Tech Tips Technology News E-Business Business to business
Business to business
- Details
- Published on Tuesday, 11 October 2011 04:05
- Written by Super User
Using the Internet for business to business (B2B) activities holds the greatest potential for many small businesses.
There are two distinct aspects to this model that separate it from the more familiar business-to-consumer e-tailing model:
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Flexibility in pricing
Transactions between businesses often require variability in the pricing of products between purchasers.
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Cooperation of business systems
Businesses involved in B2B e-commerce allow their internal systems to work together to share information and interactions, resulting in less human intervention. The result is increased productivity and greater savings.
How can small and medium sized enterprises benefit from B2B e-commerce?
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Purchasing indirect supplies
Many suppliers offer catalogue-based websites for corporate purchases, similar to buying online from a business to customer website, for indirect supplies, such as office furniture, pens, paper, and general office equipment.
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Purchasing direct materials
Establish a relationship with a vendor that supports e-procurement of direct materials to reduce costs.
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Selling products or services to new vendors
Join in an e-marketplace to open up new opportunities to sell your products across the globe.
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Leveraging your existing Web presence
Perhaps you already have a business to customer e-commerce website. Greater sophistication can be added into your online store to target your business clientele.
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Investing in your own e-procurement solution
Examine your purchasing process, and identify potentials for automating procurement. With a manageable expenditure you could realize a significant return on investment.
