It's an exciting time to be in the fashion industry, especially for fashion brands willing to delve into B2B eCommerce. The global fashion eCommerce market hit $1 trillion this year, and the current 14.2% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) is expected to continue into next year.
If you own or work for a B2B fashion company and you're looking to improve your eCommerce game, read on! We'll provide a comprehensive overview of everything you need to know about online sales for the fashion industry, including actionable strategies to set you up for success.
What is B2B Fashion eCommerce?
B2B fashion eCommerce describes any business-to-business sales conducted on the internet that involve fashion products. Sellers may include fashion wholesalers, distributors, global brands, boutique designers, and more. These sales can take place on a company's online store or a B2B eCommerce marketplace like Amazon Business or Alibaba.
B2B differs from B2C e-commerce in a number of important ways that will impact your eCommerce strategy. B2B eCommerce fashion websites, unlike their B2C counterparts, need to handle bulk orders, negotiated pricing, a variety of payment methods (e.g., buy-now-pay-later, purchase orders), and other features that cater to B2B fashion business buyers.
Additionally, eCommerce websites often require integration with Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) applications, along with supply chain management and warehousing systems.
That's why websites in the B2B fashion sector are typically built with cutting-edge B2B eCommerce platforms like Adobe Commerce (formerly Magento) or BigCommerce that offer powerful B2B eCommerce features, as opposed to out-of-the-box B2C platforms.
What Are the Benefits of B2B Fashion eCommerce?
The buying process in the fashion industry has been radically transformed by eCommerce, and those who have integrated it into their business model have a powerful competitive advantage. Here are some B2B eCommerce benefits that come with integrating online sales into your business model.
The ability to scale
One major competitive advantage of the eCommerce business model is that it makes scaling much easier compared to a traditional, low-tech operation. For example, while a traditional B2B sales team must grow as sales increase, an online store with inventory management and supply chain integrations can handle large spikes in business without extra hiring, training, and onboarding.
Note that an online sales strategy isn't intended to replace your sales team entirely. Instead, it will expand your capacity to grow and support existing sales calls and face-to-face interactions.
Access to global markets
In the past, only a global brand was capable of reaching international B2B buyers, but eCommerce has changed all that. Thanks to Search Engine Optimization (SEO) strategies, online marketplaces, and advanced supply chain and fulfillment technologies, you can reach customers around the world, all day and every day.
Reduced operational costs
Selling to business customers online often has lower operational costs compared to traditional B2B sales. This is due to a number of factors, including marketing and advertising costs associated with online sales.
It also results in reduced labor costs since B2B customers are handling more of the ordering process themselves. Plus, eCommerce is more efficient than traditional sales, allowing B2B businesses to close more deals and earn money faster.
Analytics for data-driven decision making
Selling products online opens up opportunities for collecting data about user behavior and customer purchases that don't exist in the traditional B2B sales model.
A website built with a cutting-edge B2B eCommerce platform can collect large volumes of data and use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to spot market patterns and buying trends. That way you can make informed decisions about product development, advertising campaigns, special offers, and more.
Improved customer experience
A smart eCommerce strategy can help improve the buying experience and increase sales in several key ways. A good website can make it easy to access buyer's guides, house a highly searchable product catalog, and offer numerous online channels for ordering and support. Using the right technology, you can also create a personalized experience with special offers based on a customer's order history.
These are just a few of the benefits that come with a B2B eCommerce fashion strategy. With the right approach, you can increase sales, boost profits, and set yourself up to grow in the years to come.
What Are Some Key Strategies for B2B Fashion eCommerce Success?
Success in B2B eCommerce requires careful planning and the thoughtful use of technology to support your goals. What follows are five strategies designed to help you stay ahead of your competitors and increase your market share.
1. Create an appealing, user-friendly website design
2. Highlight sustainable practices
3. Optimize your site for mobile
4. Deliver outstanding customer service
5. Think strategically about product pricing
1. Create an appealing, user-friendly website design
Design plays a crucial role in your ability to convert visitors into customers. Invest in high-quality design and imagery to capture their attention and accurately display each item's attributes.
