A B2B catalog is a tool that allows you to share product images and key information such as pricing, colors, sizes, availability, and delivery dates. Though traditionally shared in print, the past two years have seen their digital counterparts provide undeniable advantages for businesses in industries as diverse as outdoor, lifestyle, home goods, and fashion.
There’s no longer a reason to wait – here are seven reasons why you should start your digital transformation today.
1. One-click shopping
Make it easy to support your brand with a faster and easier buying process. Use digital B2B catalogs so buyers can buy with just one click from shoppable images and videos. When you go digital, you can also accept credit card payments, set up automated payment terms (such as payment upon shipping) and even offer instant point-of-sale financing at checkout – three great tools that encourage retailers to buy. As for buyers who aren’t ready to finalize their orders, eCatalogs help them plan with one-click order drafts, access to digital notes and the ability to share drafted orders.
2. Engaging Presentations
Showcase your products in an eCatalog to bring your company’s vision to life. The right B2B eCommerce platform allows you to present high quality images with all of the details your customers need to place informed buys, including static images, videos, zoomable 360° images and 3D models. Look for a solution that makes it easy to create an experience buyers won’t soon forget – but remember, a custom catalog is only as useful as you make it. Choose a product that makes it easy to swap out images and update information with flexible templates and drag-and-drop functionality.
3. ROund-the-clock sales
When you use digital catalogs in your B2B eCommerce platform, buyers can place buys while you sleep! Reap the benefits of 24/7, 365 sales and the ease of selling to retailers around the globe during the most suitable timeframes for their schedules. Buyers can even shop in their own currencies and languages when you use a top product catalog app solution. Your digital B2B catalog will also help your in-house team and external sales reps collaborate effectively from afar.
4. Efficient appointments
Use your digital B2B catalogs to support your virtual and hybrid appointments. Buyers don’t want to sift through outdated printed materials or request an updated catalog.
With eCatalogs, you’ll streamline the buying process via:
- Detailed digital presentations
- Personalized linesheets
- Whiteboard for better live collaboration (including merchandising and visualization)
- Filters for departments, categories, sizes, colors and delivery dates, custom pricing (such as discounts for specific retailers)
When you get rid of traditional pen and paper, you’ll also have the opportunity to reduce or completely eliminate human error.
Then there’s the access to a rich source of data, insights, and reports. You can harness this information to offer better-targeted assortments, identify best-selling products and otherwise add value to your relationships with buyers.
Bonus: Virtual Showrooms
Look for a B2B eCommerce solution that has a virtual showroom feature too. Your virtual showroom will support all of your virtual and hybrid sales. It’s just what it sounds like – your wholesale hub’s counterpart online.
You can use a virtual showroom to share:
- Key SKUs
- Collection inspiration
- Color palettes
- Size charts and fit guides
- Branded videos
- Editorials and press
- Social media content
5. Digital Trade shows
Brands are collaborating online with buyers through digital catalogs and B2B platforms; a product catalog app lets you participate in the world’s best digital trade shows. Showcase your products, sell to businesses 24/7 throughout the shows, share your latest marketing content and host virtual market appointments with buyers.
6. Seamless Sales Management
The best digital B2B catalog solutions integrate with all of your software needs across accounting, distribution, ERP, and more to keep your business running smoothly across the board, and in every channel. Find a product catalog app that integrates via real-time two-way sync with products like NetSuite, SAP, Shopify, Oracle, and Quickbooks. Live inventory can also help you grow your business by encouraging in-season orders and replenishment buys.
7. Reduced Carbon Footprint
eCatalogs allow you to skip the printed material at in-person meetings and trade shows, reducing waste and decreasing expenses.
Pro Tip: The best product catalog apps also allow you to work offline via iPhone or iPad.
Digital B2B catalogs and other remote wholesale tools, such as Slack and Zoom, also allow you to cut down on travel, greatly reducing the carbon impact of your business.
NuORDER by Lightspeed is a B2B eCommerce platform and marketplace, connecting retailers and brands and streamlining the wholesale process for virtual, hybrid, and in-person market appointments. The NuORDER platform offers a seamless and collaborative way for companies to do business with interactive and customizable solutions, easy payments, real-time inventory insights, comprehensive data, and more for increasingly informed buying decisions.
