5 B2B E-Commerce Trends to Look Out for in 2021

We are all aware that 2020 proved to be a very challenging year. Due in no small part to the global health crises, countless businesses were forced to adapt their ongoing strategies while more than a handful had no other choice but to cease operations altogether. However, we also need to remember that those with a shrewd eye for trends should be able to learn something from such a paradigm shift. If anything, an even greater amount of importance is now being placed upon the ways in which B2B marketing techniques can be implemented within the ever-changing world of e-commerce. Let’s, therefore, take a look at what the experts have to say as well as why 2021 could very well represent a make-or-break year in regards to how operations continue to evolve.

Where is the Money Being Spent?

Every business is dealing with a limited amount of funds to one extent or another. This is why it is first a good idea to examine how budgets are changing in relation to B2B e-commerce solutions. Recent studies have shown that website development accounts for just over half of all of the money spent on B2B marketing. This is followed closely by digital content marketing and branding (1). In other words, it is clear that companies are now starting to appreciate the role of a fully functional website; particularly if their brick-and-mortar operations have been curtailed in recent times.

The Critical Role of Big Data

In the past, big data was not often appreciated by companies. This concept was instead relegated to more technical analyses and often left in the hands of marketing experts. This was due in large part to the simple fact that big data was very difficult to understand. Numerous metrics needed to be gathered and interpreted in order to appreciate where a specific business may be headed. This required time and a significant amount of money. Thanks to the rise of artificial intelligence, there are now many algorithms which can perform the tasks mentioned above in the fraction of a second. From predicting where an industry may be headed in three years to understanding which keywords should be used, firms are taking full advantage of big data solutions.

Outsourcing B2B Marketing Needs to Third-Party E-Commerce Providers

Another challenge which needs to be overcome involves knowing how, when and why to implement targeted B2B e-commerce solutions. Although the principles are simple to an extent, many businesses do not possess the in-house resources or expertise to enact the right strategies at the right times. Even worse, they could adopt the wrong approach and waste a great deal of money.

This is why one of the most predominant trends associated with 2021 is the outsourcing of such solutions to quality third-party e-commerce providers. These companies will offer a host of tools and utilities in order to ensure that the right decisions are made at the right times. They are also quite scalable; adapting with the client as needs change along the way.

All About Customisation

We mentioned scalability in the last section and this point should be stressed even more. One of the issues associated with traditional e-commerce solutions was the fact that they had been developed in a “one-size-fits-all” framework. While some were great for larger companies and multinational organisations, they were not able to easily adapt to be meet the B2B needs associated with the SME community. Thankfully, this has now all begun to change.

Not only are platforms much more scalable, but they will be able to offer targeted solutions unique to the industry and the business in question. This saves time, money and a significant amount of frustration. Furthermore, it is possible to upgrade or even downgrade these bundles when changes may be required.

Catering to the Millennial Generation

Demographics are certainly changing in relation to the B2B community. Not only is the e-commerce sector now dominated by younger individuals, but users are much more technologically savvy than before. This is particularly relevant when speaking of the Millennial generation. So, businesses need to be able to adjust to such trends. Here are some approaches which are set to dominate in 2021:

  • More user-friendly interfaces.
  • The rise of the Internet of Things (IoT).
  • The inclusion of even more smart devices.
  • The majority of websites will boast mobile-responsive designs.

The good news is that all of these observations are relatively easy to implement when working with a reliable third-party e-commerce package.

2021 is set to be an exciting year. While things are still far from normal, there is no doubt that businesses will continue to evolve. The only remaining question involves which ones will learn to appreciate the predictions outlined above.


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