What Is B2B Ecommerce?

B2B (business-to-business) ecommerce is a form of online commerce where businesses sell products or services to other businesses, typically through digital platforms that facilitate transactions, order management, and supply chain operations.

B2B ecommerce simplifies sales processes, allows for easy self-service ordering and reordering, and reduces service costs. It also frees up your team to focus on high-impact tasks rather than spending time on routine admin.

In this article, we’ll dive into the different types of B2B solutions, the benefits they bring, and real-world examples to help you make the best decisions for your business.

It’s helpful to see how other successful Australian and global B2B brands are using ecommerce software to outperform the competition. Here are five real-world examples.

The iconic Australian clothing brand turned to Salesforce to bring more personalisation to their ecommerce experience without losing the craftsmanship they’re known for.

As well as B2C, R.M.Williams offers a Corporate Direct program that provides businesses with uniforms, gifts, and incentives, catering to corporate clients. With connected data and automation, the team was able to offer tailored journeys at scale, contributing to a 34% increase in revenue and a 20% lift in conversion rates.

The AFL has a B2B side of their operations called AFLConnect. It's their B2B platform, built to help brands in the AFL ecosystem promote services, find new opportunities, and network through one shared digital hub.

With Salesforce CRM, AI, and real-time data, the AFL gets a clearer view of how members engage so they can personalise every touchpoint. Today, AFLConnect has 1,300+ engaged business contacts in its program.

GE had a huge catalogue of technical parts and a buying experience that didn’t keep up. After launching a new ecommerce site with self-service search, quoting, and ordering, they reduced friction for both teams and customers. And the best part? The entire rebuild took only 10 weeks.

Well-known luxury appliances brand Fisher & Paykel also sells B2B appliances through trade partnerships with retailers, builders, developers, and commercial fit-out companies. With Salesforce Agentforce, they rolled out autonomous agents to handle troubleshooting and support, with self-service rates expected to reach 65%.

B2B ecommerce goes far beyond selling online. It helps you save time, cut costs, and build stronger relationships. Here are six significant benefits you can expect when you start using a B2B ecommerce platform.

1. Self-service options: Let customers place, track, and manage their own orders, from start to finish.
2. More time for your team: With less admin quoting and ordering, sales teams can focus on building relationships and winning new business.
3. Simpler buying experiences: Tools with the ability to let your customers reorder custom pricing and account-specific catalogues help make complex B2B orders simple.
4. Lower service costs: When customers can help themselves, you can redirect time and budget where it matters most.
5. Connected touchpoints: Link your data from sales, service, and marketing to create a more personalised experience for your customers.
6. Built to scale: Handle more orders, more buyers and more products without adding more complexity.

This model connects all three players: a business sells to another business, which then sells to the end consumer. It’s often used by manufacturers working with retailers and helps create a clear path from product to customer.

Wholesale is about selling large volumes to other businesses. Orders are often complex and priced by account. Ecommerce platforms that can handle wholesale help make this easier, with tools for managing inventory, custom pricing, and bulk reordering.

Distributors buy from manufacturers and sell to retailers. Their role is essentially to keep things moving. A good ecommerce setup helps them manage deliveries, stock levels and purchases.

Manufacturers use ecommerce to sell directly to retailers, builders or other manufacturers. With the right tools, they can offer repeat ordering, personalised pricing, and faster fulfilment, all from one system.

At this stage, it’s all about getting your business off the ground. You’re building your offers, finding customers, and positioning your business to stand out. The right ecommerce setup lets you launch fast, offer simple self-service, and easily add more inventory as you scale.

Now your revenue is up, and so is the complexity. You’re bringing in new customers, expanding your range, and probably dealing with more support queries. A solid B2B platform helps handle the volume, simplifies reorders, and gives your team more time to focus on high-ROI customers.

At this stage, you’ll likely be looking at new global markets, more products, or new customer segments. Your ecommerce data here is a goldmine, helping you spot trends, know how much inventory you need, and A/B test across your website. Personalisation and flexibility will become key to standing out in the market.

You’ve got a loyal customer base, consistent revenue, and smooth operations. However, the work doesn’t stop here. A flexible ecommerce setup helps you keep innovating, whether that’s refining your experience, automating workflows, or staying ahead of customer expectations.

B2B transactions can get big and complex fast. When your systems don’t talk to each other, information can fall through the cracks. Look for a platform that brings all your data together so you can see what’s going on with every customer, order, and product in one place.

Things can shift quickly in B2B, including new products, new markets, and new customer needs. Your ecommerce platform should make it easy to test and launch changes fast, whether that’s rolling out a new product line, adjusting pricing models, or expanding into a new region.

To help you get the most out of your software now or when you scale further, you’ll want access to top-notch support. A strong partner network means you’ll have access to experts who can help you customise your site, troubleshoot issues, and grow over time.

Your ecommerce platform should easily connect to your CRM, marketing, payments, and inventory systems. There should be no disconnected systems, just a simple, stress-free setup.

Most B2B buyers start their search on Google. Make sure your site ranks well by creating content that matches what your customers are searching for and optimising your pages with the right keywords in headings, titles, and descriptions.

Sharing valuable content like blog posts, guides, and case studies positions your brand as an expert. It helps potential businesses find your site, builds trust, and encourages them to choose you when they're ready to buy.

Email marketing helps you stay top-of-mind with existing and potential customers. Segment your email lists to send personalised messages, recommendations, and relevant offers. This can nurture leads and turn them into loyal buyers.

Social media isn’t only for B2C businesses. B2B companies are now investing in social channels. Create content that educates, engages, or starts conversations. Participating in industry discussions or promoting posts can increase your brand’s visibility and drive visitors to your ecommerce site.

Paid advertising, like Google Ads or sponsored social posts, can quickly boost your visibility. Set clear goals, target specific buyer profiles, and optimise campaigns regularly to improve conversions and maximise your return on investment.

ABM lets you tailor your marketing to specific industries or segments. By personalising content, product recommendations, and offers, you can strengthen relationships with high-value accounts, driving repeat purchases and long-term loyalty.

Positive reviews make your business stand out. Ask satisfied customers to leave reviews or testimonials. Real experiences from other businesses build trust, reduce buyer hesitation, and encourage new customers to choose your products.