Choosing the Best B2B Ecommerce Platform to Meet Today’s Buyer

Key highlights:

• B2B buyers now expect fast, personalised, and mobile-friendly ecommerce experiences

• Choosing the right platform starts with understanding your business model and integration needs.

• Legacy systems often slow growth; modern SaaS platforms offer speed, scalability, and lower total cost of ownership.

• BigCommerce combines built-in B2B features with flexibility to support complex buying journeys.

• Brands using BigCommerce B2B Edition see a 391% ROI and 7-month payback, with faster launches and measurable gains in productivity and platform stability according to IDC’s Business Value of B2B Edition study.

B2B buying expectations have changed faster than legacy and custom platforms can keep up.

Today’s buyers want speed, personalisation, and convenience. They expect to self-serve, order from mobile, and receive relevant pricing and content. In fact, nearly nine in ten millennial buyers are willing to pay more for a seamless experience.

These preferences are shaping a global market projected to surpass $36 trillion by 2026. For businesses, that creates both opportunity and pressure.

Selecting the right ecommerce platform is no longer about checking off features. Instead, it’s about enabling agility, supporting growth, and staying competitive as expectations continue to rise.

In this guide, you’ll learn what to look for in a B2B ecommerce platform, where legacy systems fall short, and how to future-proof your buying experience from day one.

B2B ecommerce platform selection factors

Choosing the right B2B ecommerce platform starts with understanding your business model and its operational needs. 

A one-size-fits-all solution rarely works in today’s complex B2B environment. Before evaluating specific features, clarify the type of business you are and how you sell.

Type of B2B business.

Different types of B2B companies have different operational needs. Before you evaluate platforms, it’s important to understand how the demands of your business impact your ecommerce requirements.

• Wholesale: Wholesale ecommerce is a business-to-business (B2B ecommerce) model where, instead of selling your products individually to consumers, you sell them in bulk and at a discount to other businesses.

• Manufacturers: Manufacturers produce goods on a large scale by utilising parts and raw materials in combination with manual labour and machines. In a B2B model, the finished goods are sold to other manufacturers, suppliers, or wholesalers.

• Distributors: Distributors A distributor purchases products in bulk from multiple manufacturers and resells them to retailers, wholesalers, or end customers. They manage inventory, logistics, and customer relationships, often providing value-added services like packaging, delivery, financing, or technical support to streamline the supply chain.

• B2B2C: Business-to-business-to-consumer (B2B2C) a commerce model where a business sells products or services to another business, which then delivers them to the end consumer. It combines B2B and B2C elements, enabling brands to reach consumers through a partner while retaining customer relationships and data.

Business software integrations.

For B2B companies, ecommerce is only one part of a much larger tech stack. Your ERP, PIM, and CRM systems are often the source of truth for pricing, inventory, customer data, and more.

Your platform should not replace these systems. It should connect to them seamlessly.

The ecommerce experience should reflect what already exists in the backend. That includes contract pricing, custom catalogues, and order history.

To do this well, your platform needs broad API coverage and flexible integration options. Look for solutions that are API-first, but not API-only. That balance allows for deep integrations without requiring a full custom build.

Whether through direct APIs, iPaaS providers, or prebuilt apps, integration flexibility is essential for scaling operations and delivering the right experience.

Security.

Security is not a buyer demand — it's a seller obligation. B2B businesses must meet enterprise-grade security standards to protect sensitive data, prevent attacks, and reduce risk.

Large transactions, complex account structures, and confidential customer information demand robust safeguards. Your platform should support compliance across IT, procurement, and legal teams.

At minimum, look for:

• PCI compliance

• Encryption

• Single sign-on (SSO)

• Role-based access

• Secure portals

BigCommerce goes beyond the basics:

• Level 1 PCI DSS compliance as both a merchant and service provider

• Alignment with industry frameworks including NIST, CIS, and certifications like ISO 27001:2022, ISO 27017, ISO 27018, ISO 27701, and ISO 22301

• Proactive threat intelligence partnerships with providers like Recorded Future and memberships in RH-ISAC, InfraGard, and CISA

• Enterprise-grade architecture purpose-built for scalability, data protection, and platform resilience

BigCommerce gives you control over your store’s privacy and security settings, while delivering platform-wide protection you can trust.

ROI: cost efficiency and business impact.

When evaluating platforms, look beyond the subscription price. True ROI includes both the costs you avoid and the value you gain.

