5 B2B Ecommerce Trends to Watch in 2025
What’s next for B2B ecommerce?
If you’re an online seller, this question has likely been on your mind. While there are hundreds of articles out there with perfectly good answers, I had a hunch that our CEO, Noah Oken-Berg, would have some unique ideas to share.
Not all of the B2B trends he discussed are new or surprising. They are shifts in the industry that Noah believes will have a lasting impact. But I’ll let you decide if that’s an accurate assessment.
Key Takeaways
- AI adoption will continue to grow, but solutions will be more nuanced.
- Targeting a straightforward and seamless experience will help more B2B organizations make the digital leap.
- Iterative development is becoming the norm.
- Human interactions in online sales are making a comeback.
1. AI needs to solve real customer and business pain points
Roughly 33% of B2B ecommerce businesses have implemented some form of AI—like chatbots, personalized recommendations, and dynamic pricing. Adoption is expected to snowball in the next few years, but B2B manufacturing companies are still lagging.
To Noah, this slower rollout is rooted in “a fear of using it for the wrong thing or a fear of the unknown.” This fear is warranted. Many businesses have rushed to integrate AI into their operations, dreaming of all the ways it could bring “instant benefits.”
But in the illustrious words of one Jeff Goldblum as Dr. Ian Malcom, “You were so preoccupied with whether or not you could, you didn’t stop to think if you should.”
For all the useful applications of AI, there are an equal number of rushed, impersonal, broken, and even offensive examples. Early on, these could be seen as experimental, but now, consumers are far less forgiving of poor AI experiences.
To Noah, this is just a sign of where AI use is headed.
“Organizations need to be less concerned with finding the magic place to plug in AI. Instead, they should look closely at individual departments, workflows, and challenges where AI has the potential to be more valuable."
In other words, if there’s no real problem, businesses shouldn’t shove AI in to fix anything. AI can no longer be a neat feature; it needs to actually improve the front-end shopping experience or alleviate inefficiencies on the back end.
While actual use will depend on each business, Noah expects “more focus on administrative optimization and less on replacing the human element.”
2. Hyper-personalization is the new standard
According to McKinsey, organizations that excel at personalization generate 40 percent more revenue than competitors.
That was in 2021. While these growth benefits remain, personalization is shifting from a competitive advantage to a customer expectation.
“ Personalization engines are nothing new,” explains Noah. “The difficulty is still in refining the logic and data connections behind recommendations, shipping logistics, customer service, etc.”
Only a few short years ago, the issues Noah described could be enough to delay or even block personalization efforts. They’re now a common hurdle that must be overcome to remain relevant.
“Necessity is the mother of invention. Consumer buying patterns and demands are creating that necessity. It’s forcing us to think of new ways to do the impossible.”
Similar to AI adoption, successful personalization efforts will:
- Start small
- Be structured as experiments
- Account for gaps in current tech stacks and data
They also do not have to be limited to online experiences. For brands with brick-and-mortar locations or account representatives, extending the value of in-person interactions may be more valuable.
3. B2B buyers expect B2C-style experiences
Catalogs and trade shows still hold the crown, but online purchases are slowly taking hold. A recent BigCommerce survey found that 74% of B2B buyers make business purchases online. 31% claimed that technical issues caused them to seek another platform.
Friction is no longer tolerable—and B2B buyers expect B2B shopping to align with the consumer experience in their personal lives.
These shoppers are willing to take their money elsewhere and opt for proven marketplaces like Amazon Business, eBay, or Faire when their needs aren’t being met. Hidden pricing, complex purchasing, limited payment options, middling customer support, and slow page speeds no longer get a pass.
B2B sellers are aware of these expectations. Yet, they still struggle with meaningful digital transformation due to incomplete, inconsistent, or outdated product data. Unfortunately, they must audit and clean up existing processes and data to make the digital commerce leap.
“For businesses doing this for the first time, there’s just a ton of work in front of them. These businesses do $20 to $100 million in revenue and are still scared away.”
Despite these hurdles, there is good news.
According to Shopify, only 20% of sellers feel prepared for the future of digital sales. We’re still in the early stages of this shift. There’s no need to rush into advanced personalization when a simple, seamless shopping experience will resonate with B2B buyers.
That’s why B2B organizations will successfully transition to selling online by prioritizing:
- Clear and detailed production information
- Transparent pricing
- Accurate internal search
- Seamless checkout
- Direct access to customer support
Anything more advanced can come later.
“There’s no easy button. Narrowing or reducing the divide from offline to a basic online experience means you can eventually evolve.”
4. Buzzword solutions pave the way for iterative development
AI may be the go-to buzzword for online businesses, but headless and composable commerce are close seconds. While not interchangeable, both technologies promise greater flexibility when developing and scaling an ecommerce solution.
Despite the upward trend, these aren’t a band-aid solution. At least, not yet.
They mainly benefit already agile organizations. Anyone switching platforms, migrating vast amounts of data, or requiring extensive customization will find it to be as or more expensive and complicated to set up as a traditional platform.
To Noah, this is an opportunity for in-house teams and agency partners to adjust their approach.
“Proof of concept is becoming more critical to getting projects off the ground. It removes the stress and fear of pitching multi-million-dollar investments that could be years away.”
Prototyping, iterative development, MVP, whatever you call it, is not a new concept. The benefits are just finally catching up to B2B ecommerce and are backed by the needs of their customers.
Until modular commerce becomes the de facto development method, those who prioritize fast, focused, and simple production, no matter the platform, will have a leg up.
5. Human touchpoints are a deciding factor
What’s old is new again. According to a recent study by Statista, 70% of consumers prefer speaking with a real person when needing advice about a purchase or service.
“You can’t lose track of the end user. Most don’t care about AI and new technology. They care about time with their family, stability, you know, the basics.”
No matter how convenient AI-powered automation and customization are, customers still desire a human connection. They want to be cared for, heard, and have their needs met. Especially in customer service, AI chat is often a barrier to real support.
As organizations realize efficiency and cost savings through new technology, they’ll need to consider reinvesting in the human element through things like:
- Live support
- In-person events
- Exclusive communities
- Expert-driven resources
These automated solutions are inevitable. As they become the standard, B2B sellers that find ways to refresh basic human interactions will turn what was once traditional into a new competitive advantage.
How should you respond to these trends?
Some trends are fleeting and inconsequential. Noah’s expertise and multiple data sources point toward these five having a meaningful long-term impact on B2B sellers.
That doesn’t mean you should rush to apply them all to your business. Instead, take the time to:
- Review trusted resources and reports.
- Talk with your customers about their pain points and needs.
- Evaluate the actions of your competitors.
- Determine the cost to implement and the expected return.
Your approach to adopting trends should be treated no differently than any other business decision. Even if there’s a greater sense of urgency, the worst thing you can do is rush to implement without a clear strategy.
We’re at the dawn of most of these trends. While you can’t ignore them, there’s still time to review and determine the right path forward.
If you’re unsure which trends apply to your business, connect with an agency partner like Above The Fray for a professional consultation.
We’re straight shooters. We’ll tell you if something is a good idea and warn of possible risks. Then, we dig deep into your current setup and recommend a custom-fit solution based on your needs.
