B2B ecommerce isn’t the wave of the future - it’s the wave of the present. B2B ecommerce sales reached well over $2 trillion in 2024, and are trending upward. In the U.S. alone, B2B sales via ecommerce increased from 12.2% to 14% from 2020 to 2023. 

For B2B companies that offer it, ecommerce now accounts for more than one-third of their total revenue. Furthermore, buyers are showing little reluctance to place large orders via B2B ecommerce, with 73% of B2B buyers willing to spend over $50,000 per order, and 39% comfortable with orders over $500,000.

In short, the old perception of ecommerce as a purely B2C channel is out of date. Companies that aren’t offering their customers an ecommerce buying option are missing out on an important revenue opportunity.  

In this blog:

• How B2B ecommerce differs from B2C
• Key features and components of B2B ecommerce
• Types of B2B ecommerce business
• AI’s role in B2B ecommerce
• Keys to B2B ecommerce success 
• Steps to launching a B2B ecommerce site

📖Free Ebook: Learn from 300 B2B organization leaders about why they’re moving towards online buying experiences, how, and the challenges they’re facing in 2025. 

How B2B ecommerce differs from B2C

B2B ecommerce is fundamentally different from B2C ecommerce in terms of audience, buying behavior, and transaction complexity. 

While B2C focuses on individual consumers making quick or emotional purchase decisions, B2B ecommerce serves businesses that require bulk ordering, negotiated pricing, and longer decision-making cycles. The buying process is often structured, involving multiple stakeholders, contract approvals, and integration with enterprise systems.

Additionally, B2B transactions are typically higher in value and involve long-term relationships rather than one-time purchases. Companies selling in the B2B space must provide personalized pricing, flexible payment terms, and self-service options while ensuring their platforms integrate seamlessly with procurement, inventory, and ERP systems. 

Key features and components of B2B ecommerce

Target audience and buyer behavior

• Buyers are businesses, wholesalers, and procurement teams rather than individual consumers.

• Purchasing decisions involve multiple stakeholders and departments, like finance, operations, procurement, and management.

• Relationships are long-term, with an emphasis on repeat orders and account-based interactions.

• Customer preference: Two out of three B2B buyers prefer buying via a vendor’s online site.

Sales cycle and customer experience

• The sales cycle is longer and more complex due to the need for approvals, negotiations, and contracts.

• Buyers rely on detailed product specifications, demos, and case studies before committing.

• Transactions often involve extensive discussions between sales and procurement teams.

• B2B ecommerce streamlines traditionally slow and manual processes, replacing emails, phone calls, and in-person visits with faster, more efficient digital transactions.

Order size and pricing structure

• Orders are typically larger and involve bulk purchasing, sometimes with custom configurations.

• Pricing is not fixed—it’s often tiered, negotiated, or customized based on contracts.

• Businesses may receive volume discounts, special offers, or region-specific pricing.

Personalization and account management

• B2B AI-driven recommendations can offer bulk purchasing deals that benefit the buyer’s company while increasing average order size.  

• AI also supports product-related recommendations, e.g. for specific items or order size based on prior buyer behavior and other factors such as seasonality.

• With behavioral personalization, customer portals can suggest items or bulk quantities based on prior purchases 

Customer portals

• Personalized portals add convenience by offering a tailored catalog with only the products in the buyer’s area of responsibility, and only products that a buyer is authorized to purchase. This can be helpful for enterprise accounts that may have multiple users with different roles and purchasing permissions.

• Portals can also offer customer-specific pricing based on existing pricing agreements, which are often complex.

• Self-service portals are helpful for allowing buyers to track orders, manage invoices, and reorder products efficiently.

Payment and checkout processes

• Payment methods include purchase orders (POs), invoicing, credit lines, and net payment terms (e.g., Net 30, Net 60).

• Transactions may require tax-exempt status verification and compliance checks.

• Integrations with accounting and ERP systems ensure smooth payment reconciliation.

• Blockchain can enhance security in payment processing and contract management, reducing fraud risk.

Marketing and customer acquisition

• Marketing is heavily focused on account-based marketing (ABM), lead nurturing, and thought leadership.

• Content marketing plays a critical role, including whitepapers, industry reports, and webinars.

