Though open-source options, like Magento, provide higher management and adaptability over web site customizations, they usually contain a excessive complete price of possession (TCO) when it comes to software program, internet hosting, implementation and assist charges. And as your enterprise outgrows your open-source expertise, it’s possible you’ll search to modernize your B2B ecommerce setting and shift to an Open SaaS resolution.
Enter BigCommerce.
With the mixed advantages of open supply and SaaS, BigCommerce gives a turnkey resolution that permits ecommerce companies to reply to fast-changing buyer calls for. Even with an increasing product catalog, B2B companies can enhance how they merchandize with out worrying about platform upkeep complications and considerably cut back the necessity for personalisation.
However as many B2B ecommerce retailers could know, making the massive change from open supply to SaaS isn’t all the time a stroll within the park.
For steering, we sat down with Vik Gundoju, Accomplice at StrikeTru, to find out how their company helps B2B shoppers migrate to BigCommerce utilizing StrikeTru’s Akeneo PIM Connector.
What Are Among the Deciding Elements for Proposing BigCommerce to Your Shoppers?
VG: “We work with numerous small- and medium-sized companies and retailers, and I’ve seen a number of shoppers, together with bigger shoppers, that battle with having on-line presence once they have a Magento backend.
“It’s primarily as a result of it’s an open-source platform that’s not as simple to arrange and keep. It has an excessive amount of flexibility and when you’ve got a platform like that, you want a growth group that’s well-versed in Magento, and your necessities must also warrant the pliability and related prices of the platform.
“We additionally felt that for B2B performance, BigCommerce gives out-of-box performance at a really compelling worth, and it comes with such good assist.
“We knew that with BigCommerce, we [could] choose up the telephone and get a [customer support representative] inside a minute, and, in my expertise, they had been very educated. All of this stuff put collectively make us comfy in proposing BigCommerce.”
What Was Your Expertise Creating the Market Connector App and the Ease of Integrating Akeneo PIM with the BigCommerce Platform?
VG: “Based mostly on [advice from BigCommerce], we developed an app that synchronizes all of the product information buildings, information and belongings within the Akeneo Product Data Administration (PIM) system into the backend of BigCommerce.
“It’s a very API-based system, so I had my group have a look at the APIs, and so they had been pleasantly shocked that there’s numerous useful documentation obtainable in your web site.
“We shortly obtained a trial web site going so we might begin experimenting. Then, we had entry to the assist group, which we actually didn’t want a lot as a result of there was a lot documentation obtainable. We had been already working with some accounts, so we had been acquainted with the performance of BigCommerce … However what made it tremendous simple to construct a connector was the truth that the APIs are so complete and well-documented. We had been form of self-servicing ourselves, which is nice. We by no means ran right into a wall growing the Akeneo PIM connector with BigCommerce — and that’s huge.”
What are Among the Benefits of Working with an Company like StrikeTru?
VG: “Particularly throughout COVID, we’ve seen that most individuals are actually shopping for merchandise on-line — so firms have to remodel to reply to the surge on digital channels. There’s no “ifs” and “buts.”
“To remodel, it’s a must to resolve your core expertise and information points. Greatest practices right here embody deploying new tech instruments, implementing agile information administration practices after which making your information very usable and moveable throughout departments and throughout your buyer and accomplice ecosystems.
“Typically what we discover is firms, particularly SMBs, don’t have experience on these instruments and don’t have the workers who can arrange and function these instruments, particularly at first levels — that’s the place the companies are available in.
“We herald greatest practices in deploying these instruments. We convey within the experience on these instruments that the businesses don’t have; we all know find out how to deploy and configure them, and combine them. We’re additionally information architects and know find out how to resolve information challenges. We’re additionally course of re-engineering individuals. We get to know all the consumer’s information and commerce processes and re-engineer them to greatest leverage the brand new tech instruments. We align consumer necessities with the capabilities of those instruments, and likewise present mission administration and coaching providers to assist keep away from stalled or failed initiatives.”
How Does Shifting a B2B Enterprise On-line Affect the Gross sales Group if They Had been Beforehand Supporting B2B Clients?
VG: “What’s occurred — and that is one thing {that a} wholesale distributor of business provides informed me once I interviewed them previously — historically, that they had good margins on every kind of product strains, near 30% — and that afforded them the flexibility to have direct gross sales individuals promote these merchandise to their clients.
“However now, because of Amazon and all the worth transparency and intense competitors on-line, for sure merchandise which can be commodities, the margins have shrunk to some extent the place the enterprise can’t all the time assist a direct salesperson. So, they’ve to go surfing with these merchandise.
“Now, what the distributor needed to do is basically begin promoting extra of these commodities on-line, corresponding to a set of micro websites or energy instruments — it’s a commodity class. You’ll be able to stroll into Lowes or House Depot and get these merchandise. You don’t want a high-end gross sales man to promote these to you.
“The margins are low, so the one method to generate income there may be to leverage all their current relationships and entry to product and distribution, after which promote on-line and survive even on these decrease margins as a result of they’re scaled. Then, get rid of the salesperson out of the equation as a result of they’re excessive fee.”
What Methods Did Your B2B Shoppers Use to Onboard Clients to Purchase On-line?
VG: “I’ve had some B2B shoppers desirous to transition away from relationship-based gross sales and onboard clients to purchase on-line, and infrequently they’re slowed down in expertise points and getting all of it working correctly for B2B. Additionally they have channel battle to fret about. So there are different challenges that they must account for earlier than they will transfer numerous their shoppers in mass.
“I feel channel battle is a key one. They want to verify their present gross sales group is introduced into it, even when it means they’ve to regulate their gross sales compensation, no matter it’s. As soon as these discussions occur, I feel they’ve a wholesale purchase in, then they will aggressively transfer their clients on-line. I might say expertise and information points, in the event that they overcome that, then they will resolve their gross sales and enterprise points. After that’s once they would actually go at it.”
What Recommendation Would You Give to Different B2B Firms Trying to Shift Their Enterprise On-line?
VG: “If I can say one factor: Don’t wait. You don’t have time, so get began now.
“In right this moment’s digital-first setting, it’s essential to digitize operations and digitize now, in any other case you danger being out-competed and turning into irrelevant. If you’re going via a digital transformation, assess your present state of content material and commerce operations and develop an implementation roadmap and be methodical about that. You’ll be able to take a crawl, stroll and run implementation strategy with right this moment’s trendy instruments. You shouldn’t really feel like it’s worthwhile to resolve for all the pieces [from] day one. You’ll be able to all the time resolve some high-priority use circumstances first and transfer on to others subsequent — that’s the place a roadmap is available in.”
“I’ve had numerous shoppers who’re very anxious about seeing outcomes straight away, and I feel the important thing message is it’s an funding — so it’s a must to be slightly affected person. It’s important to make investments first, after which it’s best to have life like expectations on what this funding is doing for you, whether or not it’s commerce or content material. Don’t be impatient, since you may get disillusioned and transfer on. It’s steady stakes right this moment. So it’s a must to do it. Put money into it and do it proper.”
Discover the B2B Ecommerce Answer from BigCommerce
Are you a B2B enterprise seeking to make the leap from open supply to SaaS? Schedule a demo for BigCommerce B2B Version, and our migration consultants can be joyful to help you within the transition. And for further insights on all issues B2B, try The State of B2B Ecommerce: 2022 Development Report.
