ECOMMERCE INNOVATIONS ARE THE FUTURE The Shift Toward eCommerce Marketplace innovations are even more critical now that the COVID-19 pandemic has fundamentally changed how businesses operate. There’s been a huge shift towards eCommerce, which promotes the development of new technologies to support it. People appreciate innovations, especially in a time of crisis. Many are accustomed to using digital tools, shopping online, making connections via online platforms, and quickly adapting to new technologies. They accept the need for frequent updates, new products based on social trends, and online platforms for buying and selling products. These consumers embrace marketplace eCommerce innovation instead of resisting change, and B2B companies need to cultivate this attitude and keep pace with emerging technologies to succeed. The era of the mobile, social, and vertical marketplace platforms has reached an all-time high with an expectation to continue climbing. Forward-thinking companies can leverage next-generation marketplaces to expand their operations, widen their bases, and provide greater accessibility to products and services. That’s a critical step for B2B companies that want to get their share of the growing B2B market that’s predicted to reach $20.9 trillion by 2027. The B2B market is predicted to reach $20.9 Trillion by 2027. Many people enjoy collaborating with businesses when they support a company’s core philosophy. To develop loyalty and generate sales, though, you need to provide customers with cutting-edge features for your marketplace platform. User experience, convenience, and access to advanced self-service features take top priority for most customers, even above price. CREATE A GOOD WORK CULTURE & INNOVATION PROCESS Adaptability Appeals to Employees This shift in the B2B marketplace business model affects everything in marketing and sales. B2B companies can’t attract and retain top talent unless they innovate regularly and adapt to new expectations. With the shift for many businesses to remote work, many employees have found working from home to be preferable to working in an office, while others would say the opposite. It’s important to get feedback from employees and create a solution that works best for everyone, especially when so many people are quitting their jobs and looking for better opportunities and treatment. The pandemic reminded us just how much of our lives exist outside of work. Companies that have good work cultures and adapted to expectations fared better than companies that didn’t in terms of employee retainment. Employee loyalty is no longer given blindly to companies but to organizations that innovate, have forward-thinking HR policies, and provide staff with opportunities for career growth. The Sheer Numbers of Amazon Creativity and Innovation Will Win Given these marketing trends, it’s easy to see how important it is to market B2B products and services across multiple channels, including international eCommerce platforms. Amazon’s success is impossible to deny because it has about 300 million users, and Amazon sellers make $26,000—$810,000 per year as reported by TechJury. Amazon’s marketplace features include in-demand services such as video streaming and fast shipping options, which are included in the Amazon Prime membership. In addition, there are over 200 million Amazon Prime members. Other key statistics for Amazon, according to Backlinko, include: Amazon’s Prime Day generated $11.79 billion in sales in 2021. 22 countries have access to Amazon Prime. The number of US Amazon Prime users is expected to grow to 168.3 million by 2025. In addition, 66 percent of respondents in a Digital Commerce 360 survey said they shopped on Amazon because they could find almost anything they needed, and 51 percent responded that they could quickly find and purchase what they were looking for. This shows how important it is to have an optimized search tool within the eCommerce platform. In addition, the availability of the platform itself is important. In the same survey, 34 percent of respondents indicated that they purchased from Amazon because of how available and convenient it was. Amazon’s marketplace platform pleases its core users by offering a suite of integrated digital tools such as repricing software, apps that manage inventory, and SKUs and programs that assist sellers in meeting stringent FBA standards. Sophisticated automation algorithms save time and money that sellers can use to resolve issues, explore innovative marketing ideas, and invest in business opportunities. Regardless of whether a company sells products to businesses or retail consumers, legacy software can fall short. It’s almost impossible to manage multiple sales channels in different tax jurisdictions and foreign markets without full integration of channel management, CRM, and ERP software. The Need for Continuous Innovation Innovation Endeavors Are Necessary Many organizations have failed to survive major changes in business practices and consumer trends. Marketplace platforms offer opportunities, but only those companies that cultivate flexibility and agile technologies are assured of success. Blockbuster Video, Digital Equipment Corporation, Montgomery Ward, Polaroid, and GM are companies that failed to adapt to changing markets and technologies. Organizations that succeed—and that are more likely to master marketplace sales—overcome resistance to change by following these practices: Implementing multiple projects and selling across multiple channels to develop new markets Planning thoroughly on how to respond to various business and marketplace scenarios Following business competitors’ actions closely Showing a willingness to cannibalize the company’s existing revenue streams to build more lucrative opportunities Abandoning traditional practices readily to develop promising revenue streams THE OPPORTUNITY FOR UNIQUE SOLUTIONS Extraordinary Marketplace Services B2B companies that don’t expand into marketplace channels miss out on some extraordinary sales, marketing, and financing benefits. Innovative technologies generate new ideas for businesses, which is especially helpful once businesses find their niche. One example of innovation is our Payment Hub, where we created a solution for the limitations of other payment gateway and point-of-sale systems. When you offer a unique solution or product, you offer value to your customers. They may have wanted that exact solution, and now they can have it. Others may not have realized what such a product could do for them until they had it, and now they can’t do without it. B2B Slowly Catching Up Innovation Permeates eCommerce Culture Ongoing marketplace innovation has become institutionalized in today’s successful businesses, and marketplace successes clearly illustrate the value of eCommerce innovation. Some businesses create a marketplace website with the best intentions; many marketplace platforms have survived, and others haven’t. But savvy B2B companies can get cost-value benefits from their investments even from poor performers when they use the right marketplace management software. For example, integrated software enables companies to comply with regulations, target a more lucrative customer base, and offer flexible real-time pricing to optimize sales conversions. Don't Become a Blockbuster Video Using Innovation to Trigger Growth Market platforms offer the ideal forum for testing new products, markets, and strategies. In today’s competitive marketing arena, you need great products, fair prices, responsive eCommerce platforms, and outstanding customer experiences to provide each visitor to your multichannel marketing venues. Consumers expect businesses to keep up with market trends and technological development. If you don’t want to be left behind, it’s important to cultivate eCommerce innovation. The marketplace's future lies in automation, engineering, and pleasing customers. Digital technology and business integrations give you the tools to ace those three challenges. Have an Innovative Marketplace Platform At Clarity Ventures, we specialize in creating custom eCommerce platforms and innovative solutions in the industry. Click below to get a free demo to learn what we can do for you. Get A Demo Related Articles to Explore Custom eCommerce Development and Solutions Point of Sale System Solution with MagTek Card Reader The Importance of a Payment Hub Solution Marketplace eCommerce: Key Factors for a Successful Platform Key Steps to Move to a New Auction eCommerce Platform