Are you thinking of starting an e-commerce venture? If yes, then a point of concern for you is to focus on the right form of advertising, which will ensure that website is smartly able to convert prospects to leads. However, you need to be clear on the model of your website: is it a Business-to-Consumer (B2C) e-Commerce website or a Business-to-Business (B2B) e-Commerce website that you eventually plan on running. The simple difference between the two is that the B2C model is used for selling to people. Whereas, in the B2B model, it’s used for selling to people, who work in an organization.
Top reasons why B2B e-commerce websites are different from B2C:
The aim behind setting up websites for B2B and B2C is to drive solid quantifiable results that can easily be assessed. Since B2B is quite diverse from B2C, their target audiences are different, hence their e-commerce website design is also markedly different. While the products, services, and the approach to present these, may vary, their end goal is pretty much the same: promote business to drive a steady revenue stream. However, read on to find out how much they differ:
Defining target audience via established buyer persona
A clear distinction between B2B from B2C is their target market. B2C websites are far more dynamic when it comes to defining buyer persona because they are designed in such a way. Marketing teams in collaboration with design teams create websites that instantly become a hit with their audiences. A top-notch B2C website will even go as far as customizing the website based on the browsing and purchasing behavior of the defined buyer persona.
This way they will have a clear idea about the needs of their target market and the trends which are currently being followed by the consumer. The theme and the tone of the copy on such B2C websites are usually informal and almost casual, so that sounds more like an everyday conversation with their audience. For instance, Walmart’s website is an excellent example of a B2C website. Walmart buys all its products from both local and international wholesalers so that it can sell products to customers (both online and in their physical shops, via their website).
However, when it comes to the B2B e-commerce website, the approach varies. Instead of a persona for a collective audience, both marketing and design teams have to target certain individuals, present in certain establishments. In this case, both the theme of the website and the tone of the copy are formal. A fantastic B2B e-Commerce website example is Symantec. This is a company that sells anti-virus software to Apple and scans its internal frame that would protect its business data from competitors and frauds. This is the intent behind B2B e-commerce websites: to address a wide range of pain points for the specific buyer persona.
Personalized homepages
Since B2C websites are designed for a mass audience from all walks of life, these often seem to have messaging that urges the consumer to take quick action. These websites always have some sort of sales happening, discounts, or monthly offers, that’s to pressure their audience to purchase something. Words such as ‘Hurry up! Can’t wait to give it a try!’ along with many others have this urgency that urges the customer to take immediate action. B2C websites are vibrant and their energetic content is to hype up the consumer; they are designed in such a way that the audience is probably missing out on something big if they are not taking a step forward. This is also because most B2C websites are aware that if they don’t rush their consumer, they may eventually lose a potential prospect to their competitors.
Whereas, a simple yet straightforward design theme is a common feature in most B2B websites. Furthermore, they don’t just have an undemanding theme, the tone of their copy is also different. There’s a good reason why such homepages are minimalistic with no clutter. Such B2B websites are meant to present informative content, with clear images of the products/services and quick order systems for buyers to purchase without being bombarded with an urgency. For instance, check out the website for Internet providers. You will find all the above-mentioned factors that make B2B stand out from B2C present here. Moreover, to make a purchase, you will probably google the various technical terminologies that are present on the website for better comprehension. A B2B buyer will make an informed choice before he makes the final decision to purchase.
Sales cycles and the pricing model
With B2C websites, the sales cycle is concise and usually involves one browsing episode. For instance, if you are searching for a pair of woolen socks, you will probably browse a couple of websites, read product reviews, search for alternatives, and then finally settle on a pair, before finalizing your purchase.
However, the thing to note for product pricing in a B2C website is generally fixed and quite straightforward. Whereas, in contrast, B2B customers may take months and even years to finalize a product/service. They will extensively research, mark areas where the B2B product will be required, and find cheaper alternatives if considered necessary.
After an exhaustive research period, the final purchase will be made. What’s more, is that B2B buyers will find that they can customize the price model as per their product. For instance, corporations willing to purchase around 100 extra laptops will ensure that system integration and technical support are also part of the deal and will curate a package that doesn’t break the bank while providing maximum services.
Conclusion
Understanding the difference between B2C and B2B websites comes in handy, especially when you want to build a setup that capitalizes on maximum conversions. Furthermore, before designing your website, always check that the agency working for you has varied experience with your industry. If they have been designing B2C websites and you want them to create a B2B one, this might end up with a lot of technical issues as both models address different requirements. Someone having experience with B2B websites will be able to deliver the results better and much more efficiently. After all, you wouldn’t want a website that doesn’t help your venture grow, bloom, and flourish.
