63%
Of B2B Buyers Say most customer experiences fall short of what they know is possible
B2B Reference Application Design
In the past, businesses primarily depended on in-person sales and catalog orders to reach other companies. Today's B2B buyers expect shopping experiences similar to their personal lives. B2B commerce is becoming easier to navigate and more intuitive, gradually aligning with traditional shopper journeys.
THE CHALLENGE
My Role: UI & UX Design / Research / Information Architecture
THE PROJECT
Salesforce B2B Commerce enables organizations to create ecommerce storefronts that are specifically designed for businesses making large volume purchases from other businesses online.
The primary goal of this project was to utilize the Salesforce B2B framework to create a demo site specifically tailored to the commercial and residential tool sector. This site aimed to not only highlight the features and capabilities of the reference application but also demonstrate the flexibility to make customizations that meet the unique needs of businesses and end users. Additionally, the site served as a starting point for implementation projects, potentially reducing costs and enabling businesses to go live quickly.
RESEARCH
B2B and BC2 - Some Differences
B2B and B2C sites have many overlapping objectives and design principles, the nature of their audiences, decision-making processes, and purchasing behaviors require custom approaches to their designs.
Below are some of the considerations that need to be made.
User Personas and Goals:
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B2B: There are two main types of users: store associates and buyers. Store associates can browse products and create shopping lists, but they cannot checkout. Buyers, on the other hand, can add products to their cart and checkout. B2B shoppers typically have specific industry knowledge and a good understanding of the products they're looking for.
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B2C: These users have a wider range of interests and reasons for making purchases. Their goals may be related to personal needs, entertainment, convenience, or emotional fulfillment.
Purchasing Behaviors:
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B2B: Business buyers tend to already be knowledgeable about products and don't need to be persuaded with traditional marketing. Their goals are often focused on improving business productivity or reducing costs. This can lead to a longer evaluation purchasing process.
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B2C: These shoppers’ decisions are often made quickly and impulsively. Designs need to create an engaging and persuasive experience that encourages immediate action.
Information Architecture:
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B2B: These sites often host tens of thousands of products, replacement parts, and intricate technical details, necessitating a deep and well-structured architecture for seamless buyer navigation. With the large volume of SKUs, advanced search and filtering is also important for an efficient user experience.
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B2C: Although intuitive navigation and search are essential in all shopping experiences, B2C sites typically rely on simpler product and service descriptions. This often results in a flatter navigation structure and streamlined search functionality, prioritizing a visually appealing shopper journey.
Pricing:
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B2B: Pricing is often negotiated and based on factors such as quantity, volume discounts, and unique requirements of the business customer. B2B transactions may involve price lists, custom quotes, and tiered structures.
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B2C: Pricing is typically non-negotiable. There are factors such as promotions, and coupon codes but in most cases, prices clearly displayed on product pages.
Personalization:
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B2B: Account-based experiences or content may be tailored to specific roles within an organization.
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B2C: Recommendations and shopping experiences are personalized based on their browsing history, preferences, and past purchases.
DESIGNS
Key Objectives
When designing a B2B site in the tool industry, key UX objectives focus on helping users efficiently navigate through a large product catalog. With thousands of products available, a robust search functionality becomes crucial, allowing users to find specific items quickly. Additionally, the emphasis is on guiding shoppers to relevant categories without relying heavily on marketing banners typically used for B2C audiences. The priority lies in creating a clear and intuitive browsing experience that enables users to locate the tools they need for their business operations with ease.
POSSIBILITIES
Project Reflections
This project served as an example of what is possible for B2B UX design. While core design principles remain similar for B2B and B2C audiences, tailoring the experience to specific business needs is crucial. Reference applications provide a foundation, but successful projects require in-depth planning to align with both business goals and user objectives.
