This guide explores top B2B Ecommerce platforms like Salesforce, SAP, Oracle, BigCommerce, and more, shedding light on their strengths and specialties.
Key Takeaways
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Match Your Needs: Whether it's Salesforce's CRM integration or Shopify Plus's large-scale capabilities, each platform has its specialty. Find the one that aligns with your business's unique demands.
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Tech at the Forefront: Platforms like Adobe Commerce and VirtoCommerce offer the latest in tech, ensuring your Ecommerce operations are future-proof.
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Growth-Friendly Options: Look for platforms like Elastic Path and BigCommerce that evolve with your business, offering scalable solutions as you grow.
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Speed to Market: Efficiency is key. These platforms are designed for quick setup and fast results, helping you reap the benefits of your Ecommerce investment without delay.
The fact that B2B SaaS businesses cannot find B2B Ecommerce features suitable for their business models on all platforms makes the platforms serving in this area even more valuable.
We reviewed the best 10 platforms created for the $9.2 billion B2B E-commerce market and gathered various topics such as standout features, market trends, pricing strategies, and the latest news.
Let’s get started!
Salesforce
Salesforce is a big name in B2B Ecommerce. It's best known for its CRM (Customer Relationship Management) solutions but also offers powerful platforms for digital commerce, helping businesses grow their revenue.
Key Features and Business Strategies
Making Things Faster and Easier: Salesforce can speed up reporting by 90%, saving lots of time and increasing productivity.
Known for Innovation: Being named Forbes' "World's Most Innovative Company" multiple times, Salesforce is recognized for its forward-thinking in technology and customer service.
Large App Marketplace: With over 5,000 solutions on the Salesforce AppExchange, the platform offers many customization options and can grow with a business.
Growing Revenue: In the fiscal year 2023, Salesforce made a record $31.4 billion, showing its strong market position.
In 2021, European spending on Salesforce products reached $4.5 billion, a big part of its annual revenue.
Complete B2B Commerce Solution: Salesforce offers a comprehensive system for streamlining online sales and improving the buyer experience.
Pricing Strategy
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Starter Suite - $25/user/month:
Best for Small Businesses - Provides basic tools for marketing, sales, and service. It's easy to set up and has fundamental management features.
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Professional - $80/user/month:
For Growing Sales Teams - Offers enhanced CRM capabilities like forecast management, customizable reports, and quoting, suitable for expanding sales teams.
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Enterprise - $165/user/month:
Tailored for Larger Operations - Ideal for big sales operations needing more flexibility and web API access. It includes advanced pipeline management and workflow automation.
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Unlimited - $330/user/month:
Comprehensive CRM Solution - Comes with AI, automation, and developer support. Adds advanced automation and predictive AI features for extensive CRM needs.
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Unlimited+ - $500/user/month:
Ultimate Salesforce Experience - Integrates performance management, Slack collaboration, and advanced data solutions for the most comprehensive CRM offering.
Why Salesforce Stands Out
SAP
SAP is a key player in the B2B Ecommerce area, known for introducing new ways to improve online shopping experiences. Its Commerce Cloud is specifically made for the complex needs of large businesses.
Key Features and Business Strategies
SAP's Leadership in B2B Digital Commerce: SAP has been recognized as a leader in the "IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Enterprise B2B Digital Commerce Applications 2023–2024 Vendor Assessment."
This accolade underscores SAP's dedication to providing outstanding B2B digital commerce experiences, marking its significant position in the industry.
Influencing Buying Choices: The platform uses marketing and AI to create engaging shopping experiences, aiming to influence how B2B buyers make decisions, focusing not just on price.
More Than Just Price: SAP pays attention to what B2B buyers need beyond just good prices, like additional services and unique experiences.
SAP Commerce Cloud: Designed for big companies, this solution handles complex business-to-business (B2B), business-to-consumer (B2C), and business-to-business-to-consumer (B2B2C) scenarios. It can be customized for managing detailed product catalogs and aims to offer highly personalized shopping experiences across all channels.
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SAP Commerce Cloud uses AI for better product suggestions and discovery. It also supports headless Ecommerce, which allows for varied shopping experiences across different platforms.
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The platform can be integrated with SAP and other solutions, and it includes a system for managing product information, ensuring all product details and catalogs are handled in one place.
Pricing Strategy
Try and Buy - 30-Day Free Trial: Users can register for a free 30-day trial of SAP HANA Cloud to explore its features through a guided demo system.
Free Tier Option: Start using SAP HANA Cloud for free within the SAP Business Technology Platform
(BTP) free tier. Users can transition to a paid plan later without losing their work.
