These trends are shaping the future of B2B Commerce

Technology has already fundamentally changed B2B e-commerce experiences, making them more personal and accessible.

New trends such as AI-driven analytics, blockchain-based supply chains, and hyper-personalized buyer journeys are not only revolutionizing the present but are paving the way for unprecedented innovations.

By 2030 and beyond, companies are likely to navigate a fully digitalized ecosystem where predictive insights, autonomous processes, and augmented reality-assisted decision-making become an integral part of the B2B landscape.

So what can you expect from B2B e-commerce in the future?

The relevance of AI in B2B commerce

AI will continue to be a hot topic, especially in B2B e-commerce. According to Gartner, the number of companies using AI has  increased by 270% in the last four years.

AI will help change the way companies work and perform: 

• AI can improve inventory accuracy by  up to 95%  .  Companies worldwide lose up to $300 billion in revenue annually due to inefficient inventory management. 


• 79% of marketing professionals  said that  integrating AI into marketing and sales has increased their company's revenue.
  
  

The use of AI will extend far beyond operational and performance-related improvements. AI can help B2B companies better understand and serve their customers by: 

• Generates content and experiences tailored to individual customers. AI enables companies to deliver personalized product recommendations, offers, and content that are more likely to lead to conversions. 


• Improved privacy and security to identify fraud opportunities and quickly detect suspicious purchases. 


• Predicts demand to optimize inventory levels and minimize surpluses. 


• Enabling new business models such as voice commerce, social commerce and experiential commerce to provide customers with a more seamless shopping experience.
  
  

Learn how generative AI and LLMs are leading the way.  Read the blog post.

Networking & Integration

The line between physical and digital channels will become increasingly blurred. In fact, the blend of digital and physical is now  referred to as "phygital ." Although this term is more commonly used for B2C retail, it will become increasingly relevant in the B2B environment as well. 

Although B2B commerce involves more touchpoints and greater complexity than traditional B2C purchasing, B2B customers still expect B2C-like experiences. 

For this reason, “phygital” commerce will become increasingly important to close the gap between B2B and B2C commerce experiences.

What does Phygital look like for B2B? Let's assume your company is participating in a trade fair or exhibition: 

• Set up VR or AR booths  for more interactive demos and hands-on experiences.


• Add virtual assistants to your booths to assist attendees and provide them with personalized product presentations and information. 


• Allow visitors to view your catalog on a tablet or screen  and select products they're interested in. Using this information, your sales representative can follow up with more personalized demos and content, helping attendees feel like your company understands their needs. 
  
  

Phygital is still relatively new, but it will play an important role in the B2B environment. By using Phygital, B2B commerce will offer customers more comprehensive and personalized experiences. 

B2B commerce will expand

B2B companies are expanding into B2B2X business models, allowing them to serve a broader audience and expand their revenue streams. In fact,  B2B2C revenue grew 25% faster  than traditional B2B revenue. 

Changing buyer behavior and digital platforms have enabled B2B2C and created scalability. B2B2C has proven extremely successful, particularly in the telecommunications, fintech, and manufacturing sectors.

However, for the future, the B2B2C sector must have the following things in place to ensure long-term success: 

• Integrated communication channels  between partners, wholesalers, retailers and end customers. 


• Real-time data  on orders, inventory, prices and customer information to ensure all channels are aligned. 


• Scalable technology that can handle both B2B and B2C business models and can be extended to expand into new business areas.
  
  

While the B2B2C model can be beneficial for both your business and your customers, you need a robust commerce platform to adequately manage complex requirements.

The new era of B2B commerce

The future of B2B commerce is full of opportunities, but it requires your company to think carefully about your strategy and its implementation. 

Achieve this future of B2B commerce with a commerce platform that combines powerful commerce functionality on a scalable digital experience platform: Liferay DXP. 

Learn more about Liferay DXP’s commerce capabilities here.