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The benefits of buying online for the manufacturing industry

The global B2B eCommerce market was valued at $12.2 trillion in 2019, according to leading statistics experts Statista. To put that into context, that’s six times the value of the B2C market. Whilst some quarters of the manufacturing industry are still coming to terms with the emergence of B2B eCommerce, early adopters like Bürkert have transformed the customer buying journey into an altogether more convenient experience.

What is B2B eCommerce?

B2B eCommerce, short for business-to-business electronic commerce, is the sale of goods or services between businesses using an online sales portal. The introduction of eCommerce platforms completely transformed consumer retail and it was only a matter of time before it began to filter into business-to-business transactions.

Now, eCommerce is becoming commonplace, with businesses clamouring to keep pace with demand.

Why B2B eCommerce is important

One major reason for the growth in B2B eCommerce is the shifting demographic of buyers. According to research by Google, nearly half of all B2B buyers are millennials. This generation of digital natives is not only well-versed in online purchasing trends but expects the same experience in a B2B setting as they enjoy when making B2C purchasing decisions.

Whilst Baby Boomer and Generation X buyers have traditionally thumbed through catalogues and picked up the phone to speak to sales teams, Millennials are increasingly likely to hit the search engines. According to Google, a staggering 89% of B2B researchers use the internet during the B2B research process and will conduct an average of 12 searches before engaging with a brand’s website.

The takeaway here is that the self-service model that has worked so well for online B2C retailers, such as Amazon, works just as well if not better in a B2B context. Any forward-thinking manufacturing business that is willing to reward its proactive modern buyers with a coherent and intuitive eCommerce experience is destined to earn the loyalty of this latest generation of buyers.

Why Bürkert became an early adopter of B2B eCommerce

One manufacturer who was quick to realise the importance of B2B eCommerce in the context of providing a more complete service to their customers was Bürkert. As far back as 2015, Bürkert came on board as an early adopter of B2B eCommerce principles, launching their Bürkert eShop initially in Germany, Great Britain, Spain and the Netherlands, before expanding into many more of the territories that they operate in.

“The real value of the Bürkert eShop is that purchasers can buy Bürkert valves and instrumentation 24 hours a day, seven days a week,” said Kirsty Anderson, Marketing Manager at Bürkert. “The eShop provides our customers with a seamless, user-friendly experience that makes it incredibly easy to purchase and track orders online. With intuitive product filters, downloadable CAD drawings and simple re-ordering, we’ve created a B2B eCommerce experience that we believe delivers the ultimate in convenience,” Kirsty added.

Here are just some of the features and benefits that the Bürkert eShop has to offer:

  • 24/7 availability, so you can purchase at your leisure.
  • Shopping carts can be saved and shopping lists created.
  • View current prices, conditions, delivery times and stock levels.
  • Fast entry of products part numbers by importing your own tables.
  • View orders, delivery notes, invoices at any time to track your order.
  • Download CAD drawings, operating instructions and EU declarations of conformity.

For more information, please contact Bürkert today.

Company Profile

Bürkert Fluid Control Systems

Bürkert Fluid Control Systems is a world-leading manufacturer of control and measuring systems for fluids and gases.

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