Start by assessing total cost of ownership (TCO). That includes:

• Implementation time and services

• Development and integration work

• Apps and third-party add-ons

• Transaction fees

• Ongoing maintenance and updates

Legacy platforms may seem affordable up front but can become costly to maintain. As customisation needs grow, so do developer dependencies and hidden costs.

In contrast, SaaS platforms like BigCommerce reduce overhead by offering built-in features and automatic updates, helping teams move faster and spend less on infrastructure.

And the returns speak for themselves.

According to the 2025 IDC Business Value of B2B Edition study, brands using BigCommerce B2B Edition reported:

• 391% three-year ROI

• Seven-month payback period

• $393,446 in average annual benefits

• $10,536 in annual IT cost savings

• 24% increase in sales team productivity

• 82% improvement in platform stability

These gains come from both operational efficiencies and revenue growth, all backed by a composable, scalable platform built for modern B2B commerce.

Customisation.

B2B buying journeys are rarely one-size-fits-all. Your ecommerce platform should reflect that.

Customisation matters at every level — product setup, pricing, workflows, and design. Whether it’s CPQ, quoting, or account-specific content, you need full control over the experience.

But control should not come at the cost of speed.

The best platforms provide:

• APIs for deep customisation

• Low-code tools for faster iteration

• Visual editors for non-technical users

If you plan to grow into new markets or serve different customer segments, make sure your platform can evolve with you, without needing a rebuild every time your strategy shifts.

Where replatforming efforts go wrong — and how to avoid them

Replatforming is often one of the most critical, and most misunderstood projects manufacturers and distributors undertake. When done right, it unlocks growth and operational efficiency. When rushed or misaligned, it becomes expensive, frustrating, and slow to deliver value.

Based on hundreds of conversations with B2B brands, here are the five most common pitfalls, and how to avoid them.

People.

Many businesses underestimate the internal expertise required to implement a modern ecommerce platform successfully. This is especially true when shifting from legacy systems or launching online for the first time.

Success starts with having the right people involved. That may mean bringing in new team members, supplementing with part-time contractors, or working closely with experienced solution partners. System integrators can be a game-changer in guiding implementation and helping your team ramp up quickly.

Your internal team doesn’t need to know everything, but they do need to be aligned and supported by people who do.

Processes.

Most B2B organisations operate with highly customised internal workflows, from complex quoting and contract pricing to RMA management and warranty processes.

The mistake many businesses make is trying to replicate every legacy process online. This leads to unnecessary complexity and scope creep.

Instead, evaluate each process for business value. Ask:

• What workflows are critical to launch?

• What can be simplified or replaced?

• What should be phased in later?

For example, businesses offering fully custom pricing for every customer may benefit from consolidating into pricing tiers to improve efficiency and reduce operational overhead.

Platform alignment.

Too often, ecommerce is treated as a standalone digital transformation project. But replatforming only works when it supports core business goals.

Your ecommerce initiative should be anchored in a measurable outcome, such as growing new customer acquisition, improving share of wallet, or driving internal efficiency. That objective will shape your entire implementation plan, from which use cases you launch first to how you onboard customers.

When business goals lead, technology decisions become clearer.

Product data.

Poor data is one of the biggest risks to a successful launch.

Product, catalogue, and customer data often live in outdated systems and are often incomplete. Without a clean and structured foundation, even the most advanced platform will produce a poor customer experience.

Invest early in data quality. Use tools like Feedonomics, with AI enrichment to clean up and standardise product information. The effort you put in before launch will pay dividends in customer satisfaction, search performance, and long-term scalability.

Phased rollout.

Once you define what to launch, the next step is deciding how to launch it.

Trying to go live with every use case and customer type at once is risky. Waterfall-style rollouts delay time to value and make it harder to adapt to real feedback.

Instead, segment your customers and launch in phases. Start with a simpler use case, learn quickly, and expand from there. Be agile.

This approach:

• Reduces complexity

• Accelerates early wins

• Builds internal confidence

• Supports a more agile implementation model

• Proves ROI

By focusing on value-first delivery and continuous learning, phased rollouts help B2B businesses scale smarter.

Essential B2B ecommerce platform use cases

B2B platforms must handle more than simple transactions. 

They need to support complex selling processes, personalised pricing, and the flexibility to serve both core and long-tail customers. 

When evaluating platforms, look for the following capabilities.

Access restriction options.

Not every visitor should see the same catalogue or pricing.

