B-to-B

Business-to-business (B-to-B) online retail sales were projected to reach $1.2 trillion last year, up from $889 billion in 2017 — and show no signs of slowing down. With e-commerce marketplaces evolving and becoming more complex, each with its own set of issues and obstacles, success in these markets is critical to a company’s growth and survival. However, navigating the…

I’ve heard a lot in recent months about the impact that COVID-19 has had on consumers’ digital appetites. However, the pandemic is having a similarly profound impact on business-to-business (B-to-B) commerce, which I haven’t heard nearly as much about. This is despite the fact the online B-to-B market in the U.S. was worth more than…

In episode 312 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Marcelo Podesta, president of National Business Furniture (NBF), a Milwaukee-based commercial furniture retailer. Podesta discusses the various verticals and customers NBF serves, his career journey that brought him to the company, and how the business has adapted to changes in the furniture market due to…

Gift cards continue to remain immensely popular with consumers. In fact, demand for digital gift cards spiked during the pandemic, as consumers sought out convenient, easy and safe ways to share gifts with their friends and families, even if they weren't getting together in person. This trend isn't expected to end with the pandemic, as…

As part of the 2020 Merchant Gift Card Omnichannel Evaluation, NAPCO Research, in conjunction with Blackhawk Network, conducted a comprehensive analysis of 100 leading merchants' gift card programs. The evaluations consisted of a thorough assessment of the consumer gift card purchase and recipient experience across multiple channels, including in-store, desktop e-commerce site, mobile website, and mobile…

Customer experience has been all the rage in B-to-B marketing, but it’s given way to defined, personalized journeys for win-win scenarios for each consumer. I recently received an email that opened with, “Hi Justin,” and thought, “Maybe this company will do it right.” Unfortunately, the rest of the email was a big disappointment and I…

The B-to-B and B-to-C worlds have long taken differing approaches when it comes to connecting and engaging with customers. Over the last 15 years, the consumer space became increasingly powered by e-commerce purchases, whereas the B-to-B world still largely relied on more traditional and direct methods. However, as remote work spread during 2020, B-to-B transactions…

As COVID-19 continues taking an immeasurable toll on our lives and businesses, wholesale vendors and retailers have had to shift sales strategies fast. The online channel, however, continues to see significant growth during the pandemic, positioning companies with existing e-commerce websites in better shape to weather the storm. In fact, McKinsey & Company reported how…

In episode 271 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Matthew Rubin, senior vice president of business development and growth at Michaels, North America's largest specialty provider of arts, crafts, framing, floral, wall décor, and seasonal merchandise for makers and do-it-yourself home decorators. Listen in as Rubin discusses the launch of the new MichaelsPro…

The world has changed drastically in the last few months thanks to COVID-19, and the retail industry is no exception. In the B-to-B world, traditional modes of face-to-face selling have become impossible, and now it’s likely that much of what has changed for B-to-B sellers will never be quite the same. For many businesses around…