Ultimately, the "best" b2b eCommerce platform will depend on many factors, including your business needs, your technical expertise, and growth goals. Consider your current and future requirements when making your choice!
Looking for real life examples? Take a look at our recently launched Snell Packaging (using BigCommerce) case study here. On the back of this project, Terabyte was awarded the BigCommerce B2B Specialised partner award as well as the BigDev certified award.
Talk to the experts in B2B eCommerce at Terabyte, call us today.
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Best for: Businesses of all sizes seeking a robust, highly customisable, easy-to-use, and cost-effective B2B solution.
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Strengths:
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Strong B2B features (wholesale pricing, customer segmentation, volume discounts).
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No transaction fees.
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Built-in features like product variants, bulk ordering, and multi-storefront capabilities.
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Great for B2B businesses scaling quickly.
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Note: With its core being a SaaS product it isn’t infinitely customisable, but can suit businesses of all sizes and complexities with typical B2B requirements.
- Learn more about BigCommerce solutions here
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Best for: Small to medium-sized businesses looking for an easy to manage scalable eCommerce solution.
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Strengths:
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Easy to set up and use.
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Extensive 3rd party app ecosystem that assists when extending the core site functionality
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Supports multiple stores, including international sales.
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Strong customer support.
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Note: Limited advanced B2B-specific features out of the box (but can be added through apps).
- Learn more about Shopify Plus solutions here
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Best for: Medium to large businesses that need a highly customisable and scalable platform.
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Strengths:
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Open-source, 100% code access and highly flexible.
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Strong B2B features, like custom pricing, customer groups, and quote management.
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Ability to handle complex product catalogs.
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Excellent for businesses with specific and unique needs and requiring custom integrations.
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Note: Requires development expertise and support. Can be expensive and resource-intensive.
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Best for: Large enterprises with complex needs.
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Strengths:
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Deep integration with Salesforce’s CRM, making it ideal for data-driven businesses.
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Robust B2B features, such as customer-specific pricing and workflows.
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Scalability and customisation options.
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Note: Expensive, complex and may require significant time to implement and configure.
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Best for: Businesses that need a dedicated, open-source B2B eCommerce platform.
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Strengths:
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Built specifically for B2B commerce.
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Advanced B2B features like account management, quotes, custom pricing, and complex workflows.
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Highly customisable.
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Note: Requires technical expertise to implement and manage.
WooCommerce with B2B Extensions
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Best for: Small to medium-sized businesses looking for a low-cost solution on WordPress.
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Strengths:
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Affordable and open-source.
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Integrates with WordPress and offers a vast selection of plugins.
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Can add B2B features like custom pricing, quotes, and bulk ordering.
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Note: Not really designed for out-of-the-box B2B. Can get complex with plugins and add-ons; may not scale well for large businesses.
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Best for: Large enterprises with complex, global B2B requirements.
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Strengths:
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Robust and scalable, handling global operations.
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Extensive B2B functionality, including account management, quoting, and custom workflows.
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Strong integration capabilities with SAP’s ERP and other enterprise tools.
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Note: Very expensive and can be difficult to implement without specialised development team expertise.
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Best for: Businesses looking for a platform that combines eCommerce and content management.
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Strengths:
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Good for businesses with a strong emphasis on content marketing.
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Advanced personalisation and user experience features.
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Integrated B2B features for managing accounts, pricing, and custom catalogs.
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Note: Not as widely used as other platforms, so finding skilled developers may be more challenging.
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Best for: Businesses already using NetSuite for ERP and seeking seamless integration.
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Strengths:
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Comprehensive ERP and eCommerce integration.
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Strong B2B features like custom pricing, account management, and quotes.
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Ideal for businesses looking for a unified solution for operations and commerce.
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Note: Expensive and may not be the best fit for businesses without an existing NetSuite ERP.
Factors to Consider:
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Popularity: Is the B2B platform recognised as one of the global leaders? Is there a large community of leading brand businesses and developers using it?
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Ease of Use: If you're looking for a user-friendly solution with minimal technical requirements, BigCommerce or Shopify may be good choices.
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Customisation Needs: If your business requires heavy customisation, platforms like Magento or OroCommerce may provide the level of flexibility you need – but they come with a cost.
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Scalability: For large enterprises, most of the above options offer powerful scalability.
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Budget: WooCommerce typically requires the least budget and purposely designed SaaS eCommerce products like BigCommerce and Shopify offer exceptional features and functionality offering great value for money. Platforms like SAP Commerce Cloud and Salesforce Commerce Cloud are more suited to enterprise-level businesses with a larger budget and require deep levels of customisation.