Here we compare two leading business to business (B2B) ecommerce platforms: Cloudfy vs BigCommerce.
B2B transactions were once handled by field sales representatives, over the phone, using emails or even by fax. New technology and changing attitudes mean things have moved on in recent years.
There are a lot of ecommerce platforms to choose from and it can be difficult to know what will best suit your business needs.
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An ecommerce platform designed for complex B2B sales
B2B buyers expect high quality online journeys similar to their personal shopping experiences. However, B2B purchasing is more complex, often involving extensive research, multiple decision makers and different approval levels.
Depending on your business requirements, you probably already know that few ecommerce platforms are purpose designed to meet these requirements.
In contrast, Cloudfy was built specifically to deliver outstanding B2B ecommerce experiences. It simplifies processes, saves you money and scales as your business grows.
Delivering outstanding B2B ecommerce
B2B ecommerce streamlines and simplifies the complex transactions that take place when businesses sell to each other. It meets the specific needs of businesses rather than individual consumers or end-users.
Most of us have bought personal items online and these business to consumer or B2C experiences influence our expectations. However, amongst other things, B2B ecommerce often involves selling in high volumes at wholesale prices. Specific configurations, packaging and delivery requirements all add to the complexity. Special trade pricing, bundles and price breaks are time consuming to administer and human data entry errors often creep in.
Trying to meet these detailed B2B ecommerce requirements using a platform that’s designed for much simpler B2C needs is a challenge. However, many platform providers say they meet the needs of both. We thought it was worth exploring how well this works in practice.
Why is your B2B ecommerce platform so important?
According to Gartner digital channels will account for 80% of B2B sales between suppliers and buyers by 2025. Around the world this will amount to US $trillions.
B2B ecommerce is becoming an integral part of:
- sourcing and procuring raw materials
- advanced technology-based solutions
- legal and financial services
- marketing and advertising
- supply chain and logistic services.
Your B2B ecommerce platform is now and integral part of your business. If you make the wrong choice moving forwards you could be heading for serious problems.
Here are some things to consider when comparing Cloudfy to BigCommerce.
B2B features and functionality.
Not all ecommerce platforms offer purpose designed B2B functionality. You’ll want specialized B2B features such as bulk ordering, custom pricing and delivery configuration. It must be easy for your B2B buyers to browse your catalog and place their orders efficiently. BigCommerce offers a range of B2B features but, unlike Cloudfy, it wasn’t designed from the outset for complex B2B sales.
Both Cloudfy and BigCommerce are software as a service (SaaS) solutions. This means your platform is delivered and supported in the cloud. Availability, security, compliance and updates are all managed for you. You can reduce your IT costs because you won’t need specialist in house ecommerce expertise and equipment. BigCommerce provides ‘live agent’ customer support via phone, email or chat. With Cloudfy you also benefit from ongoing critical support, help and guidance from the team.
Scalability
One of the reasons SaaS is popular for everything from project management to video streaming is scalability. It can grow and adapt as your business needs change. Of course, there’s a price to pay for this flexibility. The monthly fees for the BigCommerce Pro edition are billed annually. Once you have outgrown its annual sales limit, the Enterprise edition has four price tiers, based on number of orders. The Cloudfy orders per month model is simpler and can be tailored as your business grows. Understanding pricing options is important to make sure your business can grow seamlessly.
User experience (UX)
Understanding the distinct needs of B2B sellers and buyers is a key point of difference between Cloudfy and BigCommerce. For specialist requirements there’s a limited range of BigCommerce integrations and apps available. The Cloudfy team has a proven track record of integration with leading enterprise (ERP) systems and third-party extensions. A powerful application programming interface (API) also supports fast and effective customization.
Multichannel sales
Buyers carry out research across multiple channels before visiting your website. You’ll want to create compelling and consistent content across all the relevant channels. These might include social media platforms and multiple marketplaces. Both BigCommerce and Cloudfy allow you to coordinate your channels from a single dashboard and synchronize inventory and order processing.
Multilanguage and multicurrency sales
If your plans include selling internationally you’ll want a B2B ecommerce platform that supports multiple currencies and languages. You’ll also need to handle international regulations and taxes. BigCommerce provides out-of-the-box multi-currency conversion based on the byer’s IP address. However, if you’re using a paid-for template you’ll need a third-party app. Cloudfy allows you to manage trade across multiple regions from the same dashboard via multiple storefronts.
Payments
You’ll need a secure payment gateway and a flexible range of payment options to improve conversion rates. B2B ecommerce payments are often complex depending on purchasing histories and payment records. BigCommerce provides a default payment option for credit cards via PayPal, powered by Braintree, which includes transaction fees. You can also choose from a range of third-party payment gateways which normally involve a transaction fee and monthly fee
With Cloudfy and ERP integration you can make sure each customer sees only their designated payment methods. These can include on account payments, credit cards, direct bank transfers, cash, checks, BACS or PayPal. There’s also an invoice payment portal your customers can see on their dashboard when they place their orders. Alternatively, you can integrate with your preferred payment gateway providers using Cloudfy’s pre-built connectors.
Your choice
BigCommerce has improved its B2B functionality in recent years, although it’s only available on the Plus, Pro and Enterprise plans. However, it also includes a wide range of B2C functionality you won’t need. Users can feel overwhelmed by so many choices and how to implement the best B2B ecommerce solution for their business. In contrast, Cloudfy is built for B2B ecommerce and you have the support of the experienced team to create a solution to suit your needs.
As part of your decision-making process, we recommend you take a closer look at how Cloudfy can meet your business needs. Book a free demonstration today.