• Relationship-building is key, with a strong emphasis on trust, credibility, and long-term partnerships.

Platform features, scalability, and technology needs

• B2B platforms must integrate with enterprise resource planning, customer relationship management, inventory, and procurement systems.

• Support for multi-user accounts with role-based permissions is essential.

• Advanced features like contract-based pricing, custom workflows, and punchout catalog integrations are needed.

• Scalability: B2B ecommerce platforms can be expanded faster and at a lower cost than traditional sales processes.

• Analytics: Detailed, real-time reporting enables businesses to make data-driven decisions about inventory, pricing, and customer behavior.

• Inventory management: Real-time stock visibility reduces the risk of overstocking or running out of products.

Environment and sustainability

• Lower carbon footprint: B2B ecommerce reduces the need for physical sales calls and travel, cutting down on emissions from transportation.

• Reduced paper waste: Digital invoicing and contract management eliminate unnecessary paperwork, making transactions more sustainable.

Types of B2B ecommerce businesses 

Manufacturers 

What are they: A business that designs and manufactures physical products.  

Key Features:

• High capital investment in property, plant and equipment (PP&E).

• Dependence on complex supply chains and distribution channels where geographical location plays a key role

Sales & Pricing Model: 

• Sales through intermediaries (e.g. distributors or wholesales that may provide added value) are common.

• Some manufacturers sell directly to their customers.

Examples:

• Auto manufacturers that sell exclusively through dealerships that also provide service and repairs.

• Apple computer, which sells directly through company-owned outlets as well as online. 

📊Case study: How ingredient manufacturer and supplier Dawn Foods increased year-over-year sales after transforming its site search capabilities with Algolia. 

Wholesalers

What are they: A business that buys products from manufacturers in bulk at a discount and resells them to retailers at a markup.  

Key Features:

• Wholesale B2B ecommerce focuses on high-volume B2B sales and has low profit margins.

• Wholesalers may provide limited services such as product storage, packaging, and transportation.

Sales & Pricing Model: 

• Pricing is determined by three factors: perceived value, cost, and competitor pricing.

• Negotiation is an important part of the business process.

Examples:

• Pharmaceutical companies buy prescription drugs from manufacturers and then sell them to pharmacy chains, hospitals and other outlets.

• Costco, whose stores and website provide larger-volume items for businesses and individual consumers alike. 

📊Case study: How the #1 Dutch wholesaler of plumbing and HVAC supplies partnered with Algolia to improve search relevance, provide a better customer experience, and leverage data and analytics to focus on the right KPIs. 

Distributors

What are they: A business that works with manufacturers to handle marketing, packing, and distribution of products. Unlike wholesalers, distributors do not buy the products.  

Key Features:

• Act as intermediaries between manufacturers and retailers, managing product logistics, inventory, and transportation

• May provide value-added services such as training and technical support.

Sales & Pricing Model: 

• Unlike wholesales, do not take ownership of goods and do not set prices.

• Typically paid a percentage of the value of the goods they distribute. 

Examples:

• Chip distributors often handle testing and final packaging as well as distribution. 

•  Amazon Fulfilment, which allows businesses to store products in Amazon fulfillment centers, and handles packing and shipping

💡For distributors: learn how to transform from in-person to online buying and provide exceptional ecommerce experiences for buyers. 

B2B2C (Business-to-Business-to-Consumer) 

What are they: A business that sells products/services to another business, which then sells directly to consumers. 

Key Features:

•  Combines B2B and B2C elements.

•  Businesses often handle manufacturing or wholesale but use a partner to reach end consumers.

• Requires integration for seamless collaboration between B2B and B2C operations. 

Sales & Pricing Model:

• Bulk pricing or wholesale rates to the intermediary business.

• Revenue sharing or drop shipping models.

Examples:

• A cosmetics manufacturer selling to retailers who sell directly to consumers in physical stores or online.

• Nike partnering with wholesalers like Foot Locker.

Marketplaces 

What are they: a business that brings multiple sellers and buyers together with storefronts on a single platform

Key Features:

• Buyers gain convenient access in one place to relevant vendors competing for their business. 

• B2B marketplaces may be specialized, focusing on a specific industry or product category, or more generalized.

💡Learn more about B2B marketplaces and how Algolia’s API can help your marketplace deliver a best-in-class buyer experience. 

