Optimising B2B E-Commerce: Avoiding Omnichannel Channel Conflict

The rise of omnichannel e-commerce and digital commerce offers businesses unparalleled opportunities to connect with customers, but it also introduces unique challenges. For mature organisations with established sales ecosystems such as distributors, retailers, and resellers, the launch of direct-to-consumer (D2C) or The rise of omnichannel e-commerce and digital commerce offers businesses unparalleled opportunities to connect with customers, but it also introduces unique challenges. For mature organisations with established sales ecosystems such as distributors, retailers, and resellers, the launch of direct-to-consumer (D2C) or business-to-consumer (B2C) channels can create significant friction, including channel conflict.

Balancing the integration of e-commerce with existing channels requires a strategic, data-driven approach. With the right architecture and business logic, channel alignment can drive efficiency, growth, and collaboration rather than competition.

Understanding B2B Ecommerce

Business Buyers and B2B Commerce

Business buyers are the driving force behind B2B ecommerce. These buyers expect a seamless and personalized online experience, akin to what they encounter in their personal lives as individual consumers. They want to easily find and purchase products, access their account history, and receive personalized pricing and recommendations. Additionally, business buyers value sustainability and transparency in their procurement decisions, reflecting broader trends in corporate responsibility and ethical sourcing. To meet these expectations, B2B ecommerce platforms must go beyond mere transactional functionality. They need to offer product expertise, guided selling, and integrated customer service tools. By doing so, they can provide a comprehensive and satisfying purchasing experience that meets the high standards of today’s business buyers.

Types of Sales Channels and Their Key Pain Points

Integrating e-commerce channels can create friction across various sales channels, including transactions with other businesses. Addressing these challenges requires understanding their unique dynamics.

Distributor/Wholesaler Networks

Distributors often perceive online channels as direct competition, leading to issues such as inventory conflicts. This is particularly challenging when trying to meet the needs of their business clients. These issues include:

• Inventory conflicts
• Pricing disparities
• Erosion of trust

Solution:

• Segmentation: Clearly distinguish the products sold through distributors versus online platforms.
• Stock Visibility: Integrate e-commerce channels with enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems to centralise inventory data.
• Unified Pricing: Use tools like Magento’s pricing management to maintain transparent and consistent pricing across all channels.

Retailer Channels (Brick-and-Mortar)

Retailers face challenges as foot traffic declines in favour of the convenience of online shopping. Issues such as inconsistent promotional messaging and product information discrepancies can worsen the situation.

Solution:

• Implement Click & Collect services (Buy Online, Pick Up in Store) to drive in-store visits.
• Deploy effective content management systems like Pimcore to ensure alignment between online and offline messaging.

Reseller Networks

Resellers may experience conflicts over territorial rights and lead management, which can impede collaboration.

Solution:

• Clearly define territorial rights via Magento's geolocation features.
• Implement transparent lead-sharing mechanisms to build trust and maintain equitable client allocation.

Strategic Approaches for Channel Optimisation

A comprehensive and proactive approach to channel management ensures that e-commerce becomes an enabler rather than a source of conflict. Streamlining the sales process is crucial for achieving this goal. Below are key strategies enterprises should consider.

1. Segmentation by Channel

Assign distinct customer segments or product lines to specific channels. This segmentation helps in streamlining sales processes and mitigating overlap and competition. For example:

• Bulk and enterprise orders remain with distributors.
• Niche or smaller orders are handled directly online.

This segmentation helps mitigate overlap and competition while maintaining clear value for each channel.

2. Multi-Source Inventory (MSI) Management

Magento's MSI functionality enables sophisticated inventory management, ensuring order fulfilment can be shared collaboratively between e-commerce platforms and physical stores.

3. Click & Collect Programs

Click & Collect (BOPIS) increases foot traffic to retail stores, providing upselling opportunities while reassuring in-store partners of their ongoing importance.

4. Lead Attribution

Platforms like Pimcore streamline online-to-offline (O2O) attribution, ensuring that online-originated leads are fairly assigned to partners based on predefined criteria.

