The eCommerce landscape is vast, and it is growing at a rapid pace. In addition, the eCommerce industry has witnessed an increase of around 15-20% every year, which means that the opportunities for everyone in this field are also increasing. 

For many businesses, the best option is to choose from ecommerce platforms for b2b because it allows them to create their website and promote their products directly to other companies or businesses instead of consumers looking for something different.

As mentioned before, there are plenty of options for choosing an eCommerce platform that will suit all your needs. Still, one thing many users need to remember when they opt for such platforms is how they plan on using their website in the future or what their requirements would be? Having this information handy helps them make an informed choice when selecting a particular platform, so here's what we suggest.

Quality of platform

The quality of the platform is measured in terms of speed, stability, and security. A high-quality platform is well-maintained and updated regularly. When a development team does not invest time in maintaining or updating their eCommerce software, it can create problems with speed and security, which would be detrimental to your business. 

On the other hand, a maintained but not updated platform may not be able to meet your needs in the future as new technologies emerge or current trends change.

Ease of use

Make sure the platform is easy to use. If a B2B eCommerce platform is easy to use, your employees will be satisfied, leading to better performance. You can ensure that your employees find the platform simple by conducting user testing before launch and making changes as necessary.

Suppose your company has been using an older software package or system. In that case, it can also help if they are familiar with the new software being introduced because they know what kind of problems need fixing before they happen and have suggestions for improving usability right away. 

For instance, if there's not enough time allotted in each day's schedule, then create some extra time by eliminating unnecessary steps, so staff doesn't have to wait around while data is collected before entering orders into inventory management systems, and more.

White label

White labeling is a way to brand your eCommerce store. You can customize it any way you like, from selling products to adding your logo, changing the color scheme, or something else.

If you don't want to customize anything or add new features, white labeling might not suit you. When choosing an eCommerce platform, it's crucial that both parties are happy with the level of customization available and that this information is clearly stated in the contract. Hence, there are no surprises later on down the road.

On-premise or cloud (SaaS) hosted

The choice between on-premise and cloud (SaaS) hosting depends on your organization's needs and resources.

On-premise hosting is more forgiving regarding security requirements, but the software must be installed on the company's servers. The installation of this software entails a significant upfront investment, which can be prohibitive for smaller companies with limited IT infrastructure or funds. 

Smaller businesses that want to avoid the initial cost of setting up their server may prefer SaaS as an alternative. In addition, many large enterprises have internal security policies that require them to keep all data within their firewall—a constraint that SaaS does not necessarily place on companies who choose that option over on-premise hosting.

Support speed and quality

When it comes to supporting, speed and quality are critical. If you're running an eCommerce business, you need a platform that can provide the help you need when you need it. A good support experience will help your business grow by providing fast and practical assistance with any issue or question.

A bad support experience has the opposite effect: It can cause your users to leave in frustration without ever coming back. With this in mind, we looked for platforms that offer 24/7 customer service via phone/email/chat on top of their online FAQs section and self-help knowledge base articles. 

Integration capabilities with back-end ERP, CMS, and other systems

You'll want to ensure the eCommerce platform you choose is integrated with the back-end ERP, CMS, and other systems you use.

In particular, integration with your back-end enterprise resource planning (ERP) system is critical. It's where all of your product information will live. Conducting an ERP Evaluation can help you determine how well a potential eCommerce platform will connect with your ERP software and whether any third-party integration is necessary, so make sure to check this off your list before selecting a platform. You'll also need integration between your eCommerce platform and your CMS (content management system). When products are added to the site, they automatically appear on both platforms.

eCommerce features like B2B features, pricing, and promotions

B2B eCommerce platforms should offer a complete set of features. They should have the same eCommerce features as standard B2B platforms, such as:

• Pricing and promotions
• Support for multiple currencies
• Tax and shipping configuration

Scalability and performance

Scalability and performance are two factors that determine the ability of an eCommerce platform to meet your business needs as it grows. Scalability is how well a platform can grow with your business, while performance measures how fast it can process transactions.

The best way to ensure that you choose a scalable and performant platform is by looking at its growth history. If a company has been able to scale before, then there's no reason why it won't be able to do so again in the future. 

You should also look into the size of their customer base; if they have successfully managed large volumes of orders before, then it's likely that they will be able to handle anything you throw at them.

The B2B eCommerce platform you choose will be a long-term commitment. 

The first step is to understand what kind of features the platform should have. For example, it should be mobile-friendly and easy to use. It should also have all the features your business needs, such as invoicing and customer management tools.

The second step is to look at the cost associated with each platform before deciding which would work best for your business growth plan.

In summary

The most important criterion for a B2B eCommerce platform is the ability to provide solutions for your business needs. By focusing on just a few critical features, you can find the right solution at the right price. This blog post has covered some essential criteria for choosing an eCommerce platform, and we hope it has been helpful.