Modern B2B platforms should support features like login-based visibility, customer group segmentation, and account-level permissions. This is especially important for businesses that serve strategic accounts with negotiated pricing or custom product assortments.

For large organisations with multiple buyers, platforms should also support account hierarchies. For example, a buyer from a regional office may need different access than a corporate purchasing manager.

Pricing, payment, and ordering customisation.

B2B pricing and payment logic is rarely simple. Whether you offer tiered pricing, net payment terms, volume discounts, or negotiated quotes, your platform should make these workflows easy to manage online.

Some businesses may need to replicate CPQ processes on the frontend, so customers can build complex orders without sales involvement. Others may need to automate payment approvals or tax certifications for long-tail buyers.

The more you can streamline these processes digitally, the more efficient your team becomes, especially when moving low-value tasks out of sales and support.

Heavy focus on customer experience.

B2B buyers expect intuitive, personalised shopping experiences. That means your ecommerce platform should allow for more than just transactions. It should support rich content, fast navigation, and relevant product discovery.

Think personalised search results, dynamic imagery, and contextual content based on product lines, customer groups, or past behaviour. These tools create the type of experience that core buyers value and long-tail customers need to convert.

Frictionless, secure checkout.

B2B checkouts should be fast, intuitive, and tailored to how business buyers operate.

That means supporting complex requirements like:

• Purchase orders and payment terms

• Tax exemptions and validation

• Negotiated shipping options

• Saved payment methods and bulk ordering

These workflows are critical for large transactions and procurement teams. A modern B2B ecommerce platform should simplify them without sacrificing speed or security.

Look for platforms that offer PCI compliance, encryption, and mobile-optimised experiences, all while allowing checkout customisation based on account type or buying role.

Easy to add new channels.

Your platform should support growth into new markets, verticals, or buyer segments without requiring a separate backend for each.

That might mean launching a new storefront for a different brand or building a headless experience tailored to a specific buyer journey. It could also mean expanding to new marketplaces or regions, while keeping operations unified on the backend.

Multi-storefront capabilities, API-driven flexibility, and ecosystem extensibility make this kind of expansion possible and scalable.

Examples of B2B ecommerce platforms

Not all B2B ecommerce platforms are built the same. Each solution brings different strengths, tradeoffs, and architectural approaches.

Below are a few of the most commonly considered platforms for B2B ecommerce, and what businesses should keep in mind when evaluating them.

Magento.

Magento is a powerful ecommerce platform with deep customisation capabilities. Available in both open-source and enterprise editions, it is often chosen by businesses that require highly tailored solutions and have in-house technical resources to support them.

However, Magento also comes with a high operational burden. Merchants are responsible for hosting, security, maintenance, and performance optimisation. For businesses without a dedicated development team, this can lead to higher costs and slower time to market.

Some of the most common challenges include:

• Ongoing developer support needed for updates and patches

• Hidden costs from hosting, paid extensions, and custom builds

• Performance issues without significant investment in optimisation

• Difficulty scaling without manual infrastructure upgrades

BigCommerce offers a SaaS alternative with built-in performance, PCI-compliant security, and enterprise-grade features that do not require heavy customisation. For businesses focused on agility, reduced overhead, and faster implementation, BigCommerce often proves to be the more efficient path forward.

Magento remains a fit for brands that require complete control over every layer of their ecommerce stack, but for most growing B2B businesses, the cost and complexity can outweigh the flexibility.

SAP Commerce Cloud.

SAP Commerce Cloud, formerly known as Hybris, is often associated with large enterprise implementations. It offers robust B2B and B2C functionality, making it a common choice for businesses with deep technical resources and highly customised needs.

However, SAP’s complexity and cost structure make it difficult for many brands to move quickly or scale efficiently. Implementations often involve high license fees, developer-heavy customisation, and long project timelines.

Common challenges businesses face with SAP Commerce Cloud include:

• Long implementation cycles and delayed time to market

• High total cost of ownership from licencing, hosting, and maintenance

• Manual upgrades that can break customisations

• A rigid, monolithic architecture still transitioning toward modularity

• Dependence on SAP-certified developers for day-to-day changes

For companies that need fast global rollouts, omnichannel agility, or simplified integrations, BigCommerce offers a more modern approach. As a SaaS platform, BigCommerce enables faster launches, lower operating costs, and ongoing updates without disruption.

BigCommerce also integrates seamlessly with SAP’s ERP, giving businesses a single source of truth without tying the frontend experience to backend limitations.

