B2B Portals Vs B2C Portals: What Are the Major Differences?

The rise of e-commerce solutions has redefined the relationship between businesses and their customers. More and more companies are working towards going digital in today’s era.

Methods are being introduced to make websites easier and compatible to target the right audience.

One of these methods is B2B and B2C portals.

While both business to business (B2B) and business to consumer (B2C) websites are designed to achieve determinate results, you will find major differences in the B2C and B2B portal development services.

Like the products, target market, services, and goals of different businesses differ from each other, so do the type of websites these companies use to advertise their businesses and achieve results.

Key differences between B2B portals and B2C portals are…

Target Audience

Source: Entrepreneur

The most prominent difference between B2B and B2C portals is the target audience.

In other words, in the B2B setup, the business sells to another business, which then directly offers their service to the end-user. The B2B portal development services are formal and targeted towards different retailers who purchase products in bulk to be sold separately later on.

While B2C business sells directly to the end-user without a mediator, it becomes the base for future customization.

Online tools

Source: Schulz Business

In companies that target B2C customers, they need user-friendly methods like increasing speed and accuracy and making it easier for people to do their jobs.

While B2B portal development services require many other complex proficiencies such as:

  • ability to manage workflow
  • branded microsites
  • complex pricing
  • advanced product configuration
  • global inventory allocation

Customers

Source: GetFeedback

In B2C transactions, there is usually just a customer purchasing from a business, the most complexity would be shipping to different countries, and that’s that.

But B2B portal development services focus mainly on a variety of different factors. These include experts researching products to fit customer needs, a supervisor influencing and making sure of the time the shipment will arrive, a procurement employee, and more. All of this is done to ensure only the best products are sent out in the market.

CTAs Call for Action

Source: Search Engine Journal

The most important rule of marketing is that the business must advertise what the customers want to hear.

This is a common trait that binds B2B, and B2C portals because the CTAs should be human-centric, having an emotional connection.

The B2B portal development services focus on CTAs that work around how the product will benefit your customer’s business.

On the other hand, the actionable write-up for a B2C portal revolves around how the product will benefit your customers.

Design

Source: LaptrinhX

B2C businesses market directly to consumers; they usually focus on images and attractive designs. They tend to lure the viewer into impulse buying by making the website appealing.

Because B2C companies are marketing directly to the consumer, they often rely on many product images and uh… bold design. These are intended to entice the viewer into buying something by making the website appealing.

Isn’t that high pressure?

But B2B portal development services take a different route altogether.

The B2B seller to buyer relationship is based on professionalism. This is seen through many B2B portals. Still, to tackle the boring, dull nature of these portals, human-centric pictures are used to convey the message of trust.

Homepage

Source: jmexclusives

For B2C, the homepage focuses on keeping the viewer interested for an extended period. They use algorithms to see what the buyer is interested in and keeps giving pop-ups or different suggestions to ensure they don’t lose customer interest.

A B2B homepage, focuses on educating the target business about their products and how having them displayed on their shelves is a great idea. This is blended with the CTAs to build new relationships, which would ultimately lead to a sale. B2B portal development services focus on hitting home with the target retailers through proper product display and easy to approach vibe.

Order Quantity

Minimum order quantity (MOQ) is the key prerequisite that B2B portal development services need to address. Buying just a single item isn’t an option; yes, a sample request option can be included.

There is no (MOQ) restriction for B2C portals when placing an order.

However, there is a maximum order quantity mark that needs to be considered. When a customer meets that mark, there is an automated error that informs them about it. There is a limit to the buying quantity to ensure more customers can get their hands on the desired product.

The Checkout Process

Source: Jacob Lund Photography Store

The final process of the customer journey is the checkout process…

In the B2C business portal, the process is quite simple, i.e., taking the customer to the cart, payment gateway, and the followed acknowledgment.

Few elements that enhance the experience of a B2C portal are:

  • Access to change the quantity, add/delete, and see all the colors, sizes available in the said product
  • Include as few steps as possible to keep the interest of the customer intact and avoid cart abandonment
  • Include as many payment options as possible like credit cards, debit cards, wallets, CODs, and so on
  • The ‘apply coupon’ section should be prominent during the checkout interface

While at the same time…

During the B2B portal development services, the checkout process created should be a mix of automated pre-programmed steps with live human support.

The layout of what B2B portals should include is as follows:

  • Ability to change the quantity of the product
  • An option for video chats or phone calls should be available at the checkout process
  • Payment options such as credit cards, ACH payments, procurement punchout, and even through cryptocurrencies should be made possible
  • An option of one-click reordering system to create long-term business relation
Source: HubSpot Blog

Conclusion

Understanding the difference between B2B and B2C eCommerce website is essential to ensure a more robust and result oriented portal to be developed, according to Brandezk  Visit Brandezk if you need more details on it. Always do your research before opting for B2C and B2B portal development services, you don’t want to regret being unprepared later on. Putting the right website to use will help you relate to your target audience, help build trust and loyalty towards your business.

What is your understanding of the B2C and B2B portals? Let us know in the comments below.