Store Launchpad for B2B Manufacturing: Building and launching eCommerce experiences with a faster time to market

As an astonishing number of manufacturers invest in eCommerce to meet the ever-evolving expectations of B2B buyers, expediting the launch of digital storefronts is more critical than ever. That’s where the Store Launchpad for B2B Manufacturing comes in. Get to know how this comprehensive ready-to-use digital commerce storefront gives you a springboard to compose and customize frontends in a simpler and faster way. 

There’s no denying that the manufacturing industry is at a turning point when it comes to digital commerce: 83% of B2B companies are increasing their investment in digital tools for B2B eCommerce this year and 79% are “aggressively” or “very aggressively” investing in customer experience improvements. This data shows that B2B organizations are not only prioritizing digital investments but are also feeling the pinch to accelerate time to value. In other words, the speed of implementation is crucial as a way to meet the needs of B2B buyers and increase revenue in the short to medium term. 

However, organizations often face obstacles when launching digital storefronts at a fast pace; in most cases, developers have to code frontends from scratch, a process that can take weeks or even months. With launch timing being a critical benchmark of success, B2B manufacturers simply cannot afford the luxury of taking that much time to bring their digital storefronts to life. 

The good news is that manufacturers no longer have to create digital storefronts from the ground up: The Store Launchpad for B2B Manufacturing is a comprehensive, ready-to-use B2B eCommerce template populated with industry data that leverages the features of commercetools Composable Commerce and Frontend. In addition, this store launchpad follows the latest UX and UI best practices, enabling businesses to launch digital storefronts aligned with buyer expectations from the get-go. 

That way, B2B manufacturers can accelerate storefront development while being able to pick and choose frontend components (the user interface elements that buyers interact with, such as search and orders) that match their project needs and preferences. 

Launched as a part of our pre-composed solution, commercetools Foundry for B2B Manufacturing, the Store Launchpad for B2B Manufacturing empowers businesses to create outstanding customer experiences faster. By combining out-of-the-box components for faster implementation with unparalleled flexibility, this Store Launchpad allows for customizations that seamlessly align with your unique brand identity and business requirements.

This Store Launchpad combines the most relevant features from commercetools Composable Commerce for B2B and Frontend, making it easy for you to launch a composable storefront, such as: 

• Company admin center: With a self-service for admins, your company can efficiently manage single or multiple business units, including the administration of general information, shipping and billing addresses, as well as the addition and management of new associates with role assignments such as buyer, admin or approver. 

• Search: Let customers quickly find desired products no matter how large your product catalog is. Moreover, the Store Launchpad for B2B Manufacturing comes with a Business unit-scoped product search, which means products, prices and discounts in the search results are based on the selected Business unit and Store. 

• Business Unit-specific functionality and catalog: Adjust visible Products, Prices and Discounts based on Business Units and Stores. Plus, ensure buyers see relevant products, pricing and promotions depending on their business unit or store.

• Orders: Buyers can easily generate, review, track status, return and reorder. At the same time, sellers can view orders and change status in real-time on commercetools’ business tooling, the Merchant Center.

• Roles and Permissions: Allow your customers to buy from your eCommerce store the way they want, with granular and configurable roles, as well as permissions handling based on their organizational requirements. 

• Quotes: Businesses can model and reflect existing sales and quoting processes, including quote generation, negotiation and acceptance. 

• Checkout: Access a simple checkout flow with step-by-step guidance to finalize the purchase seamlessly. 

In a nutshell, the Store Launchpad for B2B serves as an accelerator for your project, offering  ready-to-use codebases that significantly reduce your time to market. Using UX/UI best practices, the Store Launchpad ensures easy access to a seamless and engaging shopping experience for your customers. 

While the Store Launchpad for B2B Manufacturing provides a foundational starting point, you’re not confined by its initial setup. As buyer expectations evolve, the Store Launchpad gives you a fully customizable and fully functional base from which to develop and adapt your digital storefronts over time, aligning them with your unique brand identity and business requirements. 

With Store Launchpad for B2B Manufacturing, you’re well-equipped to launch outstanding storefronts at speed, regardless of the size or complexity of your business. This capability proves particularly useful for organizations venturing into digital commerce for the first time.  

Discover how to accelerate time to market for your eCommerce project with the Blueprint for B2B Manufacturing.