The shift in B2B buying behaviour
One of the most compelling reasons B2B brands need to modernise their digital commerce experience is generational change. According to Shopify, 70% of B2B buyers today are millennials. This means they grew up with the internet, are accustomed to seamless online shopping experiences, and naturally expect the same from their business purchases.
Unlike previous generations, millennial B2B buyers don’t want to have to call a sales rep to get pricing information, request a quote, or place an order. They want the ability to self-serve, research on their own, and complete transactions efficiently. If your business isn’t offering a digital experience, you risk losing these buyers to competitors who do.
For BOSKA, a company in the cheese tools industry, traditional buying habits ran deep. “They were really used to just pick up the phone and say, ‘Hey, I want those same products I order every month…’” explains Pascal Verheul. That mindset made the shift to digital especially tricky, but also necessary.
But what about the sales team?
Some businesses worry that shifting to digital commerce means eliminating the human element from B2B sales. But that’s not the case. Digital commerce isn’t about replacing sales reps-it’s about freeing them up for higher-value work.
Think about it:
- If your sales team is spending time manually processing repeat orders, they’re not focusing on strategic growth.
- If customers can check stock levels, view pricing, and place orders online, your sales reps can focus on building relationships and upselling.
- Digital tools allow sales teams to gather insights, personalise recommendations, and create better customer experiences.
By digitising the transactional side of B2B commerce, your sales team can spend more time where they add the most value; developing customer relationships and driving business growth.
At BOSKA, key accounts still receive the personal touch. “Top-tier customers have a key account manager…” says Pascal. Meanwhile, smaller customers can order through the B2B portal, freeing up the sales team to focus on high-value relationships.
The inefficiencies of traditional B2B sales
Many B2B brands still rely on outdated processes that make purchasing harder than it needs to be:
- Customers place orders over the phone or by email, leading to delays and errors.
- Pricing structures are buried in spreadsheets or complex systems that require a steep learning curve (like ERPs). Rather than dynamically applied online.
- Sales reps manually process orders when customers could complete them instantly through a self-serve portal.
These inefficiencies not only slow down the sales cycle but also increase operational costs. A digital-first approach removes unnecessary friction and allows businesses to scale without constantly expanding their sales teams.
BOSKA’s team realised that clinging to manual processes was holding them back. “After a while, we said, ‘No more manual orders,’” Pascal recalls. “People were nervous, we’ll lose sales!’ But we didn’t.” Going digital helped reduce inefficiencies without sacrificing revenue.
Hybrid B2B/D2C businesses are already leading the way
For businesses that operate both B2B and D2C models, digital transformation is already happening. Many hybrid merchants-brands that sell both directly to consumers and to other businesses-have recognised the need to unify their sales channels. By migrating to platforms like Shopify B2B, they can:
- Provide a seamless buying experience for both individual consumers and wholesale clients.
- Offer customer-specific pricing without relying on manual processes.
- Reduce administrative overhead by automating invoicing, order management, and fulfilment.
- Sell more by adding in merchandising, upsell and cross selling promotions dynamically (especially effective for larger catalogues).
If hybrid merchants are already digitising their B2B operations, pure B2B brands can’t afford to stay behind.
BOSKA’s B2B site now looks and feels like a D2C store. “It’s not really a B2B platform anymore. It’s just a webshop, for business customers,” says Pascal. The digital experience is seamless, intuitive, and built for scale.
The bottom line: B2B needs to modernise
B2B buyers are no different from D2C consumers in their expectations for a smooth, efficient, and digital-first experience. While complex pricing, bulk orders, and account-based purchasing may be unique to B2B, these challenges can be solved with the right technology.
Modernising B2B commerce isn’t about removing human relationships, it’s about empowering customers to buy how they want while enabling sales teams to focus on growth.
The shift is already happening. The question is: Will your business be ahead of it, or playing catch-up?
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