5. Pricing and Product Differentiation

Establish robust policies such as minimum advertised pricing (MAP). Use Pimcore to manage exclusive product variations for different channels, minimising direct competition on price and offerings.

Building Strong Customer Relationships

Customer Experience in B2B Ecommerce

In the realm of B2B ecommerce, customer experience is paramount. Unlike B2C transactions, B2B relationships often involve long-standing partnerships and personal sales calls. Therefore, B2B ecommerce sites must prioritize a customer-centric approach, offering personalized pricing, product recommendations, and easy access to account history. Sales reps play a crucial role in this process, using data and analytics to understand customer needs and preferences. By leveraging customer data effectively, B2B ecommerce businesses can provide exceptional customer service, build trust, and foster loyalty. This, in turn, drives revenue growth and strengthens customer relationships. Additionally, integrating customer relationship management (CRM) systems with ecommerce platforms can further enhance the customer experience, ensuring that every interaction is informed by comprehensive customer insights. By focusing on customer satisfaction and exceeding customer expectations, B2B ecommerce businesses can cultivate long-term loyalty and achieve sustainable growth.

Key Operational Solutions to Address Channel Challenges

Enterprise-wide integration across platforms like Magento, Pimcore, and ERP systems is critical for seamless operations. Effective supply chain management is also essential for meeting customer expectations. Here’s how to address some of the most common operational issues:

Pricing and Promotions Conflicts

Maintain centralised control over pricing policies to ensure consistency between online and offline channels. Consistent pricing is crucial for building customer loyalty and trust. Use tools like Pimcore to synchronise pricing and promotions effortlessly across platforms.

Supply Chain Inventory Visibility and Allocation

Employ ERP-integrated inventory management systems, ensuring real-time visibility and dynamic stock allocation. Magento’s MSI allows businesses to intelligently guide orders to the best fulfilment centre, reducing inefficiencies.

Territorial Conflict & Lead Assignments

Create clear rules for geographic and customer-segment routing. These can be managed centrally in Pimcore and enforced via Magento’s geolocation capabilities.

Technical and Business Considerations

Some key pitfalls should be avoided to ensure optimal integration and alignment. Effective communication between the sales rep and the technical team is essential for avoiding these pitfalls.

Poor Customer Data Integration

Solution: Establish a Single Source of Truth (SSoT) with Pimcore acting as a comprehensive data hub. This avoids discrepancies across channels and ensures consistent messaging and product information.

Synchronisation Failures

Solution: Use robust middleware solutions or asynchronous integration patterns (e.g., message queues) to enhance reliability in data exchange between systems.

Pricing Misalignment

Solution: Rely on Magento's customer-specific pricing capabilities combined with ERP-driven pricing strategies to maintain fairness across channels.

Shopify as an Alternative for Smaller B2B Ecommerce Organisations

For smaller businesses with less complex ecosystems, Shopify offers a straightforward, budget-friendly solution for e-commerce. Additionally, investing in social media marketing can help these businesses increase brand visibility and drive traffic to their Shopify stores. Although it lacks the robust customisation of Magento and Pimcore, it remains a viable choice for leaner operations with limited SKUs.

Executive-Level Recommendations for E-Commerce Channel Optimisation

For executives such as CEOs, CMOs, and CTOs, an actionable strategy includes:

• Engaging Partners Early: Communicate the mutual benefits of e-commerce integration and address concerns of potential overlap or competition.
• Establishing a Single Source of Truth: Use tools like Pimcore for consistent data dissemination, ensuring transparent inventory and order management.
• Iterative Development: Conduct regular channel audits and performance reviews to fine-tune strategy and resolve emerging conflicts.

Leveraging Collaboration for Sustainable Customer Satisfaction and Growth

The key to reducing channel conflicts lies in fostering collaboration. Shared data insights, operational transparency, and fair incentive structures are essential for maintaining trust and alignment. For instance:

• Equip partners with tools and training to utilise online opportunities effectively.
• Align KPIs across teams, ensuring a focus on mutual growth rather than isolated success.

By integrating tools like Magento and Pimcore into your strategy, fostering open dialogue, and maintaining a clear focus on long-term collaboration, organisations can harness the full potential of omnichannel e-commerce while reducing friction among partners.

