An eCommerce solution should have 5 essential features: 1. Customized catalogs and pricing based on customer login to streamline the buying process. 2. PunchOut integration to allow buyers to access supplier catalogs from their eProcurement system. 3. Approval workflows to automate quote, purchase order, and sales order approvals for speedy transactions without micromanagement. 4. Integration with CRM, ERP, and other systems for a seamless flow of data between front-end and back-end processes. 5. Strong branding to position the business as customers' first choice and increase growth.

1. 5 Essential Features of a B2B
eCommerce Solution

2. Introduction

3. An eCommerce site contains various intricate processes, and to streamline
this through an easy-to-operate interface, an eCommerce solution is what is
the need of the hour. Even non-tech people can operate such an interface.
Furthermore, the ability of the system to integrate with CRM and other third-
party applications like CMS, ERP, payment gateways, accounting software, and
more is yet another facilitating thing.
An eCommerce solution, in recent times, has become more of a necessity
than a need because of increasing competition. If a business does not have
the proper support or the tools and resources, it would fail to survive in the
online world, and without a great online presence, it would cease to exist
sooner or later.

4. In this document, we will look at some
important features that an eCommerce
solution must-have.
The following are the 5 most basic and important features which an eCommerce
solution must have:

5. Catalog and pricing based on customer log-In
An important feature that an eCommerce platform must have is the customization
process, i.e., providing the catalog and pricing information to the customer based on
their log-in information. Providing a customer with the catalog and negotiated price info
based on their log-in info will streamline and automate the process, making the buying
process much more efficient and effective.
PunchOut integration
A very important feature which an eCommerce platform must provide is the PunchOut
integration support. A PunchOut catalog (also known as a PunchOut website) provides
access to the supplier's catalog from the buyer's e-Procurement framework. The buyer
punches out a procurement framework to the site, gains entry to the supplier's catalog,
and then starts shopping for products.
The Oracle PeopleSoft PunchOut integration is a great example where the Oracle
PeopleSoft Catalog gets accessed by the buyer when they punch out an e-Procurement
framework to the site, and then start placing their orders and buy. The Oracle
PunchOut integration is like mentioned, amongst great examples of PunchOut
integration and should be present in the eCommerce solution you pick for your
business.

6. Approval Workflow
Quote-to-order workflow is crucial for every VAR. Oftentimes, it is found that the
approval of quotes, purchase orders, or sales orders remain pending due to the
approver not being available. This results in the transaction and the process getting
delayed. Such approval issues can get tackled and addressed through the process of
workflow automation.
Two important benefits that workflow automation offers are:
i. Speedy transactions: When the workflow process gets automated, salespeople
don't have to wait for manual approval and can focus more on closing the sale. As soon
as the salespeople feed the info into the system, the order workflow parameters are
selected and sent for approval quickly.
ii. No Micromanagement: When every transaction and activity of the salesperson has
to be monitored, it becomes a tedious and stressful task for the managers. Accordingly,
if the salesperson has to keep waiting for approval from the head for every transaction,
they might get irritated as no one would like to get micromanaged. Workflow
automation would, on the other hand, make sure that the sales cycle goes step by step,
and every person in the chain has been clearly described their responsibility. This
would eradicate unnecessary and excessive controls.
Hence workflow automation is an important feature and needs to be looked
out for when you select an eCommerce solution.

7. Integration
An eCommerce site performs various back-end roles like transaction procession,
inventory management, accounting, shipping the goods, and more. One thing that all
these processes require to streamline and automate the buying process for your
customers and the selling process for your business is coordination.
An eCommerce integration would imply bringing all data systems together for a two-
way flow of data. A coherent or logical workflow is established between all the functions
and processes of your e-store management through eCommerce integration
Integration with CRM would help you get all the info you need about customers and
sales at the tip of your fingers. With CRM integration, you can increase conversion rates
much faster and effectively. Then, integration with ERP software provides benefits such
as a reduction in human error and duplication of data, real-time updates on the sales
process, and an increase in operational efficiency.
Branding
In the end, it all comes down to branding, i.e., how well can you position yourself in the
eyes of your customers. If you are their first choice whenever they want to buy a
product, you know your branding activity has paid off. Hence, taking care of all other
features, i.e., making sure that all other functions have been performed properly, the
customer experience was top-notch and the time which the process took was minimal
would lead to a great branding activity which would ultimately lead to an increase in
your business growth.

8. Conclusion
We hope the document has provided some good insights about the features which an
eCommerce solution must-have. Now it is your time to take matters into your hands,
get connected with a top-notch eCommerce platform, and witness your business grow
day-by-day at a breathtaking speed.