{"id":6382,"date":"2021-11-10T04:50:06","date_gmt":"2021-11-10T04:50:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/seebiz-inventory.com\/inventory\/?p=6382"},"modified":"2022-02-21T10:31:44","modified_gmt":"2022-02-21T10:31:44","slug":"the-definitive-guide-to-digitizing-your-wholesale-business","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sblog.seebiz.cloud\/blog\/the-definitive-guide-to-digitizing-your-wholesale-business\/","title":{"rendered":"The Definitive Guide to Digitizing Your Wholesale Business"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As the world tries to recover from the pandemic, it is now more important than ever for wholesale businesses to go online.\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Even before COVID-19, the industry was undergoing a huge digital revolution. As every other B2C seller was moving online, B2B sellers also needed to adapt. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Thus, wholesale eCommerce was born.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Alas, traditional wisdom held that buying wholesale was too complex to conduct online, which is why so many suppliers have been slow to embrace eCommerce. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In this article, we\u2019re going to cover everything you need to know about the online wholesale business, including:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Why you need to move your wholesale business online<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Its various benefits and advantages\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some common problems you\u2019ll face and their solutions\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How to shift your wholesale business online\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Why you need to adopt digitalization\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The term \u201cSurvival of the Fittest\u201d isn\u2019t just a way of describing the mechanism of natural selection. It perfectly applies to our cutthroat industry as well. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Those who can\u2019t adapt to sudden, gradual, or constant change get left behind. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This means that you will fail if you can\u2019t digitally transform your business.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Case in point, if we hadn\u2019t been so slow in adopting eCommerce, the Coronavirus wouldn\u2019t have been so devastating to us B2B sellers.\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Instead, we would have seen a major <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/unctad.org\/news\/global-e-commerce-jumps-267-trillion-covid-19-boosts-online-sales\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow noreferrer\" data-wpel-link=\"external\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">boost in sales<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> just like online retailers. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And don\u2019t think you\u2019re out of the woods just because COVID cases are decreasing worldwide.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Today\u2019s B2B buyers are increasingly using online platforms to research and make purchases for their businesses. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Research conducted by Bruce Eppinger, Forrester&#8217;s Senior Analyst for Digital Business, revealed that 68% of modern-day buyers prefer buying online rather than interacting with a sales representative. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These customer demands, combined with the rise of digitalization, make it imperative that B2B sellers adapt.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Benefits of moving online<\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Simplifies the Buying Process<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Many wholesalers avoid digitalization because it wouldn\u2019t suit their complex buying process. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Doubts over contract pricing, product exclusivity, and customers with special terms and conditions make digitalization look highly unattractive. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But despite these valid concerns, the right wholesale platform can help businesses overcome these obstacles and grow.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To choose the right platform for your business, look for these parameters: <\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pre-Purchase<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Look for B2B wholesale eCommerce platforms that can provide an option for:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Creating a parent account:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Make a primary account that has multiple secondary accounts. These secondary accounts should have some restrictions and limits involving credit limits, workflow, etc.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Creating customer groups:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Set attributes such as pricing and minimum order sizes pertaining to certain customer groups.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Creating Advanced Search:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Your customers should be able to find exactly what they need without being hindered by complex attributes.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Sales Literature:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Provide your customers with information such as product features, benefits, images, etc. Also, the platform should be able to support a variety of media formats like PDF, videos, images, etc.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Different Price Levels:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The platform should make it easy for you to set different prices for different customer groups, order quantities, order histories, and payment terms.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Purchase<\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Minimum Order Size:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> There should be an option to specify the minimum order quantity (at the group or product level) and order it (during the order placement).<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Configure Products:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Customers should be able to configure products and update prices as needed.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Quotation Process:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> It should be possible to create, modify, and approve online quotes.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Order Approval Process:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Only parent accounts can approve orders, while child accounts can only initiate them.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Credit Limits, Payment Terms, Bill Pay:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> It should be possible to settle pending invoices (across accounts) with single or multiple payments.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Post-Purchase<\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>ERP Integration:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> You can ask for a seamless eCommerce and ERP integration. Both integrations streamline order fulfillment and enhance customer experience.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Salesperson:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Your salesperson can use a sales portal-like feature to answer customer queries, create orders, update orders, and review order status.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Simplify Order Placement:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Allows customers to save shopping carts and lists, which will make it easier for them to repeat previous orders.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Support Multiple Warehouses:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The platform should be able to handle fulfillment from more than one warehouse.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Helps Automate Wholesale Purchases\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Today, one of the biggest benefits of selling wholesale is eCommerce automation. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Throughout the sales cycle, you&#8217;ll spend less time managing orders over the phone\/email and more time focusing on your business&#8217;s strategic goals.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The current eCommerce technology can help you:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Price items or offer percentage discounts to specific customers or groups\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Automate the customer signup and review process<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Make it easy for customers to buy, track, and reorder products<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ensure orders are reviewed before billing<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Optimize inventory and order management\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Improves the Buyer Experience\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Today&#8217;s B2B wholesale buyers expect the same level of service as their B2C counterparts. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They know how to conduct online searches and do not need to consult with sales representatives before making a purchase. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In short, they want an easy onboarding and ordering process.