E-commerce presents an opportunity for businesses to enhance their reach, influence, and profitability—provided it is implemented with foresight, alignment, and collaboration.

Are you ready to optimise your omnichannel e-commerce strategy? Contact us today to discuss how Magento, Pimcore, and ERP integration can transform your operation. channels can create significant friction, including channel conflict.

Balancing the integration of e-commerce with existing channels requires a strategic, data-driven approach. With the right architecture and business logic, channel alignment can drive efficiency, growth, and collaboration rather than competition.

Understanding B2B Ecommerce

Business Buyers and B2B Commerce

Business buyers are the driving force behind B2B ecommerce. These buyers expect a seamless and personalized online experience, akin to what they encounter in their personal lives as individual consumers. They want to easily find and purchase products, access their account history, and receive personalized pricing and recommendations. Additionally, business buyers value sustainability and transparency in their procurement decisions, reflecting broader trends in corporate responsibility and ethical sourcing. To meet these expectations, B2B ecommerce platforms must go beyond mere transactional functionality. They need to offer product expertise, guided selling, and integrated customer service tools. By doing so, they can provide a comprehensive and satisfying purchasing experience that meets the high standards of today’s business buyers.

Types of Sales Channels and Their Key Pain Points

Integrating e-commerce channels can create friction across various sales channels, including transactions with other businesses. Addressing these challenges requires understanding their unique dynamics.

Distributor/Wholesaler Networks

Distributors often perceive online channels as direct competition, leading to issues such as inventory conflicts. This is particularly challenging when trying to meet the needs of their business clients. These issues include:

• Inventory conflicts
• Pricing disparities
• Erosion of trust

Solution:

• Segmentation: Clearly distinguish the products sold through distributors versus online platforms.
• Stock Visibility: Integrate e-commerce channels with enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems to centralise inventory data.
• Unified Pricing: Use tools like Magento’s pricing management to maintain transparent and consistent pricing across all channels.

Retailer Channels (Brick-and-Mortar)

Retailers face challenges as foot traffic declines in favour of the convenience of online shopping. Issues such as inconsistent promotional messaging and product information discrepancies can worsen the situation.

Solution:

• Implement Click & Collect services (Buy Online, Pick Up in Store) to drive in-store visits.
• Deploy effective content management systems like Pimcore to ensure alignment between online and offline messaging.

Reseller Networks

Resellers may experience conflicts over territorial rights and lead management, which can impede collaboration.

Solution:

• Clearly define territorial rights via Magento's geolocation features.
• Implement transparent lead-sharing mechanisms to build trust and maintain equitable client allocation.

Strategic Approaches for Channel Optimisation

A comprehensive and proactive approach to channel management ensures that e-commerce becomes an enabler rather than a source of conflict. Streamlining the sales process is crucial for achieving this goal. Below are key strategies enterprises should consider.

1. Segmentation by Channel

Assign distinct customer segments or product lines to specific channels. This segmentation helps in streamlining sales processes and mitigating overlap and competition. For example:

• Bulk and enterprise orders remain with distributors.
• Niche or smaller orders are handled directly online.

This segmentation helps mitigate overlap and competition while maintaining clear value for each channel.

2. Multi-Source Inventory (MSI) Management

Magento's MSI functionality enables sophisticated inventory management, ensuring order fulfilment can be shared collaboratively between e-commerce platforms and physical stores.

3. Click & Collect Programs

Click & Collect (BOPIS) increases foot traffic to retail stores, providing upselling opportunities while reassuring in-store partners of their ongoing importance.

4. Lead Attribution

Platforms like Pimcore streamline online-to-offline (O2O) attribution, ensuring that online-originated leads are fairly assigned to partners based on predefined criteria.

5. Pricing and Product Differentiation

Establish robust policies such as minimum advertised pricing (MAP). Use Pimcore to manage exclusive product variations for different channels, minimising direct competition on price and offerings.

