B-to-B

Ho ho no! It’s that time of year: holiday returns are on the horizon. Whether a problematic electronic item, an ugly sweater, or a piece of jewelry that missed the mark, around 18 percent — close to $170 billion worth of merchandise — once purchased/gifted/unwrapped, will be heading back to U.S. retailers this holiday season.…

A day of shopping in San Francisco’s Hayes Valley or Austin’s South Congress can make you feel like you’ve stepped inside a millennial’s Instagram feed. Brands like Brooklinen and Warby Parker, previously only available online, have expanded to brick-and-mortar locations in these trendy neighborhoods to grow sales. And it’s clearly working — the now-public glasses…

In episode 452 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Ashley Hubka, senior vice president and general manager of Walmart Business, the retailer's dedicated omnichannel experience for businesses and nonprofits. Listen in as Hubka provides an overview of the business unit (1:25), how Walmart identifies small business shoppers at its physical locations (3:00), her…

A great web store experience is critical to growth for business-to-business (B2B) companies. However, many B2B sellers are failing to meet buyer expectations, which is a significant business risk. According to insights from our B2B Buyer Report, 91 percent of buyers in the U.S. would switch suppliers after a bad experience trying to purchase on their…

In the ever-evolving landscape of marketing, e-commerce, operations, and management, executives are constantly on the lookout for strategies that can enhance efficiency and accelerate the sales cycle. In order to stand out in a competitive marketplace, adopting advanced tactics becomes not just advantageous but essential. Here, we explore innovative approaches that can significantly speed up…

With the holiday season in the rear-view mirror, shoppers may be looking for a break. However, retailers are primed to use this time to begin implementing a busy 2024 road map. Retail industry leaders are exploring ways to navigate the ripple effects of inflation and to integrate data-driven insights into digital transformation strategies. When previewing…

Peer recommendations have been a trusted endorsement for products and services since the earliest days of commerce. However, in the “age of influence,” brands maximize this word-of-mouth endorsement and spread it far and wide through authentic and paid channels. This age-old practice of sharing advice transcends consumer markets. It's taking hold in the B2B space…

The "golden quarter," the aptly named "golden child" of the retail calendar, takes place from October through December. It sees consumers flock to online and physical stores, driven by Black Friday sales, pre- and post-Christmas campaigns, and a soaring demand for holiday gifts. B2C retailers have got the golden quarter locked in. But is the…

E-commerce giant Shopify is now a stakeholder in the wholesale platform Faire, the companies announced Wednesday. The deal establishes Faire as the recommended wholesale marketplace for Shopify and expands Shopify’s B2B offerings, helping drive growth for the brands as well as the independent retailers the two companies serve. “At Faire we have long admired Shopify’s like-minded…

The world of e-commerce is evolving rapidly, and the boundaries that once clearly separated business-to-business (B2B) and direct-to-consumer (DTC) buying experiences are now blurring. Current buyer behavior data reveals a significant shift in buyer habits, where the B2B buyer journey is increasingly mirroring DTC practices, ultimately leading to purchases being made online. B2B e-commerce leads…