SAP remains a fit for legacy enterprises with deeply embedded workflows and large IT teams. But for organisations prioritising speed, flexibility, and ease of use, BigCommerce is a strong alternative that helps teams move faster and grow with less overhead.

commercetools.

commercetools is known as an early leader in composable commerce. Built for maximum flexibility, it gives development teams the tools to create custom ecommerce architectures from the ground up.

That level of control appeals to large enterprises with complex requirements and dedicated engineering resources. But for many brands, commercetools introduces more complexity than needed, especially for those looking to move fast or reduce total cost of ownership.

Key considerations when evaluating commercetools include:

• Longer time to launch, often requiring months of custom development

• Higher cost of ownership due to manual integration and infrastructure management

• Minimal prebuilt tools for business users and marketers

• Limited out-of-the-box B2B features, often requiring custom builds

• Fewer native integrations and marketplace connectors

In contrast, BigCommerce offers a hybrid approach. Brands get the flexibility of MACH architecture, along with built-in features like a native checkout, pre-integrated storefronts, and visual editing tools for faster time to value.

BigCommerce supports developers with APIs and SDKs, while also enabling marketers to manage content and campaigns without relying on engineering. For brands that want composability without the overhead, BigCommerce offers a simpler, faster, and more scalable path.

commercetools may be a strong fit for large engineering-led organisastions that prioritise total control over speed. But for growth-focused teams that want to move quickly and scale efficiently, BigCommerce is often the better choice.

Epicor Commerce Connect.

Epicor Commerce Connect (ECC) is designed to extend Epicor’s ERP systems with basic ecommerce functionality. For manufacturers and distributors already using Epicor P21 or Kinetic, it may seem like a natural add-on — especially for teams prioritising ERP connectivity.

However, ECC is built on Magento, which introduces added complexity. Maintaining the platform requires significant developer involvement, and core updates can disrupt customisations. This slows down innovation and increases total cost of ownership over time.

Common pain points for ECC users include:

• Heavy reliance on developers for changes and maintenance

• Rigid upgrade cycles that slow new feature adoption

• Limited out-of-the-box B2B features

• Higher long-term costs from patches, extensions, and customisations

• A commerce experience that takes a back seat to ERP functionality

BigCommerce B2B Edition takes a commerce-first approach. It delivers enterprise-grade B2B features out of the box, including custom catalogues, account hierarchies, quoting, and invoice management, while still supporting real-time ERP integration through trusted partners.

With BigCommerce, manufacturers and distributors can launch faster, update content without IT, and reduce operational overhead. The platform enables tight ERP connectivity without tying commerce strategy to legacy complexity.

For businesses that want to modernise customer experience, improve agility, and grow through digital channels, BigCommerce offers a scalable alternative that puts commerce, and the customer, first.

SuiteCommerce.

SuiteCommerce is NetSuite’s native ecommerce solution, designed to offer an “all-in-one” platform for ERP and commerce. For NetSuite customers, the appeal lies in tight integration and a single vendor for both backend operations and storefront management.

But that convenience often comes with trade-offs. SuiteCommerce’s deep coupling with NetSuite can limit speed, flexibility, and customisation — especially for teams that need to move fast or experiment with new channels.

Common limitations to consider include:

• Slower launch times due to developer and ERP dependencies

• Limited composability and integration flexibility

• Higher long-term costs from upgrades, scripting, and customisation

• Restricted usability for marketers and merchandisers

• A frontend experience tied to backend ERP performance

BigCommerce, by contrast, integrates with NetSuite through certified partners while maintaining the independence needed to optimise the customer experience. Teams can launch faster, update content without IT, and scale into new markets without rebuilding core workflows.

With built-in multi-storefront, headless flexibility, and MACH-certified architecture, BigCommerce gives businesses the tools to innovate without being locked into a single ecosystem.

SuiteCommerce may be a viable choice for brands fully committed to NetSuite with basic commerce needs. But for growth-focused businesses seeking speed, agility, and control, BigCommerce offers a more scalable and future-ready solution.

Shopify.

Shopify is a widely used B2C ecommerce platform. In recent years, it has introduced B2B functionality through Shopify Plus, offering features like company profiles, wholesale pricing, and customer-specific catalogs.

However, for manufacturers and distributors with more advanced needs, Shopify may require additional custom development or third-party apps. For example:

• Quoting, approval workflows, and payment terms require external solutions

• Limited user roles and no multi-level account hierarchies

• No built-in invoice portal or sales rep tools

• Transaction fees apply unless using Shopify Payments

Shopify’s closed ecosystem can also limit integration flexibility, particularly for businesses looking to connect with ERPs or CRMs. While this may not impact smaller operations, it can create friction as requirements grow more complex.

