Tips for Improving the Checkout Experience for B2B Customers in Magento 2

SunCart Store
11 min readAug 2, 2023

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Understanding the customer persona is key to customizing your Magento 2 checkout page for a hybrid storefront. Both B2B and B2C companies have different marketing and customer service strategies, but it’s not uncommon to find businesses that cater to both segments.

Customers often get frustrated when they can’t find flexible pricing options or services like quick reordering, which can lead to a higher cart abandonment rate during checkout. That’s why it’s important to study market trends in both the B2B and B2C sectors so you can customize your checkout page to effectively meet the needs of both segments.

For example, B2B customers might be more interested in features like bulk discounts and quotes, while B2C customers might be more interested in features like guest checkout and saved payment methods. By understanding your customers’ needs and expectations, you can create a checkout page that is both user-friendly and effective. This will help you reduce cart abandonment and increase sales.

The checkout page holds pivotal importance in a hybrid store, profoundly influencing conversion rates. This part of the shopping journey can make or break a customer’s purchasing decision, thus demanding our utmost attention and creativity.

Is Creating a website that Appeals to B2B and B2C customers feasible?

Creating a website that caters to B2B and B2C customers can be challenging, but it is possible with clear messaging and a well-designed navigation structure.

For example, McDonalds.com is a website that successfully caters to both markets. The homepage clearly distinguishes between the “For Consumers” and “For Businesses” sections, and the side navigation provides clear pathways to different types of information, such as careers and a link to a page listing their multiple websites.

B2B and B2C websites are quite different regarding checkout features and functionalities. B2B marketplaces often require modules such as minimum order quantity and one-click reorder, which can be challenging to implement in a B2C environment.

As a result, modifying an existing marketplace website is often necessary to provide a perfect Magento 2 customize checkout page. This can be done by adding custom fields, implementing different payment options, and configuring the shipping settings.

The Essential elements of a Magento 2 checkout page that meets the needs of both B2B and B2C customers!

A Magento 2 checkout page that harmonizes the needs of B2B and B2C customers is not straightforward; it requires meticulous planning and execution. Several elements come into play when designing this crucial interaction point.

  1. Streamlined Process: To cater to B2B and B2C customers, the checkout process must be as streamlined as possible. Simplifying the procedure, reducing the number of steps, and offering progress indicators can help maintain user engagement, decrease cart abandonment, and improve the overall customer experience.
  2. Flexible Payment Options: B2B transactions often involve different payment terms than B2C purchases, such as purchase orders, invoices, or bulk payment discounts. Offering a wide range of payment options can meet the varied requirements of both B2B and B2C customers.
  3. Custom Pricing: B2B clients may negotiate prices or qualify for volume discounts, while B2C customers typically pay the listed price. Your checkout page should accommodate custom pricing levels while maintaining transparency for B2C customers.
  4. Quick Reordering: For B2B customers who often reorder the same products, a quick reorder option can save them time and enhance their buying experience. At the same time, this feature can also be attractive to B2C customers who wish to repurchase products they like.
  5. Personalization: Personalizing the checkout experience based on the customer type can significantly enhance the user experience. For B2B customers, this could mean displaying their order history, pre-filled shipping addresses, or contract pricing. For B2C customers, it could include recommended products, saved payment methods, or rewards program information.
  6. Robust Security: Given the sensitive nature of the information exchanged, robust security measures are essential to ensure the trust of both B2B and B2C customers.

The right blend of these components on your Magento 2 checkout page can create a seamless and efficient shopping experience for B2B and B2C customers, leading to higher conversion rates and customer satisfaction.

Revise your shopping cart

When you run an E-commerce business, your shopping cart must be able to handle both retail and wholesale customers.

One way to do this is to hide wholesale prices from customers who are not eligible for them. You could also offer bulk discounts to customers who order multiple items simultaneously.

For example, you can buy a single pack of permanent markers from the website. However, if you’re a business customer, you can sign up for Business Select, which gives you exclusive discounts on products and services and free shipping to specific areas.

Another way to cater to retail and wholesale customers is to offer different payment options. For example, retail customers prefer to pay with a credit card, while wholesale customers prefer to pay by invoice.

By offering different payment options and discounts, you can make sure that your shopping cart is accessible to both retail and wholesale customers. This will help you to increase sales and grow your business.

Provide a variety of delivery, shipping, and payment options to meet the needs of your customers

When it comes to delivery, your customers have a variety of needs.Some customers want their items as quickly as possible, while others are willing to wait a few days for free shipping.

