Bridge the B2B Experience Gap: Solve Pain Points in Wholesale Purchasing

Fixing Friction inWholesale Buying Why the future of wholesale commerce depends on Table of 03Introduction 05THE B2B EXPERIENCE GAP:Why Traditional Buying Journeys Fall 09THE QUICK WINS:Fixing Today’s Wholesale Buying 13FUTURE-PROOFING B2B COMMERCE:The Path to AI-Powered CX 18THE RIGHT TOOLS FOR CHANGE:Technology That Powers Growth 21A PRACTICAL ROADMAP:How to Evolve Your B2B CX Strategy 26A PRACTICAL ROADMAP:How to Evolve Your B2B CX Strategy Introduction The expectations for wholesale commerce have changed. Modern buyersare no longer satisfied with outdated portals, slow approvals, and rigidpurchasing processes. They demand intuitive, seamless experiences that The data is clear. •Virtually 100% of B2B buyersnow prefer to self-servepart or all of their buying journey, yet many struggle with •31% of U.S. B2B buyersabandon transactions due to technicalissues like inaccurate pricing, which can stem from a lack of 89% OF BUYERS ARE MORELIKELY TO MAKE A PURCHASE •89% of buyersare more likely to make a purchase when theyfeel understood by sellers, indicating that a better digital Legacy B2B commerce platforms weren’t designed for today’s buyers.Complex product catalogs, manual quote approvals, and siloed systemscreate unnecessary obstacles, leading to lost revenue and frustrated The good news is that transforming B2B CX doesn’t require a completesystem overhaul. By adopting modern, modular commerce solutions,brands can bridge the gap between today’s inefficiencies and the future THE B2B EXPERIENCE GAP: Why TraditionalBuying Journeys For decades, wholesale distributors built their businesses on strongrelationships, negotiated contracts, and bulk purchasing agreements.However, today’s buyers—many of whom now expect the same frictionlessdigital experiences they get in B2C—are changing the game. They This disconnect is becoming costly. According to Gartner, 31% of U.S. B2Bbuyers abandon transactions due to technical issues (like inaccuratepricing), which is often the result of rigid legacy systems that lack real-time data synchronization. Meanwhile, competitors who invest in 31% OF U.S. B2B BUYERSABANDON TRANSACTIONS If wholesale distributors want to maintain loyalty and protect margins,eliminating these experience gaps is no longer optional. 1. Frustrating Digital Experiences Drive Buyers to A 2024 report by Master B2B noted that79% of B2B buyers nowexpect transparent pricing and real-time inventory visibility, yetmany distributors fail to offer even basic self-service options. Manywholesalers still operate with cumbersome eCommerce portals Buyers who encounter outdated ordering platforms will quicklyseek out competitors who offer faster, more intuitive, andstreamlined purchasing processes, whether through punchout 2 2. Lack of Real-Time Inventory Visibility Creates B2B buyers need certainty when they place an order, especially forlarge, recurring purchases. However, real-time inventory visibilityremains a major weak point for distributors, with many still relying The impact? Delayed orders, costly stockouts, and frustratedprocurement teams who abandon transactions when they can’tconfirm availability. In fact, that same Master B2B report showed Leading distributors are closing this gap by integrating OMS(Order Management Systems) with AI-powered forecasting, 3. Disconnected Systems Lead to Miscommunication 3 Wholesale distributors manage complex sales channels: balancingdirect orders, channel partners, and marketplace sales. However,when CRM, ERP, and commerce platforms aren’t fully integrated, This fragmentation also leads to misalignment between sales reps,account managers, and digital commerce channels. The Gartnerstudy found thatbuyers are 2.8x more likely to complete a high- Without a unified data layer, distributors risk providing inconsistentpricing, slow response times, and a frustrating experience that 4. Manual Processes Slow Down Large Orders and 4 For many distributors, large orders require custom quotes,approvals, and freight coordination, yet these processes remainlargely manual. This slows down the sales cycle and frustrates •A recent commercetools report identified thattheaverage B2B purchase decision now involves 10+channels, but if digital self-service tools aren’t •According to Master B2B,AI-driven CPQ (Configure,Price, Quote) systems can reduce quote-to-order timeby 30%, allowing distributors to automate approvals, The Cost of Inaction: Wholesale Distributors at a Wholesale buyers are no longer willing to wait for distributors to modernize.74% of B2B buyers would switch suppliers for a better digital experience, By addressing friction points, integrating real-time data, and embracingcomposable commerce, distributors can reduce abandoned transactionsand increase order frequency, automate manual processes to improve 74% OF U.S. B2B BUYERSWOULD SWITCH SUPPLIERS The good news is, there are quick wins distributors can implement todayto improve digital bu