In the world of B2B eCommerce, businesses are looking for solutions that not only streamline operations but also meet the unique needs of larger transactions. One of the key considerations for businesses in this space is the size of the basket — the number of products a customer adds to their cart in a single purchase. Large basket sizes are common in B2B eCommerce, where bulk purchasing, multi-item orders, and complex product configurations are the norm. But why do large basket sizes matter, and how do platforms like Cloudfy and Magento handle them differently?
In this blog, we’ll explore why large basket sizes matter in B2B eCommerce and how Cloudfy and Magento compare in supporting this essential aspect of business transactions.
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The Importance of Large Basket Sizes in B2B eCommerce
Large basket sizes are integral to the B2B buying process for several reasons:
Bulk Ordering
Businesses often need to buy in bulk to maintain inventory levels, streamline procurement and take advantage of volume discounts. Whether it’s raw materials, finished goods, or office supplies, being able to add multiple items to the basket at once is crucial for efficiency.
Multiple Product Variants
B2B businesses frequently deal with products that come in various configurations or quantities. For instance, a company purchasing industrial machinery might need different parts, add-ons, or accessories in a single transaction. A flexible basket system that accommodates large, varied orders makes the purchase process smoother.
Time and Cost Efficiency
The larger the basket, the better the potential for cost savings—both for the buyer, who might benefit from bulk discounts, and the seller, who can reduce overheads like shipping costs. But to make this work, the system must support large, complex orders without slowing down the process.
Streamlining Procurement
Large baskets also help businesses streamline procurement processes, allowing them to purchase everything they need at once, often avoiding the need to go through multiple steps or orders. This saves time and minimises administrative overhead.
How Cloudfy Supports Large Basket Sizes
Cloudfy, built specifically for B2B eCommerce, has been designed to manage large, complex transactions seamlessly. Here’s why it works so well for businesses dealing with high-volume, multi-item orders:
User-Friendly Interface
Cloudfy offers an intuitive and straightforward shopping experience. Whether you’re adding bulk items or choosing from a range of product variants, the process is designed to be as simple as possible, even for the most complex orders.
Customisable Basket Features
Cloudfy allows for flexible basket rules and custom pricing structures, making it ideal for businesses that want to offer discounts on bulk purchases, manage contract pricing, or set special rules for large orders. This ensures your customers get the best experience when adding large quantities to their cart.
Integration with ERP and CRM systems
Cloudfy integrates effortlessly with your ERP and CRM systems. This means large orders are easily managed from start to finish, with inventory, pricing, and customer data flowing smoothly between systems. For businesses looking to scale, Cloudfy’s integration capabilities provide a robust and efficient solution for large basket transactions.
Scalability and Performance
Cloudfy is a cloud-based solution, meaning it can scale with your business. As your order sizes and basket volumes grow, Cloudfy can handle an increasing number of SKUs and larger orders without sacrificing performance. This scalability ensures that businesses can keep up with growing demand without worrying about technical limitations.
Advanced Order Management
Cloudfy simplifies order management, even for the most complex baskets. The platform’s order management system (OMS) allows businesses to track and fulfil large, multi-item orders quickly, ensuring no items are missed and the entire process remains streamlined.
Basket Sizes in Excess of 2000 products lines
Cloudfy comfortably manages baskets in excess of 2,000 products, maintaining seamless performance even with very large, complex B2B orders.
Excel Order Upload feature
Cloudfy’s Excel Order Upload feature allows B2B customers to easily and efficiently place large, complex orders directly through Excel spreadsheets. Customers simply upload their spreadsheet, saving valuable time, reducing errors, and streamlining the ordering process. It’s ideal for businesses regularly placing bulk orders, significantly improving user experience and operational efficiency.
How Magento Adobe Commerce Handles Large Basket Sizes
While Magento is one of the most popular eCommerce platforms, it was originally designed for B2C eCommerce, making it less naturally suited for the more complex needs of B2B transactions. That said, Magento can be extended to handle large basket sizes, though it may require more customisation and development effort. Here’s how Magento handles large basket sizes:
Flexible Product Options
Magento allows businesses to manage large numbers of products, including multiple variants, so it’s certainly capable of handling bulk orders (up to 100 product lines per basket reliably). However, it may need additional extensions or custom development to support the complexity of B2B orders in a seamless way.
Customisable Pricing
Magento supports custom pricing and bulk discounts, but unlike Cloudfy, it requires custom development or third-party extensions to create tailored pricing models for B2B. If your business requires contract pricing, special discounts, or tiered pricing, you’ll need to invest more in the development and integration of these features.
Integration with External Systems
While Magento integrates well with ERP, CRM, and other systems, businesses need to invest time and resources in setting up and managing these integrations to specifically handle large, complex orders.
Performance
Magento can support large baskets but can face performance issues when handling a significant number of products, especially if the site isn’t optimised or if the number of SKUs increases substantially. For companies scaling rapidly, this might be a consideration, as Magento requires additional effort to ensure smooth performance under high-volume loads.
Checkout Complexity
Magento’s checkout process can handle large baskets, but it may not be as intuitive or user-friendly for B2B customers compared to Cloudfy, which is specifically designed to cater to B2B needs like bulk order management and contract pricing.
Restricted Basket Sizes for B2B
And Magento Adobe Commerce officially recommends a maximum of 100 products per basket to maintain optimal performance, noting that above 300 products, users may experience slower response times, and beyond 500 products, smooth functionality isn’t guaranteed.
Cloudfy vs. Magento Adobe Commerce: A Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | Cloudfy | Magento Adobe Commerce |
|---|---|---|
| Ease of Use | Intuitive and user-friendly | More complex, requires customisation for B2B needs |
| Customisation | Highly customisable for B2B orders | Customisation needed for B2B features like contract pricing |
| ERP/CRM Integration | Smooth, reliable and built for B2B | Can integrate, but requires plugins and development |
| Order Management | Advanced, tailored for large baskets | Needs extra development to handle complex orders |
| Performance | Scalable, handles high volumes easily | Can experience performance issues with larger orders unless optimised |
| Pricing Flexibility | Flexible, with built-in options for bulk pricing | Requires extensions or development for tiered or contract pricing |
| Checkout Process | Streamlined for bulk orders | Custom development needed for B2B-friendly features |
| Basket Capacity (number of products) | Capable of handling in excess of 2,000 products per basket while maintaining strong, reliable performance. | Optimal performance with 100 products; slower performance above 300 products; not reliably functional above 500 products. |
| Excel Order Upload Feature | Standard, built in excel order upload feature. | Not available. |
Which Platform is Right for Your B2B Business?
Both Cloudfy and Magento Adobe Commerce offer strong capabilities, but the decision largely depends on your specific needs:
Cloudfy is designed specifically for B2B eCommerce and handles large basket sizes with ease. Its user-friendly interface, customisable features, and seamless integrations make it an ideal choice for businesses dealing with complex, bulk orders. If you’re looking for a solution that’s ready to go with minimal customisation, Cloudfy is a strong contender.
Magento Adobe Commerce, on the other hand, is a versatile platform that can be adapted for B2B use with the right customisation. If you’re already using Magento or prefer its flexibility, be prepared to invest in development and integrations to make it work for complex B2B needs.
