10.04.2025
When we talk about ecommerce, most people think of classic online stores selling to end consumers—someone buying a pair of sneakers, a bottle of perfume, or a new keyboard. But there’s another side of ecommerce that’s often invisible to the public, yet highly valuable and dynamic: the world of B2B webshops, where the transactions happen between businesses.
B2B ecommerce means you’re not selling to individuals, but to other companies. These could be distributors, wholesalers, service providers, restaurants, hotels, or any type of business buyer. At first glance, it may seem like the same thing—“put products online and someone buys them”—but in reality, B2B ecommerce operates by very different rules. From pricing display and personalized offers to order logic and payment methods, the B2B model requires a tailored approach.
One of the main differences is in the buying process. B2B customers don’t make impulsive purchases. Their decisions are often planned, budgeted, and reviewed by multiple stakeholders. Because of this, a B2B webshop must offer clearly structured product data, technical specifications, downloadable PDFs, and often the ability to request a quote or create a custom order. Pricing might not be publicly visible, but displayed only after login, based on previously negotiated terms.
Payments also work differently in the B2B world. While credit card payments are standard in B2C, business buyers are used to paying via invoice, net-30 terms, or even through ERP integrations. A webshop that doesn't support these options could lose serious clients—not because of pricing, but due to lack of functionality.
Personalization plays a key role in B2B ecommerce. One user may see a price list tailored just for their company, another might have access to a restricted catalog with industry-specific items, and a third may order in bulk under negotiated shipping conditions. The backend must support all of this without making the experience feel complex or frustrating to the buyer.
What makes B2B ecommerce especially appealing is its business potential. Even though B2B platforms don’t usually run flashy Black Friday campaigns or advertise on Instagram, the average order value is often much higher. Plus, business clients tend to be long-term—they place regular orders over months or years, not just one-time purchases.
Still, many companies are not fully leveraging B2B ecommerce. Some are intimidated by the complexity, while others believe their clients prefer traditional channels. But in reality, modern business buyers now expect the same simplicity and speed they experience in personal shopping. If you don’t provide that, your competitor likely will.
A B2B webshop isn’t “just another sales channel.” It’s a tool for automating sales, streamlining admin work, improving control over pricing and inventory, and scaling efficiently. In the right hands, it becomes a powerful, quiet, and highly profitable engine for business growth.