Sales & Pricing Model:

• Companies obtain revenue via subscriptions, commissions on each sale, or by charging a listing fee to sellers. 

Examples:

• Chemical companies and their buyers participate in a vertical B2B market within the EC.

• Alibaba, a global B2B site, that connects manufacturers, suppliers, and buyers, offering a range of products and services across multiple industries.

SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) 

What are they: A business that provides subscription-based software tools to other businesses, often through an online platform. 

Key Features:

• Fully digital; no physical products.

• Often integrates with existing workflows and solutions (e.g., CRM, CMS, ERP).

• Scalable pricing and customization options for enterprise clients.

Sales & Pricing Model:

• Subscription-based pricing (monthly or annual)

•  Tiered pricing by feature set (e.g., basic, pro, enterprise).

Examples:

• A SaaS platform providing inventory management software to wholesalers

• Algolia offers search, personalization, and AI solutions to ecommerce businesses. 

AI’s role in B2B ecommerce

According to our research, two-thirds of B2B enterprises are already leveraging AI in some form and for those that aren’t, it’s a top priority in 2025. 

Scaling revenue, personalizing buyer experiences, and managing inventory are just a few of the use cases B2B ecommerce brands want to leverage AI for. 

Beyond those, use cases and benefits of AI for B2B ecommerce also include:

• process automation and streamlined procurement workflows

• improve pricing models and forecast inventory

• chatbots for customer support and technical inquiries 

• predictive analytics for faster decision-making

These capabilities drive efficiency, revenue and profitability, improve customer experiences, and strengthen long-term relationships.

Key AI Applications in B2B E-Commerce

• Dynamic pricing optimization: AI adjusts pricing in real-time based on order volume, contract terms, and market trends.

• Predictive analytics: AI forecasts demand, helping businesses optimize inventory and reduce stockouts or overstocking.

• Personalization and tailored buying journeys: In a recent survey, 66% of B2B buyers said they expect personalization when buying products or services. AI can help curate product recommendations and content based on past interactions and purchase history.

• Automated procurement workflows: AI streamlines order approvals, invoicing, and contract management.

• AI-powered Search: AI improves site search with natural language processing (NLP) and provides instant customer support.

• ​​AI-powered chatbots can answer common questions quickly to facilitate information gathering (and pass on difficult ones to human reps).

• Augmented reality (AR) can replace physical product demonstrations with an instant online experience.

As AI continues to evolve, its role in B2B e-commerce will expand beyond efficiency gains to deeper strategic insights, improving everything from sales forecasting to customer engagement. Businesses that embrace AI-driven solutions will be better equipped to scale, enhance customer experiences, and stay competitive in the fast-evolving B2B digital landscape.

📺Free Webinar: Who should own GenAI in B2B organizations? Watch Algolia’s Sajid Momin and Master B2B’s Andy Hoar & Brian Beck discuss whether IT and business teams should manage generative AI within B2B organizations.

Keys to B2B ecommerce success 

B2B ecommerce can seem complex. But by focusing on certain key factors and features, you can drive business growth and improve customer retention. Here are some components to integrate with your B2B ecommerce solution:

Excellent visual merchandising

Leveraging the right visual merchandising tactics, providing a visually appealing ecommerce site, and combining it with a winning user experience (UX) can make a huge difference in attracting B2B buyers and ensuring that they can easily navigate to what they need and get the right information to make informed purchase decisions.

Omnichannel accessibility

As in the B2C world, B2B site visitors expect seamless buying experiences across multiple sales channels in your ecosystem, including your website and mobile apps. Integrating these channels and providing an omnichannel experience with consistent brand experience can help ensure business-buyer satisfaction, loyalty, and repeat purchasing. 

📖Ebook: how search and discovery is the secret weapon to great omnichannel experiences

Effective marketing campaigns  

To drive traffic and sales, it typically helps to promote your ecommerce platform through targeted marketing campaigns. You can use a mix of content marketing, email marketing, search engine optimization (SEO), social media, and pay-per-click (PPC) advertising to reach potential B2B buyers with your value proposition.

Strong supplier relations  

If you rely on supply chains, you probably already know that building strong relationships with your suppliers is crucial. Effective supply chain management in B2B ecommerce is critical to collaborating with your suppliers to ensure good communication, product quality, and timely delivery.

