 In this era of rapidly changing technologies, you must keep your business up to date with the latest technologies. Many businesses are opting for open source platforms. Though these platforms are easily operable, they are going to cost a huge amount of money in the long run. This issue will not occur if you opt for a SaaS (Software as a Service). With a SaaS, it becomes extremely easier to build, design, add an extension and make any changes.  

• Mobile Friendly 

 In 2019, the global mobile internet traffic was 48.91%. It means, almost half of the buyers use mobiles to make a purchase. Hence, you should always look for a platform that is mobile-friendly. Most e-commerce website developers provide mobile-friendly websites that are easy to operate.  

• Availability Of Extensions

Maybe you want specific features to your online website. You can do it by adding extensions which also helps avoid lengthy development processes. Extensions allow you to use optimized tools that will meet the requirements of your customers.  

• Customer Service & Security 

 One of the most important things that enhances the performance of a business is its Customer Service. Many technical issues occur such as malfunctions and downtimes that affect your sales and profits due to poor customer service.  

 Therefore, look for how focused a provider is towards customer service while choosing a B2B e-commerce platform. You ask the provider these questions to gauge their level of customer service: 

• How many levels of support they can provide? 
• How much time do they require to provide support? 
• Do they provide 24×7 live chat support? 

 When it comes to talking about security, the modern customer is aware of online scams. Hence, security should be the major selling point of a B2B platform provider. Make sure that the provider offers HTTPS/SSL secure checkouts.  

• Supply Chain Management 

 Supply Chain Management is another important aspect of B2B e-commerce. Customers should get their delivery on time. Hence, you should always invest in a platform that manages your supply chain management. Moreover, a good platform will always have an optimized shipping cost.  

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  Reasonable Pricing

 Pricing on of the most important factors to consider when you are searching for an e-commerce platform. Whether you are a small start-up or an established company, you must ensure the pricing is reasonable. Most of the platforms have monthly fees but depend on the type of platform you need. However, don’t compromise with the services you need for a cheaper price. You can try comparing all the platforms and make your decision.  

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  SEO Friendliness

 SEO is an important factor to consider for an e-commerce platform. Your store should rank high in the search results if you do SEO well. It will help your consumers to find you when they need a relevant product or service. You should look for these factors for an SEO friendly platform: 

• It provides an option to add a blog to your website 
• It allows you to use your own domain name 
• It lets your customers to leave valuable reviews 

 Starting a new business online is a challenging task. You need to consider many things. With a wide range of options, It becomes very difficult to choose the right platform for you. However, if the platform meets your requirements and budget then must go for it. With the right B2B e-commerce platform, you will be able to grow your business rapidly in no time.