What We Got Right (and Wrong): 7 Lessons From Helping Manufacturers Sell Online
Transitioning manufacturers to ecommerce is no simple task. Over the years, our team has gathered key insights into the challenges and opportunities of helping these B2B organizations succeed in the digital space.
There’s a wealth of knowledge (gained from both wins and losses) spread out among our team of highly qualified and experienced developers, designers, solution strategists, and marketers. So, I asked them one simple question:
“What is one key lesson you’ve learned from helping manufacturers sell online?”
Here’s what they had to say.
1. Manufacturers struggle with legacy processes
Most of the manufacturers we work with have been around for decades. These businesses are built on traditional customer relationships and have deeply ingrained technology, culture, and processes.
Often, their systems and processes aren’t documented, optimized, or simple to translate into an ecommerce solution.
“It’s hard for manufacturers to understand their own processes,” explains ATF Engineering Manager Andra Lungu. “These businesses have done very specific things for years, but haven’t always developed consistent standards.”
As development partners, it presents the opportunity to help manufacturers unravel and organize existing processes. It’s really a requirement for finding the right solution, and it helps us avoid future pitfalls that legacy systems could cause later on during development.
It may make initial progress a bit slower and more research-intensive, but it ensures that we thoroughly know the business and that all client must-haves (even things they didn’t know about) are accounted for.
2. Data management and ERP integration are critical
A smooth digital transition hinges on having a robust data strategy.
Magento Developer Attila Naghi emphasizes that “handling products, categories, customers, orders, and invoices efficiently, along with seamless ERP integration, is essential for operational success.”
Without well-structured data management, online sales become fragmented and inefficient. And because so many of these B2B manufacturers operate with traditional sales methods, it becomes difficult, and sometimes impossible, to correlate final sales with digital efforts.
So, what’s the solution?
“You need to get integrations done as fast as possible,” explains Above The Fray VP of Tech Solutions Sander Mangel. “It’s complex, boring, and something very few people care about, but it ensures you’re working on stable ground. After that, you can get to the fun part of building features for the end user.”
3. Speak the buyer’s language, not just the manufacturer’s
Manufacturers often prioritize technical specifications and highly specific SKUs when bringing their inventory online. It reflects the offline experience they’ve always used and feels like the obvious thing to do.
But online buyers, including dealerships, want additional context and expect more of a B2C style shopping experience. Senior Magento Developer and Above The Fray Squad Leader Bhupendra Jadeja shares a compelling example of how this extra effort can improve a manufacturer’s bottom line:
“A client saw a 200% boost in conversions simply by rewriting product descriptions to answer, ‘What does this do for me?’ instead of listing raw dimensions.”
Clarity in communication between product data and customer needs is becoming a non-negotiable. As a strategic partner, we help manufacturers translate those technical details into a true ecommerce experience that provides real-world value for current and future customers.
4. Driving adoption requires internal buy-in and training
Launching an ecommerce portal doesn’t guarantee adoption—by internal users or customers. Sander notes that “clients don’t just use a portal because it’s there—they need to be incentivized.”
For internal teams, this means helping your project champion ‘sell’ the new platform to critical stakeholders. “To keep the project moving, we focus on getting executive buy-in,” explains Sander. “But to successfully launch, it’s critical that you enable, train, and create urgency with those who use it day-to-day.”
The sales, customer service, and other customer-facing teams are the ones who will bring customers on board. Without preparing them, you can’t expect them to disrupt established workflows and promote something they don’t care about.
Documentation, training, and even financial incentives may be necessary at the start. But don’t overthink it, because what will really convince them is the platform performing consistently.
As Attila explains, “a secure and efficient way to pay invoices and place orders within a reliable ecommerce platform will enhance a customer’s overall experience and operational efficiency.”
It’s a simple need. If you meet it, and the client’s team knows how to navigate the platform, you’ll quickly see adoption snowball across the board.
5. Don’t assume manufacturers understand online selling
Manufacturers are deeply entrenched in traditional sales methods and often struggle to adopt online selling best practices.
“We need to try and understand their perspective to ensure that we don’t assume familiarity where there is none,” explains Above The Fray Sr. Project Manager Jillian Dahlen. “Something we take for granted as simple can be a new or completely different way of thinking for a manufacturer.”
You have to meet the client where they’re at. Define their immediate needs, present best practices, and bridge the gap. Otherwise, you risk developing in ways that may meet their needs now but won’t scale appropriately.
For example, a common pain point for manufacturers is an easily searchable product inventory. At the start, it typically requires a dealer portal to access and includes only basic information that’s already being shared in catalogs, over the phone, etc.
In this case, the inventory isn’t structured within typical ecommerce-style categories. Because it’s not a true public-facing interface, the manufacturer may not see the need to create a new organizational structure. But, as the expert support, we need to explain how doing this now will make their ability to sell online in the future far less costly and time-consuming.
6. Best practices must be adapted to industry norms
While UX best practices help create intuitive experiences, they don’t always align with industry-specific expectations.
Above The Fray President and Chief Creative Officer, Erin Hunt, explains, “In manufacturing, familiarity is part of usability. Engineers and procurement teams have deeply ingrained expectations, and there’s value in meeting those rather than forcing change.”
Just like the last point, it’s about striking a balance.
“You need to slow down, ask more questions, and determine ‘why’ the client wants to keep something the way it is. Because it’s not about avoiding best practices—it’s about blending them with industry norms in a way that still moves UX forward, without alienating the people who rely on it every day.”
7. Prioritize essential features before fancy ones
“There are ‘no finish lines’ in ecommerce,” says Above The Fray CRO Christopher Carson.
The work is iterative. There’s always something more to add, optimize, market, or replace. And the reality is it’s impossible to tackle it all at once. If you do, you end up taking on an overly lengthy and incredibly costly development project with no tangible returns for months on end.
“This is another big one for me,” explains Erin. “I used to want to design something super cool and complex right out of the gate, but I’ve learned that it’s better to move that stuff to a phase two when it’s not absolutely necessary.”
There’s a reason manufacturers are still behind in making the ‘digital leap.’ They see the need to be online, but can’t justify a costly up-front investment if the returns are nearly a year out.
It requires an adjusted approach as a developer. To find a leaner way to go live and generate further buy-in for the larger development. There are no ‘finish lines’ in ecommerce, and we shouldn’t treat how projects are pitched to clients otherwise.
Reflecting on the past to better serve our clients
You may have noticed that in many cases, multiple members of our team have taken away the same lesson. That’s because these learnings have shaped how everyone at Above The Fray guides manufacturers toward successfully selling online.
By learning from past challenges and successes, we can continue to refine our approach and drive meaningful digital transformation in the manufacturing space.
If you want to be a part of that and work with an agency that values and regularly reflects on how we work with clients, then give us a ring.
We’d love to apply our ongoing learnings to your needs and help you find real short and long-term success.