Pricing for SAP HANA Cloud
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Billing Unit: Costs are based on "Capacity Units (CU)" per year, with a CU being a measure of service consumption calculated by usage.
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Minimum Purchase: A minimum of 100 Capacity Units is required.
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Contract Duration: Minimum subscription of 3 months, with annual costs and quantities adjusted for shorter periods.
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Payment Method: Invoices are accepted globally, and credit card payments are available in certain countries.
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Other Requirements: SAP Business Application Studio licensing is needed.
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Data Center Availability: Check online for data center locations and availability.
Why SAP Stands Out
Oracle
Oracle Commerce Cloud, a component of Oracle's offerings, stands out as a significant B2B Ecommerce platform. It is recognized for its user-friendly management tools, efficient integrations, and scalable cloud infrastructure, meeting the needs of modern businesses.
Recognized in the 2020 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Digital Commerce as a “challenger” Oracle Commerce Cloud is noted for its innovation in the B2B Ecommerce area.
Key Features and Business Strategies
Easy-to-Use Tools: The platform offers tools that are simple for non-technical staff to use, including drag-and-drop functions and an intuitive interface. This makes managing IT tasks accessible for all skill levels.
Unified Admin Interface: Oracle Commerce Cloud has a single interface that combines different management activities, simplifying tasks for both developers and business users.
Seamless Integrations: It features an API and webhooks framework for easy integration with Oracle, third-party, and custom solutions, enhancing operational optimization.
Integration with ERP and CRM Systems: Effective connections with ERP and CRM systems ensure cohesive customer engagement by linking essential data.
Scalable Cloud Infrastructure: Built on Oracle Cloud, it provides a scalable and flexible infrastructure with security and governance features, suitable for businesses evolving with market demands.
Headless Commerce Support: Its API-first approach allows for varied Ecommerce experiences across channels and devices, supporting headless commerce.
Pricing Strategy
Oracle Commerce Cloud's pricing is designed to fit various business sizes and needs, typically offering a cost structure that scales with usage and feature requirements.
Why Oracle Commerce Cloud is a Strong Choice
BigCommerce
BigCommerce is a go-to platform for a variety of businesses, especially smaller ones. It stands out for its ability to grow with a business (scalability), security, and customization, leading a new trend in online shopping.
Key Features and Business Strategies
In 2023, BigCommerce earned 24 awards in the Paradigm B2B Combines, recognizing its performance in areas like execution, partnerships, and cost efficiency.
IDC MarketScape Leader: BigCommerce was named a Leader in the IDC MarketScape for Worldwide B2B Digital Commerce Applications for MidMarket Growth, highlighting its strengths in user-friendliness, flexible architecture, and a strong open SaaS ecosystem. The platform is well-suited for medium and large B2B companies.
Financial Growth: About 40% of BigCommerce's platform spend comes from B2B, growing faster than B2C. This growth is boosted by strategic acquisitions like BundleB2B and partnerships providing extra services like working capital. The global B2B e-commerce market is projected to reach $25.65 trillion by 2028, with an annual growth rate of over 18%.
Pricing Strategy
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Standard Plan - $29/mo (Annually at $39/mo)
Best for Startups - Offers a comprehensive online store without extra transaction fees. Includes unlimited products, storage, and bandwidth. Key features are a mobile-responsive site, single-page checkout, and basic marketing tools.
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Plus Plan - $79/mo (Annually at $105/mo)
For Growing Businesses - Builds on the Standard plan with advanced marketing tools like abandoned cart saver and stored credit cards. Suitable for businesses with up to $180k in annual online sales.
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Pro Plan - $299/mo (Annually at $399/mo)
Tailored for Scaling Businesses - Provides extensive features such as custom product filtering and unlimited API calls, accommodating up to 5 inventory locations. Supports businesses with up to $400k in annual online sales, offering better payment processing rates.
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Enterprise Plan - Custom Pricing
For Large-Scale Operations - Includes all Pro features, plus additional options for multi-storefronts and inventory locations. Custom pricing is available, along with dedicated support for large-scale businesses.
Why BigCommerce is a Standout
Virto Commerce
VirtoCommerce is recognized in B2B Ecommerce for its strong focus on technology, offering headless commerce capabilities, and customer-centric strategies. It stays up-to-date with tech trends and understands customer needs well.
Key Features and Business Strategies
Technology Investment and Cloud Adoption: Virto Commerce is investing in cloud solutions to enhance security, stability, and scalability. This strategy aligns with the broader industry trend towards cost-effective and scalable cloud-based solutions.