Building Strong Customer Relationships

Customer Experience in B2B Ecommerce

In the realm of B2B ecommerce, customer experience is paramount. Unlike B2C transactions, B2B relationships often involve long-standing partnerships and personal sales calls. Therefore, B2B ecommerce sites must prioritize a customer-centric approach, offering personalized pricing, product recommendations, and easy access to account history. Sales reps play a crucial role in this process, using data and analytics to understand customer needs and preferences. By leveraging customer data effectively, B2B ecommerce businesses can provide exceptional customer service, build trust, and foster loyalty. This, in turn, drives revenue growth and strengthens customer relationships. Additionally, integrating customer relationship management (CRM) systems with ecommerce platforms can further enhance the customer experience, ensuring that every interaction is informed by comprehensive customer insights. By focusing on customer satisfaction and exceeding customer expectations, B2B ecommerce businesses can cultivate long-term loyalty and achieve sustainable growth.

Key Operational Solutions to Address Channel Challenges

Enterprise-wide integration across platforms like Magento, Pimcore, and ERP systems is critical for seamless operations. Effective supply chain management is also essential for meeting customer expectations. Here’s how to address some of the most common operational issues:

Pricing and Promotions Conflicts

Maintain centralised control over pricing policies to ensure consistency between online and offline channels. Consistent pricing is crucial for building customer loyalty and trust. Use tools like Pimcore to synchronise pricing and promotions effortlessly across platforms.

Supply Chain Inventory Visibility and Allocation

Employ ERP-integrated inventory management systems, ensuring real-time visibility and dynamic stock allocation. Magento’s MSI allows businesses to intelligently guide orders to the best fulfilment centre, reducing inefficiencies.

Territorial Conflict & Lead Assignments

Create clear rules for geographic and customer-segment routing. These can be managed centrally in Pimcore and enforced via Magento’s geolocation capabilities.

Technical and Business Considerations

Some key pitfalls should be avoided to ensure optimal integration and alignment. Effective communication between the sales rep and the technical team is essential for avoiding these pitfalls.

Poor Customer Data Integration

Solution: Establish a Single Source of Truth (SSoT) with Pimcore acting as a comprehensive data hub. This avoids discrepancies across channels and ensures consistent messaging and product information.

Synchronisation Failures

Solution: Use robust middleware solutions or asynchronous integration patterns (e.g., message queues) to enhance reliability in data exchange between systems.

Pricing Misalignment

Solution: Rely on Magento's customer-specific pricing capabilities combined with ERP-driven pricing strategies to maintain fairness across channels.

Shopify as an Alternative for Smaller B2B Ecommerce Organisations

For smaller businesses with less complex ecosystems, Shopify offers a straightforward, budget-friendly solution for e-commerce. Additionally, investing in social media marketing can help these businesses increase brand visibility and drive traffic to their Shopify stores. Although it lacks the robust customisation of Magento and Pimcore, it remains a viable choice for leaner operations with limited SKUs.

Executive-Level Recommendations for E-Commerce Channel Optimisation

For executives such as CEOs, CMOs, and CTOs, an actionable strategy includes:

• Engaging Partners Early: Communicate the mutual benefits of e-commerce integration and address concerns of potential overlap or competition.
• Establishing a Single Source of Truth: Use tools like Pimcore for consistent data dissemination, ensuring transparent inventory and order management.
• Iterative Development: Conduct regular channel audits and performance reviews to fine-tune strategy and resolve emerging conflicts.

Leveraging Collaboration for Sustainable Customer Satisfaction and Growth

The key to reducing channel conflicts lies in fostering collaboration. Shared data insights, operational transparency, and fair incentive structures are essential for maintaining trust and alignment. For instance:

• Equip partners with tools and training to utilise online opportunities effectively.
• Align KPIs across teams, ensuring a focus on mutual growth rather than isolated success.

By integrating tools like Magento and Pimcore into your strategy, fostering open dialogue, and maintaining a clear focus on long-term collaboration, organisations can harness the full potential of omnichannel e-commerce while reducing friction among partners.

E-commerce presents an opportunity for businesses to enhance their reach, influence, and profitability—provided it is implemented with foresight, alignment, and collaboration.

Are you ready to optimise your omnichannel e-commerce strategy? Contact us today to discuss how Magento, Pimcore, and ERP integration can transform your operation.