B2B customers may also have specific shipping requirements, such as needing their items delivered to a specific location or within a certain timeframe.

To meet all your customers’ needs, it’s important to offer various delivery options.

Some common delivery options include:

  • Two-day shipping: This is a popular option for customers who want their items quickly but don’t need them overnight.
  • Overnight delivery: This is the fastest option but also the most expensive.
  • Free shipping: This is a great option for customers waiting a few days for their items.
  • Free in-store pickup: This is a convenient option for customers who want to pick up their items in person.

In addition to offering various delivery options, providing live tracking for orders is important. This allows customers to see where their items are and when they’re expected to arrive.

Finally, you can improve the checkout experience by allowing customers to pay using various methods.

Some common payment methods include:

  • Debit cards
  • Credit cards
  • Internet banking
  • Online wallet transfers

By offering a variety of delivery, shipping, and payment options, you can make it easy for your customers to find the perfect solution for their needs.

This will help you to increase sales and improve customer satisfaction.

SEGMENT CUSTOMER

When you have B2B and B2C customers, it’s important to segment them so that they can check out using the most relevant information.

One way to do this is to create separate checkout pages for each type of customer.

For example, a B2B checkout page might require more information about the company, such as the company name, address, and tax ID number.

A B2C checkout page requires only the customer’s name, address, and payment information.

Another way to segment B2B customers is to use different landing pages.A landing page is a web page designed to capture leads or sales.

You can create separate landing pages for B2B and B2C customers tailored to their needs. For example, a B2B landing page might focus on the benefits of your products or services for businesses.

A B2C landing page might focus on the benefits of your products or services for consumers.

By segmenting your B2B customers, you can create a more personalized checkout experience and improve your chances of converting them into sales.

FOLLOW UP ON ABANDONED CARTS

When customers abandon their cart, it’s not always a lost cause.

In fact, some businesses have found that saving a customer’s cart and following up with them can actually increase sales.

This is especially true for B2B customers, who are often more likely to abandon their carts due to complex buying processes or unexpected costs.

By saving a customer’s cart, you show them that you’re interested in their business and willing to work with them to complete their purchase.

You can also use checkout analytics to determine why a customer abandoned their cart.

This information can help you to identify areas where you can improve your checkout process and make it easier for customers to complete their purchases.

Once you’ve identified why customers are abandoning their carts, you can start following up with them.

  • There are several ways to do this, including email, phone, or live chat.
  • The most important thing is to be personal and understanding in your outreach.
  • Explain why you’re following up and what you can do to help the customer complete their purchase.

Following up with abandoned carts can increase sales and improve the customer experience.

Here are some additional tips for following up on abandoned carts:

  • Be timely.
  • Be personal.
  • Be understanding.
  • Offer a solution.
  • Follow up again if necessary.

AUTOFILL OPTIONS FOR CONVENIENCE

Speed is essential for B2B businesses. Busy buyers want to complete transactions quickly and easily; automation can help them do that.

One way to automate the checkout process is to offer an autofill address option.This allows customers to save their shipping and billing addresses so they don’t have to enter them every time they make a purchase.

Another way to speed up the checkout process is to allow customers to use the same address for shipping and billing.This can be done by providing a simple drop-down menu where customers can select their preferred shipping and billing addresses.

Registered customers can also save their preferences, so they don’t have to enter them every time they purchase.

In addition to speed, personalization is also important in B2B e-commerce.

One way to personalize the checkout process is to enable auto-filling details during purchase. This can be done using the customer’s past purchase history to fill in their shipping and billing information.

However, being discreet when doing this is important, as some customers may not want this option.

Finally, many B2B customers prefer sending their bills directly to their accounts payable department.If you offer this option, clarify how customers can sign up.

By following these tips, you can create a checkout process that is both fast and personalized, which will improve the customer experience and increase sales.

Here are some additional tips for creating a fast and personalized checkout process:

  • Use clear and concise language.
  • Use drop-down menus and radio buttons to make it easy for customers to select their preferences.
  • Offer a variety of payment options.
  • Provide live chat support for customers who need help.
  • Test and refine your checkout process regularly.

By following these tips, you can create a checkout process that is both fast and personalized, which will improve the customer experience and increase sales.

PROVIDE CREDIT DETAIL SPECIFICATION

Don’t leave your customers in the dark. Let them know what they’re getting into before they check out.

Be transparent about your policies and fees, and make sure they’re easy to find. The last thing you want is for them to be surprised by unexpected charges.