Mobile-First Approach: Recognizing the growing importance of mobile commerce, Virto Commerce is adopting a mobile-first strategy. With B2B Ecommerce sales through mobile devices expected to exceed $710 billion by 2025 in the U.S., this approach is increasingly critical.
Headless Commerce and API Integration: The platform supports headless commerce through API-based digital commerce, offering enhanced flexibility in Ecommerce infrastructure and seamless integration of various applications.
Virto Marketplace: The newly launched Virto Marketplace caters to diverse marketplace models, supporting enterprises in scaling and innovating their business models. This marketplace is adaptable, extending or recomposing solutions to meet varied market requirements.
Platform Principles and Architecture: Built on principles like Microservices, API-first, Cloud-native, and Headless, Virto Commerce's architecture supports complex digital commerce solutions across various business models, ensuring scalability and flexibility.
Pricing Strategy
Virto Commerce offers a tiered pricing structure that caters to different business sizes and needs. While specific pricing details may vary, the platform generally provides customizable pricing options based on the level of usage, features, and services required by the business.
Here are the factors influencing Ecommerce project costs:
Third-Party Software Subscription Costs
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Additional Expenses: Costs incurred from third-party software subscriptions.
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Vendor-Specific Pricing: Each third-party solution has its own costs.
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Simultaneous Evaluation: Many businesses assess e-commerce platforms and third-party solutions together for an optimal system setup.
Implementation Cost
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Dependent Factors: Costs vary based on project priorities and transition scope.
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Implementation Services: Option to work with Virto Commerce's team or implementation partners for a seamless transition.
Why Virto Commerce Stands Out
MAGENTO
Adobe Commerce, previously known as Magento, is a major B2B Ecommerce platform known for its flexibility and ability to be customized. It's well-suited for businesses of various sizes, offering advanced features for efficient and personalized Ecommerce operations.
Key Features and Business Strategies
Platform Strengths: Adobe Commerce is noted for its capability to scale to handle high traffic and complex Ecommerce activities, ideal for businesses with growing needs.
Market Impact: The platform has a Gross Merchandise Volume (GMV) of over $189 billion, enhancing customer experiences and showing improvements in sales, customer repeat rates, site traffic, and conversion rates.
B2B Functionalities: It includes native B2B features like personalized client catalogs, custom pricing, self-service tools for account and order management, and streamlining B2B buying experiences.
Growth Enablers: Adobe Commerce excels in quick order processing, personalized catalogs, efficient management of orders and accounts, diverse payment options, and managing multi-site operations.
Efficient Integration: The platform integrates smoothly with third-party Product Information Management (PIM) systems and offers strong inventory management and omnichannel fulfillment tools.
Data Analytics: It comes equipped with advanced analytics tools to analyze sales and customer behavior, aiding in informed decision-making and strategy improvement.
Pricing Strategy
Magento emphasizes personalized solutions tailored to each store owner's vision and business objectives, moving away from a one-size-fits-all approach.
Flexible Pricing: Magento's website development costs are not fixed and vary based on each store owner's specific needs and business goals. This flexibility allows for a range of customizable options.
Variable Development Costs: The cost of development can differ greatly, depending on the provider's reputation, experience, and the services they offer. Choosing a provider should be based on these aspects, matching your business requirements.
Why Adobe Commerce Is a Strong Choice
ZNODE
Znode has made its mark in the B2B Ecommerce world with its strong data handling and focus on personalized customer experiences. It offers a wide range of features specifically designed for the intricate needs of B2B commerce.
Key Features and Business Strategies
Adaptable Data and Multi-Channel Selling: Znode's flexible system easily adjusts to changing B2B Ecommerce needs. Its central management system is great at handling sales across different channels, embracing the idea that all types of selling today are essentially online.
Focusing on the Customer: Znode places a high importance on customer experience in B2B Ecommerce. It allows buyers to find what they need on their own across various channels and provides personalized experiences through specific user profiles, tailored product catalogs, and customized pricing.
Advanced Commerce Tech: The platform supports headless commerce, letting businesses use APIs to build more advanced online stores. This method gives the flexibility to extend online selling to mobile apps and other digital areas.
All-in-One Platform: Znode's platform includes everything from managing multiple stores, content, orders, product information (PIM), to advanced site search. It fits a variety of Ecommerce business models and needs.
Positive Reviews from Users: Users praise Znode for being easy to use, offering good value, excellent customer support, and strong functionality. It's especially liked for its user-friendly backend and the ability to handle multiple stores and customer-specific catalogs.
