US B2B ecommerce sales will top USD 780 mln in 2015

Many business buyers prefer to shop online and sellers can cut costs by serving them via the web, according to a report issued by the market reseach company Forrester, internetretailer.com reports. The growth in B2B will be driven largely by “channel-shifting” B2B buyers who are buying more online than through phone and other offline channels, and the opportunity for manufacturers, wholesalers and distributors to cut operating costs by processing more sales to customers through self-service ecommerce websites and electronic processing of orders.

Petroleum and petroleum products, drugs and pharmacy sundries account for the largest share of US B2B ecommerce sales and will continue in the lead in 2020. But it says the fastest-growing categories will be such durable goods as motor vehicles, and motor vehicle parts and supplies, electrical and electronics products and industrial machinery, equipment and supplies.

74% of B2B buyers today research at least one-half of work-related purchases online, and 30% complete at least half of their work-related purchases online. It is also expects the percentage of B2B buyers completing at least half of their work-related purchases online will nearly double to 56% by 2017. The trend to increased online purchasing will accelerate partly because of the increased use of smartphones and other mobile devices to discover and research products, and place orders.

B2B companies can slash the costs of serving and selling to customers by as much as 90% by introducing self-service ecommerce features. 52% of B2B executives say they have reduced their customer-support costs by migrating offline customers online and that 56% say they have customers they can only serve profitably online.

When B2B customers buy online as well as offline, they spend more in total and per order, and become more engaged and loyal customers. 60% of B2B companies say their B2B buyers spend more overall when they interact with sellers through multiple sales channels.