For B2B companies looking for an all-in-one platform with built-in features, Shopify may involve more customisation and add-on tools to meet core business needs. It’s best suited for B2C and not B2B manufacturers and distributors.

Why BigCommerce is a top option

B2B commerce is evolving, and your ecommerce platform needs to evolve with it. From complex buyer workflows to multi-channel growth, today’s businesses demand more than just a web store. They need speed, flexibility, and scalability, backed by a partner that understands the realities of B2B.

BigCommerce delivers all of this and more. With a modern architecture, built-in B2B functionality, and deep integration capabilities, it’s designed to help manufacturers, distributors, and wholesalers sell more efficiently, adapt faster, and scale smarter.

What BigCommerce brings to the table.

Multi-storefront built for expansion.

B2B businesses often manage multiple brands, regions, or customer segments. BigCommerce’s Multi-Storefront capabilities let you launch and manage these storefronts from a single backend. 

That means one ERP integration powering many buying experiences — all tailored, all efficient.

Composable and MACH-certified.

BigCommerce follows MACH architecture — microservices-based, API-first, cloud-native, and headless. 

This means you can build a best-of-breed stack without getting locked into one ecosystem. We offer 95% API coverage and integrations with leading tools like Algolia, Contentstack, and Bloomreach.

Headless commerce without the burden.

BigCommerce supports full headless builds, giving businesses complete control over the frontend experience. This is ideal for teams with complex approval flows, custom product configurations, or strict regulatory requirements.

You can use the CMS, personalisation engine, or search tool that best fits your needs, all while keeping backend operations unified.

To simplify implementation, BigCommerce offers Catalyst, our composable storefront framework. 

With one-click provisioning in the Control Panel, teams can launch a high-performance headless storefront in less time. 

And with Makeswift, our drag-and-drop visual editor, marketers and merchandisers can manage content independently, without developer bottlenecks.

Together, Catalyst and Makeswift give you the flexibility of headless commerce without the usual complexity.

Modern B2B features out-of-the-box.

BigCommerce B2B Edition includes the essential tools manufacturers, distributors, and wholesalers need to streamline operations and serve both high-value and long-tail accounts.

• Account hierarchies with role-based permissions

• Customer-specific pricing and catalogues

• Quoting and invoice management

• Shared shopping lists and easy reordering

• Buyer approval workflows

These features are ready on day one and built to scale.

Faster migrations with built-in support.

For brands moving off Magento, NetSuite, or custom platforms, BigCommerce makes the transition easier. Our open APIs, partner ecosystem, and professional services teams help businesses connect ERPs, clean up data, and launch in phases — without breaking existing systems.

We also offer a Quick Start Accelerator Programme for mid-market brands that want to get live faster. Built in collaboration with top B2B agencies, the programme includes packaged implementation plans with prebuilt templates, integrations, and support, so you can launch in weeks, not months.

Strong ROI for B2B customers.

BigCommerce B2B Edition isn’t just built for performance. It delivers measurable business value.

In a 2025 IDC study commissioned by BigCommerce, researchers found that brands using B2B Edition achieved significant gains across cost savings, productivity, and platform reliability.

Key outcomes include:

• 391% three-year return on investment

• 7-month payback period

• $393,446 in average annual benefits

• $10,536 in annual IT cost savings

• 24% increase in sales team productivity

• 82% improvement in platform stability

For businesses making ecommerce a core growth channel, B2B Edition offers the performance and flexibility needed, with an ROI to match.

The final word

Choosing the right B2B ecommerce platform is no longer just a technology decision. It’s a strategic one. 

Today’s buyers expect self-service, personalisation, and speed. Meeting those expectations requires more than a bolt-on solution.

BigCommerce is built to support that evolution. With native B2B tools, deep integration capabilities, and the flexibility of headless and multi-storefront architecture, it helps brands modernise fast, without the weight of legacy systems.

Whether you're launching your first digital channel or migrating from a platform that no longer fits, BigCommerce B2B Edition gives you the speed, agility, and scale to grow with confidence.

Ready to see what modern B2B ecommerce looks like?

Request a demo and discover how BigCommerce can help you move faster, sell smarter, and serve your customers better.

FAQs about B2B ecommerce solutions