Pricing Strategy
Znode uses customized pricing that matches the specific needs and sizes of its B2B clients. This approach ensures businesses pay only for what they need, making Znode a cost-effective option for various business types and sizes.
Why Choose Znode
VTEX
VTEX has made a notable impact in the B2B SaaS Ecommerce platform market. As the sector is expected to grow to nearly $2.5 trillion by 2026, VTEX's platform is well-equipped to support this expansion with its advanced features and capabilities.
Key Features and Business Strategies
All-in-One Commerce Solution: VTEX provides a unified commerce platform, helping businesses collaborate with sales and channel partners. It features marketplace capabilities and a robust Order Management System (OMS) for efficient order and inventory management across multiple channels.
Global Expansion: Known as the fastest-growing Ecommerce platform globally, VTEX's expansion is driven by its advanced technology and focus on seamless commerce experiences.
Client Successes: Notable clients like Colgate and Stanley Black & Decker have experienced significant improvements with VTEX, such as a 496% increase in average monthly sell-out rates.
Technological Advancements: The platform is recognized for its API-first, cloud-based solutions, offering modern features like smart checkout, AI personalization, and GDPR compliance, making it adaptable for future digital commerce trends.
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VTEX includes native features like its in-house OMS and VTEX IO for low-code deployment, addressing the evolving needs of modern Ecommerce businesses and improving operational efficiency and user experience.
Pricing Strategy
Customized Pricing Model: VTEX uses a pricing model that adjusts to the specific needs and sizes of businesses, allowing a wide range of companies to access its advanced Ecommerce solutions.
Why VTEX Is a Preferred Choice
Elastic Path
Elastic Path is a leader in B2B Ecommerce, known for adapting to and shaping modern Ecommerce trends. It focuses on headless commerce and AI integration, making it ideal for businesses wanting flexible and innovative digital commerce strategies.
Key Features and Business Strategies
Responsive to Ecommerce Trends: Elastic Path is updating its approach for 2024 by turning traditional commerce catalogs into more dynamic systems. This makes retail experiences more flexible and gives businesses an advantage in how they showcase their products.
Headless Commerce: The platform's strong suit is headless commerce, which allows businesses to create unique customer interfaces on different devices for quick, seamless online experiences. This is particularly useful for B2B companies aiming to stand out.
AI Integration: Elastic Path uses AI for various tasks, such as analyzing data, personalizing product suggestions, and providing chatbot services. These AI features are crucial for improving user experience and staying competitive in B2B Ecommerce.
Pricing Strategy
Elastic Path likely has a pricing structure that mirrors its advanced features, offering different plans based on usage, features, and support.
Why Elastic Path is a Top Choice
Shopify Plus
Shopify Plus is an advanced version of Shopify, created specifically for the complex requirements of large-scale businesses in B2B Ecommerce. It’s suitable for high-volume merchants looking for comprehensive functionality and the ability to grow.
Key Features and Business Strategies
Mobile Commerce Emphasis: With a surge in mobile Ecommerce, Shopify Plus enhances mobile customer experiences. Considering the projection of U.S. mobile Ecommerce sales reaching $710 billion by 2025, the platform's focus on mobile responsiveness and user-friendly interfaces is essential.
The platform uses customer data to offer personalized shopping experiences, such as customized product suggestions. It also meets the increasing demand for digital self-service in B2B buying, emphasizing smooth online experiences.
Growing Market Share: Shopify, including Shopify Plus, has become increasingly popular, recently overtaking WooCommerce as the leading Ecommerce platform in the U.S. Globally, Shopify is used by over 3.76 million live websites.
Shopify's revenue grew to $1.7 billion in Q3 2023, with a notable increase in gross profit, indicating its financial strength and growth.
Global Expansion and Omnichannel Focus: The platform aims for global growth and implements omnichannel strategies, including tools for wholesale buyers and integration of various sales channels.
Pricing Strategy
Shopify Plus begins at $2,000 per month, suitable for businesses with standard setup needs and integrations.
Customizable for Complexity: For more complex, high-volume businesses, Shopify Plus offers a variable fee option that adjusts according to specific requirements and business scale.
Why Shopify Plus Is a Top Choice
Final Words
In conclusion, the right B2B Ecommerce platform can be a game-changer for your business. It's about more than just selling online; it's about finding a partner that boosts efficiency, scales with your growth, and adapts to the changing market.
Whether you lean towards the comprehensive CRM features of Salesforce, the tech-forward approach of Adobe Commerce, or the scalability of BigCommerce, the choice you make today will shape your business's future. Remember, the best platform is the one that aligns seamlessly with your business goals and helps you achieve them faster and more efficiently.