Here are some things you can do to be transparent with your customers:

  • Display their credit limit and any outstanding invoices on the checkout page.
  • Offer them alternative payment options, such as PayPal or Apple Pay.
  • Let them review your policies on the last page before they make a purchase.
  • Be concise about your policies, and avoid jargon or technical terms.
  • Be responsive to customer questions and concerns.

By following these tips, you can create a checkout process that is both transparent and customer-friendly.

This will help you increase sales and improve the overall customer experience.

CONVENIENT SIGN-UP AND REGISTRATION PROCESS

Returning customers are often the source of future revenue. Therefore, it’s important to balance collecting their information and avoid inconveniencing them.

Many customers dislike filling out lengthy registration forms, and if they become frustrated, they will likely leave. To better serve them, offer simple sign-up options like Gmail or Facebook.

Here are some tips for creating a user-friendly checkout process for returning customers:

  • Use social media logins. This is a great way to make the checkout process quick and easy for returning customers.
  • Offer autofill options. This will allow customers to save their shipping and billing information so they don’t have to enter it every time they make a purchase.
  • Keep the form short and sweet. Only ask for the information that you absolutely need.
  • Use clear and concise language. Avoid using jargon or technical terms.
  • Make the process visually appealing. Use colors, fonts, and images that are easy on the eyes.
  • Offer a progress bar. This will let customers know how far along they are in the checkout process.
  • Provide clear instructions. Make sure that customers know what they need to do at each step.
  • Offer a live chat option. If customers have any questions, they should be able to get help quickly and easily.

By following these tips, you can create a checkout process that is both user-friendly and efficient. This will help you to increase sales and improve the overall customer experience.

Highlighting appropriate reviews on a mixed B2B and B2C website

When it comes to highlighting appropriate reviews on a mixed B2B and B2C website, it’s important to consider the needs of both audiences.

  • For B2B customers, you’ll want to highlight reviews focusing on the product or service’s ability to meet their specific needs. This could include reviews that mention the product’s features, performance, or how it has helped the customer achieve their goals.
  • For B2C customers, you’ll want to highlight reviews focusing on the product or service’s overall value and satisfaction. This could include reviews that mention the product’s quality, price, or how it has met the customer’s expectations.

It’s also important to separate the reviews into two sections, one for B2B and B2C customers. This will make it easier for visitors to find the reviews that are most relevant to them.

Finally, only include reviews that are positive and helpful. This will help ensure that visitors have a positive experience with your website and are more likely to purchase.

Here are some additional tips for highlighting appropriate reviews on a mixed B2B and B2C website:

  • Use clear and concise language when describing the reviews.
  • Include quotes from the reviews to give visitors a sense of what other customers have said.
  • Use images and videos to highlight the product or service in the reviews.
  • Make it easy for visitors to leave their own reviews.

Following these tips can highlight appropriate reviews on your website and improve the overall customer experience.

One brand with two or more purposes with Magento 2 customize the checkout page

Businesses that serve B2B and B2C customers need to provide a variety of functions on their Magento 2 checkout page. Ideally, this can be done by merging the two sides of the business into a single, powerful website. This gives the brand a more substantial online presence and higher brand recognition.

While integrating the two sides of the business may not always be possible, there are many benefits to keeping a single site that serves all of the company’s essential functions.

Here are some of the benefits of having a single checkout page for B2B and B2C customers:

  • Increased brand recognition: A single website with a strong brand identity will help increase brand recognition among B2B and B2C customers.
  • Improved customer experience: A single checkout page can simplify the checkout process for B2B and B2C customers, leading to a better overall customer experience.
  • Reduced costs: Maintaining a single website is more cost-effective than maintaining two.
  • Increased efficiency: A single website can improve efficiency by streamlining processes and reducing the need for duplicate data entry.

How to create a customer-friendly checkout experience for B2B and B2C customers:

There are several things that businesses can do to create a customer-friendly checkout experience for B2B and B2C customers. These include:

  • Using clear and concise language: The checkout process should be easy for B2B and B2C customers.
  • Providing clear instructions: The checkout process should be well-documented and easy to follow.
  • Offering multiple payment options: Businesses should offer various payment options to accommodate the needs of both B2B and B2C customers.
  • Allowing for customization: Businesses should allow customers to customize their checkout experience to meet their specific needs.
  • Customer support: Businesses should provide customer support to help customers with any problems they may encounter during checkout.

Contact SunCart for help with your Magento 2 Store optimization:

SunCart is a leading provider of Magento 2 solutions Services & They can help you create a customer-friendly checkout experience for B2B and B2C customers.

To learn more, please contact SunCart today.

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