AI is having a significant impact on B2B ecommerce.
Its role is both a challenge and opportunity for B2B distribution and manufacturing decision-makers, from business operation optimisation to driving growth and enhancing the customer experience.
B2B Ecommerce Today
B2B ecommerce is experiencing growth like never before. Research shows that UK ecommerce sales have steadily increased in the last few years, with predictions indicating their share within total retail sales might surpass 38 percent in 2025.
AI integration is becoming essential as the B2B ecommerce space keeps growing. This technology has the power to become a force multiplier for businesses by automating processes and contributing to strategic decision-making with data-driven insights. B2B organisations that want to stay competitive must invest in AI-powered tools that boost the shopper experience and optimise operations.
Key Areas Where AI Can Have a Significant Impact
Business strategy, Customer experience and sales within B2B ecommerce are benefiting from AI’s predictive and automation capabilities. Here’s how:
1. Driving Business Strategy
One of the most valuable applications of this technology is to use data for predictive analytics. By gathering and analysing product, order and customer data, AI helps B2B organisations define their market strategies and make informed decisions around demand and customer behaviour forecasting as well as dynamic pricing.
Let’s say component manufacturers have adopted AI in their efforts to optimise their product inventory management. The technology is charged with predicting upcoming demand for components based on available information of past orders and market trends. As a result, this can drive down excess stock, lower warehousing expenses and free up cash flow.
B2B organisations can also use AI-powered dynamic pricing models that adapt stock prices to fit moving demand, product availability and competitor activity. Doing this can help keep product prices competitive, while ensuring customer expectations are met.
2. Boost the Buyer Experience
A seamless and tailored shopping experience is essential if B2B ecommerce businesses want to build long-term relationships with their customers. AI, through the application of virtual assistants and chatbots, can significantly improve customer service. These solutions can provide 24/7 live help, ensuring customers get answers to their questions, guiding purchases and providing information on complex requests.
AI can also create a hyper-tailored experience, suggesting personalised product recommendations based on customer behaviour and preferences. This degree of customisation makes the shopping experience seamless and efficient, therefore strengthening brand loyalty and increasing the chances of return customers.
3. Enhance Sales
AI is transforming B2B ecommerce sales optimisation by streamlining operations and delivering data-driven insights that enable sales teams to be more efficient. The quote-to-cash process is one of the most impactful applications, where AI is used to automate pricing configurations, volume discounts and contract terms. By analysing historical sales data, real-time market trends and customer behaviour, AI can generate accurate, tailored quotes instantly. This helps sales teams respond to customer inquiries faster and with significantly more precise pricing, therefore significantly shortening the length of the sales cycle.
Additionally, AI-powered insights can provide guidance for upselling and cross-selling strategies. AI systems are able to suggest upgraded or complementary products, personalised to different customers’ needs. The tech does this by analysing each client’s purchasing history, product use and behaviour. Optimising all stages of the sales process, including every step from lead gen to deal closure, means that AI is enabling sales teams in B2B ecommerce to be more efficient and, in the long run, boost revenue growth by reducing manual tasks.
Best Practices for AI Integration
Implementing AI in B2B ecommerce demands a holistic approach that includes data management, integration and scalability. It is essential that businesses ensure that their AI solutions can integrate with their current systems seamlessly and grow alongside them. Organisations can avoid unnecessary levels of complexity by starting to implement AI solutions that already align with the existing digital infrastructure.
Data management is also important. Whether AI is effective is very dependent on the quality and timeliness of the data it is working with, so conducting regular data audits and cleaning exercises must become a priority. Without them, it will be difficult to ensure the integrity and accuracy of the data.
Overcoming Challenges in AI Implementation
It is essential to address any potential challenges in the AI implementation journey. AI can be like an eager intern with boundless energy that is consistently very fast to complete and deliver their tasks. This, however, does mean that its work has to be closely checked for any errors. Putting safeguards in place will help make certain that any recommendations and actions generated by AI align with a business’ goals.
The potential cost of implementing AI can also be a challenge, as it requires a significant investment, especially when scaling up. Starting with pilot projects that can help test how effective an AI tool can be before committing to adopting the technology across the board can help manage these costs more effectively.
AI is revolutionising the B2B ecommerce space. This advanced technology offers B2B manufacturers and distributors a new approach to optimising their digital operations, fuel business growth and improve the shopping experience for customers. As the market grows, B2B organisations that invest in AI-powered solutions will be better equipped to remain competitive today, and in the future. There is no time like the present for B2B organisations to explore AI’s potential and incorporate these advanced tools into their digital strategies.
About the Author
Lance Owide is Senior Director and General Manager of B2B at BigCommerce. Lance is the senior director and general manager of B2B at BigCommerce, an open and composable ecommerce platform for fast-growing and established B2C and B2B brands and retailers. Lance leads the global strategy for the success of the B2B program, which encompasses go-to-market, sales, customer success and product direction.
Featured image: Adobe Stock
