If you’re planning to delve into the world of ecommerce, you need to have a good platform. Over the years, many businesses have set up online shops, and the market is quite competitive. You need a good ecommerce platform that offers an excellent customer experience.
You also need to invest in quality marketing to help create brand awareness. Most customers prefer shopping on-site, which appears on top of search engine results pages. In this guide, we will look at the difference between B2B and B2C platforms. Besides that, we also review the benefits of using B2C ecommerce platforms.
What is B2C Ecommerce?
B2C platforms or ecommerce sites link businesses to end-user customers. The term is used to refer to selling products directly to clients. Nowadays, B2C platforms are mainly used to refer to online sites where customers can purchase products. This is not limited to online shopping sites alone but also other sites such as online restaurants.
B2C vs. B2B
B2B ecommerce sites connect businesses to other businesses. Ideally, B2B sites connect manufacturers and retailers. The retailers sell the products to direct consumers to form B2C platforms.
However, some sites offer both B2C and B2B services. For example, you will come across a manufacturing company that sells to both retailers and end-user clients. We take a look at some of the features you should consider when choosing a B2C ecommerce platform.
Mobile Responsiveness and Customer Experience
One thing you should not compromise when choosing an ecommerce platform is customer experience. Recent numbers show that most people access the internet using either smartphones or tablets. You need a B2C ecommerce platform that is responsive or mobile-friendly.
Customer experience is a huge factor when it comes to influencing shopping trends. Studies show that most people will leave a site if it takes more than three seconds to load. You also have a few seconds to convince a customer to make a purchase on your site.
Payment Gateways
If you’re targeting global customers, you need a platform that will accept different forms of payment. Security is also very important since customers will be sharing critical information.
You need to ensure that the ecommerce site has a smooth checkout system without any redirects. Another good feature to consider when reviewing the payment gateways is the currency conversion and tax units.
API Integration
Most ecommerce sites built by private software development firms may include yearly license fees. You may also be required to pay for future updates including patches for any bugs that may appear in the product. You may also not have the authority to add third-party APIs to the ecommerce platform.
API integration is very important, especially if you want to add more features to your ecommerce platform. There are plenty of open-source APIs that are available for free. You can add in APIs for email marketing, SEO, or customer giveaways.
Headless
When choosing a B2C ecommerce platform, go for a headless one over monolithic or traditional units. The thing is that headless ecommerce units are more agile and easier to manage. Developers can integrate new features without breaking operations on the platform. Headless B2C platforms are decoupled, meaning that the front and backend are separate entities. One of the best headless ecommerce platforms on the market currently is Virto Commerce.
Benefits of B2C eCommerce
B2C ecommerce has plenty of benefits, especially in these times where most people prefer online shopping over visiting physical stores. The top benefit of B2C ecommerce platforms is that they offer a global reach, meaning you can reach clients outside your country.
The other thing is you can analyze your marketing trends. It is always difficult to track your analytics when using traditional marketing methods. B2C platforms come with analytic tools that allow you to track and analyze your marketing trends and customer behaviors.
Best B2C Marketing Strategies
B2C marketplaces are quite competitive and you need to do extensive marketing to create brand awareness. B2C owners need to know their clients to help curate better shopping experiences. Many B2C owners rely on a variety of marketing tools to help promote their brand online.
One of the most used marketing techniques is social media marketing and advertising. These involve using paid ads on sites such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. The clients can also use paid social media influencers to promote their brand online.
SEO is also another effective marketing tool. It is cheaper and more cost-effective than using social media marketing. It also involves creating quality content and adding keywords for the content you want to rank for. Email marketing and affiliate marketing are also excellent ways to create brand authority and awareness.
Wrapping Up
If you’re planning to sell products and services online, the type of ecommerce platform you choose will play a significant role in the success of your business. You need to review the features of the platform or consult an IT expert to help you settle on the best platform on the market.
Your budget will also play a vital role in the B2C platform you choose. We recommend going for a platform with the lowest total cost of ownership.