Welcome to Wucato Germany For business customers only  

5 reasons why wholesalers should opt for B2B platforms

Online wholesalers benefit from B2B e-commerce platforms like Wucato

The future is digital, also in the B2B business. In 2019 alone, industry and wholesalers generated around EUR 180 billion in revenue online. Many suppliers and distributors are still undecided when it comes to digitalizing their sales –meaning that they are missing out on a whole number of opportunities. Find out what these opportunities are in this blog post.

Jean-Paul Agon, CEO of French cosmetics manufacturer L'Oréal, once said: "E-commerce is not the cherry on the cake. It is the cake!" Although it is of course difficult to compare the market for makeup and hair care with the distribution of operating materials and C parts, the central message behind this quote is the same for wholesalers, suppliers and B2B companies: the future of commerce will happen on the Internet. And only those companies that prepare today can reap the benefits tomorrow.

Platforms play an important role in the rapid digitalization of B2B commerce and offer not only e-commerce newcomers numerous advantages over setting up their own online shop:

Improve visibility platform Wucato sales channel

1. Improve visibility: platforms as a further sales channel

Figures from the "ibi Research" research institute at the University of Regensburg bear testimony to the considerable potential that platforms have to offer: The volume of revenue generated in B2B online commerce is growing at a rate of around 15% a year. More than three quarters of all B2B distributors consider platforms to be highly relevant as a sales channel and use them primarily to tap into new sales markets. And even though personal relationships with their customers remain important for many companies, more than 80% of those surveyed believe that there is very considerable potential in B2B e-commerce over the next five years. Platforms allow wholesalers to increase their visibility on the Internet and serve their existing customers on an additional channel without any major barriers to entry.

New customer acquisition

2. Attract new customers: the advantages of the network effect

Use existing networks instead of laboriously creating your own user groups: online platforms give suppliers access to a large number of buyers that they haven't reached before and who may not have heard of their products with little effort involved. The users on the platform come from numerous companies and industries, work in a variety of positions and usually have very different requirements as far as operating materials are concerned.

Sell peripheral assortment

3. Exploit potential to the full: sell the entire assortment

Items that are not part of the core assortment often receive little attention from regular customers. Thanks to the wide reach that platforms offer, suppliers can reach new target groups with their peripheral assortment, allowing them to boost their revenue while maintaining the same assortment.

Online not retail

4. Use tried-and-tested technology: save time and money instead of building your own online shop

From design and programming to maintenance and customer retention: a shop system that runs on your own company website costs time, money and energy. In particular, companies that have little digital expertise tend to have their fingers burnt when setting up their own online shop. The amount of work involved and the marketing costs required to raise the company's own profile are often underestimated.

If you want to reach as many buyers as possible quickly, securely and efficiently using a digital sales channel, you are often better off on an online platform. The costs incurred can be planned, the items added to the platform are displayed to buyers immediately, and contact persons are available to help in the event of queries about the connection or IT problems.

Generational change young buyers

5. Reaching out to young buyers: generational change in procurement

Shopping in Germany is not only becoming more digital, it is also becoming younger. A whole number of few procurement and sales departments are currently experiencing a process of generational change which is accelerating the digitalization of trading processes. The average B2B buyer is already younger than 35. Why should millennials who have grown up with e-commerce platforms and use them almost daily do without them in their professional lives?

Ample opportunities in a growing market: platforms are the ideal partner for wholesalers

As a wholesaler, opt for a powerful and secure platform as a digital sales channel that connects you with new customers easily and helps you to serve existing customers online. Rely on tried-and-tested technology and the expert knowledge of your platform partner to quickly achieve success in B2B online commerce. It’s high time to realize the full potential of your assortment and reach buyers who have not heard of your products before. Don't opt for an off-the-shelf solution. Rather, decide for yourself whether you want to use the platform as an intermediary or as a digital interface – however suits your processes.

Do you want to find out more? Our contacts at Wucato are looking forward to helping you to digitalize your sales and joining forces with you to write an e-commerce success story.

Contact us now for a free consultation!


 

More interesting articles