User Experience (UX) design is also vital. We recommend working with experienced UX designers who understand how to create an intuitive, painless customer journey, which begins with user testing.
UX designers create prototypes and get feedback from members of their target audience to see how they respond to different design elements. Their research goes on to inform the design and development of the website, with the goal of enabling visitors to find what they need, place orders, and perform other key tasks with minimal effort.
2. Highlight sustainable practices
In a world gripped by fast fashion, one way to stand out is by selling sustainable products and engaging in sustainable business practices. End consumers are deeply concerned with sustainability, with 59% of shoppers saying they'd like to see the fashion industry become more environmentally friendly. In turn, B2B buyers are taking notice, preferring to buy and sell eco-friendly products.
Beyond the products themselves, you can build a more sustainable B2B eCommerce fashion business through greener shipping and manufacturing processes, eco-friendly packaging, green warehousing, and more.
Of course, your customers won't know you're doing this unless you communicate it to them, and your website is a great place to showcase those efforts.
3. Optimize your site for mobile
Mobile makes up more than 50% of all internet traffic these days, and when eCommerce websites get it wrong, it frustrates mobile eCommerce users and leaves money on the table. When it comes to B2B buyers specifically, a study by Boston Consulting Group found that 60% of B2B buyers said mobile played a role in at least one recent purchase.
Responsive web design allows websites to automatically adjust to different screen sizes and formats by using CSS media queries, making it easy for buyers to switch back and forth from their laptop to their phone or tablet as they navigate their busy lives.
You may also consider building an app for your customers to make ordering easier. Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) work on all devices and offer cross-platform compatibility, so there's no need to develop separate apps for different operating systems.
4. Deliver outstanding customer service
One challenge that comes with B2B eCommerce sales is that, with much of the customer journey taking place online in self-service mode, you can lose that human touch.
When your sales team needs to speak to customers, it's important to arm your staff with as much information as possible on each buyer and their company. That's where integrating your CRM with your website offers a tremendous advantage.
You can also optimize customer service by offering easy access to a live sales professional or customer support representative when customers need it. This may also include offering 24/7 chat or phone support.
5. Think strategically about product pricing
Strategic pricing is key in B2B sales, especially when your clients’ margins are tight. Here are a few technologies you can use to evaluate and set competitive pricing.
- AI technology can analyze prices for key competitors, and then use predictive analytics to help you set your prices at ideal rates
- Big data analytics can help analyze overall market trends and inform your pricing strategy
- ERP software can help you manage pricing across different marketplaces and channels
This list is by no means exhaustive, and new technologies are constantly arising to help companies master the art and science of pricing.
Want to study some real-world brands that are doing it right? Check out our blog post covering B2B eCommerce website examples.
What Are Some Challenges in B2B Fashion eCommerce?
The rewards are many for developing a solid online sales strategy, but you're likely to face a few B2B eCommerce challenges along the way. Let's explore some common struggles and how you can address them to get the most out of your eCommerce initiative.
Managing large and varied product catalogs
B2B eCommerce websites often feature extensive product catalogs, and this can be especially true in the fashion business.
One way to increase conversions and customer retention is to make it easy for retailers and other B2B customers to search through your catalogs and find what they need. This includes the power to set filters and search according to keywords, individual product SKUs, product lines, and more.
Technology such as database mapping can connect these various search elements to different products, and full-text search engines like Apache Sol and Elasticsearch can index your products according to different criteria.
Ensuring data security and privacy
As with any online business, data privacy and security threats are always a potential challenge. A serious data breach could destroy your reputation and sink your business overnight, especially if you're found negligent.
Ensuring data privacy and security begins by selecting the right partners or hiring knowledgeable internal staff to design and maintain your website. Only work with professionals with a proven track record of building secure websites and employing the best practices in cyber security.
