Ways To Get Elected In The B2B Buying Process

The common notion is that things are easy for B2C, while for B2B, it is all a rocky road. Well, it is nothing like that. It all depends upon how much one gets involved in it, put effort and take it seriously and do whatever is possible to keep the buyer hooked and keep coming and buying from you.

B2B or B2C, the main motto is to keep customers ordering from you. It is possible only when you are offering them such products and services that they cannot say no to or ignore and go to your rivals. Now, you may ask what offerings can make them stick to you? Well, there are quite a couple of tricks and tactics that can be applied to make buyers choose you for their B2B buying. What are they? What can be done? Let’s dig into the details of all.

Alright, but before getting into the vast data, let’s understand what a B2B buying process consists of? B2B buying is a simple 5 stage process that includes:

• Problem identification
• Information search
• Evaluation of alternatives
• Purchase decision
• Post-purchase decision

Now, as per the research conducted by Sapio Research, an independent research agency, who investigated the expectations of B2B buyers during each phase of the B2B buying process; the following statistics and insights were obtained in each stage.

Problem Identification

On average, the entire B2B buying process takes 28.2 days, in which the problem identification phase takes the least amount of time i.e., 4.5 days.

Information Search

Today no one simply sees and buys. A lot of information searches happens after the problem identification as people know they have several options and need not settle for anything less. Hence, the research showed that about 62% of buyers access information online before buying that drives the importance of having a good SEO if it has to be you on the top in Google search engine when buyers come looking for solutions and information to solve their problem.

Evaluation of Alternatives

The longest of all stages, evaluation of alternatives takes about 6.4 days, according to the study because; a buyer evaluates a minimum of 3-5 suppliers before making a purchase decision. Following are some of the factors a buyer considers for evaluation:

• Price comparisons (33%)
• Payment terms (29%)
• Inventory availability (28%)
• Delivery terms (28%)
• Product demonstration (25%)
• Product feature comparison (24%)

Purchase Decision

It is the most crucial phase of a buying process because the decision of buying can either proceed or get flunked at this stage. As s supplier, you must focus on the following things because they are what the buyers consider while making the final decision.

• Good service (selected by 39% of buyers as the most significant offering)
• Low price (selected by 37%)
• Favorable payment terms (selected by 31%)
• Product features (selected by 31%)
• Favorable delivery terms (selected by 30%)
• Product availability and inventory levels (selected by 29%)
• Ability to pay online (selected by 26%)

Post-purchase Decision

It is the phase where things go wrong in general because many buyers think that once the purchase is made, they become successful and no more need to pay any attention to the buyer. Whereas, post-purchase is the most important phase because it is what keeps your customers hooked or keep coming back to you for more. You have to continue taking good care of your customers post-purchase because your behavior after the purchase is the real impression customers will have about you.

Continue satisfying their wishes and preferences, update them about your offers and discounts, feed them relevant and timely information, as all such actions will build and strengthen the trust factor in you.

In short, easier and faster checkout, easy repeat ordering, quicker delivery, improved tracking, and greater choice of suppliers are some of the buying experience priorities for a B2B buyer that you as a B2B seller must give importance to if want your customers to stay in a long-term relationship with you.

Summary

It is true that your effort influences the buying process but, a well-developed eCommerce solution also plays a significant role in a buyer’s decision as the shopping experience that the buyer gets from it affects the decision a lot. Therefore, you must set the foundation in the best way possible to succeed as a B2B seller.

For that, you simply need to approach a top-notch eCommerce web development company like Mobicommerce and stay assured as their team of efficient mCommerce mobile app builders know how to make you stand out in the competitive market.

Dipika Jadwani

Dipika is a skilled marketer who manages marketing communications at MobiCommerce. From content and social media to branding and PR, Dipika overlooks all aspects of digital marketing meticulously at MobiCommerce. She collaborates extensively with the sales and operations teams to bring more business and build a loyal customer base.