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to research from <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Demand Gen Report<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.demandgenreport.com\/resources\/reports\/2018-b2b-buyers-survey-report\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow noreferrer\" data-wpel-link=\"external\">67% of B2B buyers prefer<\/a> easy access to wholesale pricing. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Furthermore, 64% of respondents wanted content that they could easily access without signing up, while a striking 66% sought websites that addressed their specific industry needs.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Increases Sales While Lowering Spend<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The fastest way to boost business growth is to sell wholesale online. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Selling in bulk can help manufacturers increase product volume and lower cost-per-unit, which in turn increases their profit margins. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Furthermore, shipping bulk products to fewer customers can also lower fulfillment costs.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>For example<\/strong>, let\u2019s say you have 100 units.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As a wholesaler, you\u2019ll most likely sell these 100 units as a single purchase. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That means that you\u2019ll only have to prepare one lot of packing, one lot of shipping and you\u2019ll have just one customer (retailer\/wholesaler) to deal with.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Now, add the time and effort saved by the online ordering model and it\u2019s easy to see why sales will increase exponentially.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Helps Enter New Markets<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The logistics of moving into a new country or territory are challenging. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You&#8217;ll be trying to sell to an entirely new audience that may not be familiar with your brand. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If your wholesale business partners with an established retailer, you can benefit from its supply chain to reduce setup costs and risks.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The wholesaler can also save money on marketing by connecting with the retailer&#8217;s current customer base.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What you need to know before shifting online<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To get the maximum benefit out of wholesale eCommerce, there are a couple of things you need to look out for.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Reliability<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Many wholesalers don\u2019t want to shift online for fear of being scammed. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Looking for reliable distributors is hard enough as it is. Doing it online is even more difficult. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Who to trust when investing your money? And who are the distributors that will secure you the biggest net profit?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some steps you can take to protect yourself include:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Verifying the address and phone number provided.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Asking for evidence such as a certificate of incorporation and a tax or business ID number.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Asking for a bank reference.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Asking for customer references.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Getting a sample first before committing to a larger order.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Security Concerns<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Businesses and their clients are at risk when they use a web-based business model. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Companies that operate all-access online portals carry the risk of revealing their pricing to competitors who can use it to boost their own sales.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On the client side, there may be a concern that buying online can expose their sensitive data to security breaches. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can address these issues by investing in strong online security measures that protect against data leaks and encrypt clients&#8217; data. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some tips to make your wholesale eCommerce platform more secure include:<\/span><b><\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Choosing a secure web host and eCommerce platform<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">An optimal level of protection needs a secure platform and web host. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The majority of eCommerce website builders do offer a certain level of security. However, not all platforms and hosts are the same.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It&#8217;s best to shop around and compare platforms and hosts to find the one that&#8217;s right for your business and your customers. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Look for a host and platform combination that offers complete protection against common threats such as malware and SQL injections.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Also, get an SSL certificate.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It encrypts the data between your website and the user&#8217;s browser, making it almost impossible for hackers to read the data.<\/span><b><\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Performing regular SQL checks<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Depending on your wholesale eCommerce platform, you can use several software options to monitor and protect against harmful SQL injections. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can also use free site scanners to perform the same task. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Just make sure to read the reviews first and download from a trusted source.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For optimal security, set the scanner to run daily security checks on your website. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It will help identify and secure vulnerabilities before someone takes advantage of them.<\/span><b><\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Leaving payment and data processing to the experts<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In order to avoid losing customer data, don&#8217;t keep any! <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Keep your customers&#8217; private data away from your website unless absolutely necessary. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Process payments through third-party, encrypted checkout tunnels.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Most popular payment gateways are completely safe and have a successful track record. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pick a payment platform that works well with your eCommerce host and platform. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You don\u2019t want to cut corners in this case so opt for the most effective fraud prevention and identity theft protection.<\/span><b><\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Using a website application firewall<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can exponentially increase the security of your wholesale eCommerce website by implementing a Website Application Firewall (WAF).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It will keep you safe from XSS, SQL injections, and forgery requests. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Also, it offers protection against hacking attacks, including brute force and DoS or DDoS attacks. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are a lot of excellent web application firewall providers out there.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Choose one that fulfills your requirements, fits your budget and is trusted by the wholesale eCommerce community.<\/span><b><\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Regularly backing up your website data<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Data backups won&#8217;t stop security threats, but they can lower the damage done. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Imagine your data being lost, corrupted, or held hostage. Sounds like a nightmare, right? <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To prevent this hellish scenario, back up your website as often as possible.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Whenever you update your website, make a backup. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We recommend doing it once per day. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To save time and make life easier, set up automatic back-ups. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Also, choose a website builder or host that offers backups as a built-in feature.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Complicated Relationships<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Long-term customers often ask for or expect preferential treatment, such as discounts on purchases. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These types of requests are pretty hard to manage even when negotiating face-to-face. