Choosing a B2B e-commerce platform

Today, B2C e-commerce platforms are an integral part of the digital street scene. And the battle between Bol.com and the Amazons of this world are not only taking place at the front (the consumer) but also at the back (platform choice).  

The development of B2B e-commerce propositions is lagging behind that of B2C platforms, but what is certain is that considerable catch-up is now being made. This means that companies that want to strengthen their e-commerce strategy are confronted with a large number of different solutions, providers and implementation partners.  In this blog, we explain the different development phases of e-commerce platforms. We also help you make the right choices when it comes to platforms and implementation partners. And we explain which issues can ensure that your e-commerce platform supports the intended business goals, now and in the future.

**From one digital sales channel to international growth  **

For many companies, the development of their B2B e-commerce platform can be divided into phases. You may recognize yourself in one or more of the following steps:  Step 1: Companies often start with one digital sales channel; a webshop as a desktop application.  Step 2: In this phase, it is important to expand the e-commerce business. This can be done by optimizing per screen type in the direction of its own "use case". For example; order at the office via a computer versus additional ordering on location with a tablet or telephone.  Step 3: The company wants to grow and sell internationally. 

**Avoid the need for (the costs of) a new platform  **

Every next step in the development of the B2B e-commerce platform, if properly implemented, always results in better business results. When choosing the platform, make sure that you (organization) are not forced to invest in a new platform at every step (we call that *re-platforming at rb2).  *Replatforming is the term used to replace the current platform with a new platform. If a company determines that the current platform no longer satisfies the (future) e-commerce proposition, then replatforming is inevitable.  The costs of re-platforming are almost never synchronized with the turnover and therefore probably not justified on a commercial basis. So it is important to choose a platform that can last several growth phases, at the necessary adjustment costs.

**Optimize for organic growth and adoption of the e-commerce platform  **

In step 2 of the e-commerce growth process, you strive for the autonomous growth of the channels. Even if you do not focus on organic growth, there will be a progressive insight into how to improve the results. After all, it is only when you are "live" that it becomes clear whether the e-commerce proposition really makes the users - your customers and your organization - happy. Being able to make systematic improvements in user-friendliness is important for achieving organic growth.