A few of those cyber security best practices include:
- Establishing secure access controls
- Conducting regular maintenance and installing security patches
- Training staff on security protocols and best practices
- Encrypting all data containing sensitive information
- Conducting regular security audits
Threats abound in today's world, and while there's no way to eliminate them entirely, you can take measures to greatly reduce the risks.
Keeping up with technological advancements
The technology that supports B2B eCommerce is constantly advancing, and sometimes it may seem hard to keep up. That said, if you're not keeping pace with your competitors, you're setting yourself up to lose market share.
You can stay informed about the latest advances and cutting-edge tools by attending industry conferences, following trade journals like E-Commerce Times and Digital Commerce 360, and partnering with technology experts who have a history of helping B2B eCommerce companies succeed.
B2B Fashion Brands Using Cutting-edge Tech
It’s one thing to talk about all this technology in the abstract, but let’s see how companies are applying these B2B eCommerce tools in the real world. The following companies offer a model for those who want to expand their online sales efforts and encourage repeat business.
Under Armour uses advanced data analytics powered by AI
Under Armour is one of the world’s most popular sports apparel brands, serving both the B2C market through direct sales and the B2B market by selling to retail buyers.
All these purchases offer large volumes of data, which Under Armour collects and analyzes with the help of AI to spot key trends—but that’s only half the story! Under Armour also purchased the weight-loss and health-tracking app MyFitness Pal, allowing them to spot shifts in market demand (such as a walking trend in Australia) before their competitors.
It’s important to note that handling all this data comes with a great deal of responsibility since bad actors will be tempted to hack your systems. This happened to Under Armour in 2018, where hackers gained access to the data of 150 million MyFitnessPal users. All this underscores the vital importance of working with professional developers who understand cybersecurity requirements.
Fashion United offers informative content for B2B fashion buyers
Fashion United, the fashion marketplace that sells products to resellers around the world, has mastered the art of providing helpful resources to B2B buyers.
The website prominently features information about fashion trends, news, data and insights, job listings, and events—with stunning imagery that brings it all to life. The website also provides a highly searchable, user-friendly catalog that keeps customers coming back.
By combining attractive, highly-usable design with valuable content, Fashion United has carved out a name for itself in the fashion industry.
Patagonia uses personalization to support sustainability efforts
Patagonia is known for its altruism, showing the world how fashion brands can lead the way toward healing the planet. One of their most notable campaigns was the Worn Wear project, which allows consumers to sell back, and buy, used and fully repaired apparel.
By building their reputation as a sustainable brand among consumers, they’ve increased demand for their products—setting themselves up to connect with retailers who share their values.
Advanced data analytics and eCommerce personalization technology made it possible for Patagonia to identify both consumer demand for sustainable fashion and target buyers who support those efforts.
Zalando’s custom-operating system manages multi-channel sales
While customer-facing technology can make a strong impression on buyers, we would be remiss if we didn’t explore the way technology can support operations and fulfillment efforts.
To this end, the shoe and fashion-accessory brand Zalando has created a powerful custom operating system called ZEOS to manage the massive sales volumes it experiences from European B2B buyers across numerous sales channels.
Selling to European retailers like Pepe Jeans and Kazar, ZEOS has helped Zalando improve fulfillment logistics, reducing wait times and helping customers reach a wider market. Zalando also credits ZEOS with simplifying the purchasing process for its B2B customers.
Ready to Take Your B2B eCommerce Strategy to the Next Level?
Net Solutions has guided numerous enterprises with their eCommerce strategies, building websites and solutions for B2B eCommerce companies like Euro Car Parts and Bonds of London. Plus, we’ve been designing and developing software for well-known organizations like IMG and the Harvard Business Review for nearly a quarter century.
If you're a wholesale business, apparel manufacturer, or any other B2B seller in the fashion space, we can design, build, and launch your eCommerce website from the ground up.
Alternatively, we can supplement your in-house team's efforts through services like app modernization and replatforming—making sure your tech stack is poised to handle your ambitious growth plans.
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