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Trying to handle them through an eCommerce platform can make the situation even more difficult.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Long-term clients may also require lengthy conversations or emails, which can negate the convenience of an eCommerce business model.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To avoid these issues, we recommend creating or joining a wholesale eCommerce website that can also act as a social media platform for you and other wholesalers.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Digital Limitations<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is quite common for people to feel, touch, and use goods before buying them. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">B2B customers are no different! Especially if they plan to purchase in bulk. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, you can\u2019t physically examine goods on an eCommerce platform.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And wholesale customers wouldn\u2019t feel comfortable buying goods online based solely on the seller\u2019s reputation. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Plus, if the goods don\u2019t satisfy the purchaser, the business may have to face expensive after-sales disputes that could damage its reputation.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The best way to avoid these scenarios is by improving the client browsing experience. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can do this by posting high-quality images, improving product descriptions, and providing video demonstrations. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We also recommend offering free samples so that the buyer can accurately judge the quality.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How to shift your wholesale business online<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019ve reached this point, it\u2019s safe to say you probably have a strong interest in B2B wholesale eCommerce and want to know how to build an effective website.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here\u2019s how to do it in four simple steps:<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Step 1: Prepare crucial data<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Drawing up necessary data before starting a B2B wholesale eCommerce website is crucial as you\u2019re bound to face challenges due to limited experience and resources.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Resource Arrangement\u200a<\/span><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Own enough resources to support the growth of your B2B eCommerce website development. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Creating an effective website requires a lot of resources, both internal and external, so be prepared.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Budget<\/span><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ambition is great, but you still need to keep your website within your budget. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Planning ahead will help you avoid unnecessary fees.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A smart budget, as well as an investment in robust online tools, will allow you to:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Increase sales\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ensure ROIs<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Grow your business\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Competitor Scanning<\/span><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As Sun Tzu once said, \u201cIf you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles.\u201d<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A competitive environment like this requires you to reduce the gap between your business and your competitors. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Analyze your rivals\u2019 websites to uncover their brand voice, customer engagements, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mageplaza.com\/blog\/best-marketing-strategies.html\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\">marketing strategies<\/a>, sales events, etc.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We recommend using trusted tools such as SEMrush, Ahrefs, Ubersuggest, etc. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Besides following their strengths, you can also learn from their shortcomings and imperfections. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These tools will not only help highlight your competitors\u2019 strengths but their weaknesses as well.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Step 2: Define your target customers<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The question, &#8220;Who are my target customers?&#8221; should be addressed first before asking, &#8220;How to create a B2B wholesale eCommerce website?&#8221;. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Starting your B2B eCommerce website in a field where you have experience is a huge advantage.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nevertheless, taking steps to understand them more deeply doesn\u2019t hurt.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To create an exact B2B wholesale buyer persona, start by asking questions like:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What are their goals?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What problems are they trying to solve?\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How does your product meet their needs?\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Is it a large or small company?\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Do they also refer to your competitors?<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By making a well-researched buyer persona, you can create a B2B wholesale website that delivers a personalized experience to your customers.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Step 3: Pick a suitable online platform<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There is a wide range of platforms on the market, each with different capabilities and prices. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Below are some famous eCommerce platforms being used by a lot of wholesalers owners around the world.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Magento<\/span><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Many B2B business owners prefer Magento due to its commercial capabilities and security. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While its Open Source edition lacks some features specific to wholesalers, it offers a lot of customization to integrate important Magento 2 B2B extensions.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">WordPress &amp; WooCommerce<\/span><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While WordPress allows you to design your website, WooCommerce allows you to handle payments. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s preferred by many users thanks to its versatility. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, it lacks some much-needed features when it comes to B2B wholesale eCommerce.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Corporate clients expect a professional, yet personalized purchase process. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But certain aspects of WordPress do not meet these requirements.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Step 4: Other essentials<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Developing a B2B wholesale website is more difficult than creating a basic website or blog. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Simply getting a domain name and hosting server isn\u2019t enough. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To satisfy customers and simplify business operations, you need to use more online tools and software that simplify the purchase process, negotiations, data management, etc.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A standard B2B wholesale eCommerce website development procedure includes:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Domain and hosting server selection\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Website developer hiring<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Theme selection<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">B2B features integration<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Marketing practices<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Maintenance and support<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We wrote this article to clear up a few misconceptions about online wholesale businesses so you can move your business online. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Having been in wholesale for over 20 years, we at SeeBiz have a lot more knowledge and value to share with the community.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Stay tuned for more.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>As the world tries to recover from the pandemic, it is now more important than ever for wholesale businesses to go online.\u00a0Even before COVID-19, the&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6387,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[19],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6382","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-wholesale"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v24.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>The Definitive Guide to Digitizing Your Wholesale Business | SeeBiz<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta 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