Leverage analytics  

Another key to B2B ecommerce success is analyzing metrics and KPIs to identify areas for improvement and optimization. You can track metrics such as your conversion rate, average order value, and customer lifetime value, using any insights you receive to make informed decisions and continually refine the way you operate.

Personalization 

You can use your business customer data to offer prospective buyers “intuitive” recommendations, relevant content, and promotions. By tailoring your ecommerce site for your unique users, you can increase engagement, conversion rates, and customer loyalty. 

📚Related reading: How AI-powered personalization is transforming the user and customer experience

📘Free guide: 5 critical B2B ecommerce KPIs AI personalization can drive and actionable steps to optimize for them.  

Easy-to-use search  

When business shoppers arrive on your B2B ecommerce site, they may have a specific item in mind and want to simply type its name (or paste an image) in your search box. The longer it takes them to find what they need, the more likely they’ll be to lose interest in doing business on your site.

Providing easy, intelligent search functionality with features such as autocomplete, query suggestions, product recommendations, and filtering can be a game changer. When your business shoppers can enjoy delightful ecommerce experiences, you’re on track for higher conversion rates and repeat business. When buyers can find what they need and proceed to checkout, corporate credit card in hand (or the ability to use some other payment option), they’re likely to rate their shopping experience highly and come back to do some reordering.

📘Free guide: the B2B decision-maker’s checklist for choosing a B2B search solution

💡Learn how Algolia leverages AI to deliver best-in-class B2B search capabilities

Solid customer support

With B2B sellers and sales processes, just as in a B2C scenario, exceptional customer service (and easy self-service) is essential to building long-term relationships with buyers in an ecommerce business model. It’s important that your support providers are knowledgeable, responsive, and able to effectively address customers’ concerns. You can provide multiple support channels: real-time online chat, email, phone, and connections through social media. 

Steps to launching a B2B ecommerce site

1. Identify business goals. Beyond shifting away from person-to-person selling to online sales, these goals typically include increased revenue, reduced costs, and ultimately, increased profitability.

2. Identify key stakeholders. These will include senior business and IT leaders, with input from marketing, sales, customers (through focus groups or surveys) and distribution/logistics groups.

3. Conduct a needs assessment. Work with stakeholders to identify critical needs – not only business capabilities, e.g. personalized portals, but also IT needs, such as additional development talent and integration with existing tech stacks. This phase should also include timelines.

4. Build consensus and obtain buy-in for the new approach, including necessary budget.

5. Research vendor options to identify search and discover solutions that meet business needs. 

6. Verify compatibility of short-list solutions with existing internal technology stacks, both now and into the future.  

8. Establish quantifiable KPIs and verify that relevant data can be obtained in a timely manner. 

7. Consider a modular approach to implementation. 

9. Make final vendor selection and launch the initiative. 

💡Key features of the best B2B ecommerce platforms

📋B2B ecommerce website to-do list

📘B2B ecommerce digital transformation best practices

Like any major change in a business process, the change to ecommerce does involve challenges. Arguably, the most important is providing adequate product information online, including pricing. Another involves dealing with long sales cycles, where half a dozen individuals are often involved. Particularly with a new customer or a large purchase, personal follow-up may make sense, plus immediate availability to answer questions via chat or telephone.

On the technical side, managing large, complex catalogs or federated search of multiple sources requires a high level of technical expertise related to data management. Also, integration with other major legacy apps such as ERP is often a requirement, and this can present technical challenges.

Finally, data security and compliance is paramount. In particular, there must be an advanced system to verify the identity of buyers, one that goes beyond simple ID and password. 

Once your B2B commerce site is live, there is one last step in ensuring success: marketing. Buyers will not automatically flock to your site. You need to reach out. Tactics that work include 

• Targeted account-based marketing (ABM) that may involve the sales team

• Email outreach

• Social media, which is increasing in importance as buyers as a group become younger

• Paid ads

• Search engine optimization (SEO)

If your solution could use some streamlining or an outright overhaul, we have an API with the latest digital commerce tools, as well as a stellar reputation among our B2B clients.

Get in touch with our team to learn more about all the search and discovery options available to you, and take your B2B experience to the next level.