Blog: How B2B portals can increase repeat orders and take your business into the future

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Don’t get stuck in the past

Do you remember life without the internet? Because for many of your colleagues and clients, it’s all they’ve known.

They’ve grown up with Netflix and Amazon and are used to being able to summon up products and media at the click of a button.

And they expect the same smooth, seamless transaction regardless of whether they are ordering a birthday present for their parents or ordering marketing assets for their business.

So, if your clients aren’t able to easily order print from you online then you might as well be stuck back in 1885, like Doc Brown, in the final instalment of the Back to the Future trilogy.

 

 

 

 

The changing demands of clients

For those that aren’t as obsessed with the iconic sci-fi trilogy as we are, at the beginning of Back to the Future 3, time-travelling hero, Marty McFly, receives a message from his friend Doc Brown.

 

Doc has accidentally travelled back to 1885. The only way he is able to send this message is by a telegram, sent to Marty in 1955.

 

That’s right, it took 70 years from the message being sent for it to arrive. And for many millennials, any transaction that isn’t more or less instantaneous can seem just as long. Which is why we’re seeing an explosion in B2B e-commerce.

 

Download our free white paper

 

By completing the form, we explain how by investing in web-to-print technology now, you can build individually branded and gated online storefronts, and offer a wider range of products to a more diverse range of sectors, propelling your print business into the future, without the need for a DeLorean.

B2B e-commerce is booming

A 2018 study revealed that that nearly half of companies (48.3%) purchased products online at least once per week. The survey found that 48.6% of companies conducted 50% to 74% of all their corporate purchases online, including 23% that do at least 75% or more using B2B e-commerce.

 

This is partly due to the changing nature of the workforce, which is increasingly made up of millennials – those who have grown up with digital technology and are more accustomed to communicating and buying online.

 

According to a study by market analyst Merit, 73% of B2B buyers today are millennials. Roughly two-thirds (67%) of millennials of 20-24 years old report being involved in overall (net) decision-making. This number increases to 72% of millennials aged 25-29 being involved in overall decision-making and 77% of those ages 30-35 being involved in overall decision-making.

 

So, what exactly is a B2B web-to-print portal?

 

No, it’s not a portal that can send you into a different time or dimension. However, they can save you and your clients lots of time.

 

Web-to-print portals are personalised online storefronts that allow clients to order printed materials tailored to their specific needs. This customisation extends to branding and access, ensuring that employees see only the products relevant to them. This not only streamlines the ordering process but also strengthens client relationships, leading to repeat business.

 

Automate your workflow and reduce production costs

 

Did you know that Back to the Future 2 and 3 were filmed back-to-back? This was to reduce production costs and speed up the time between shooting and releasing the final instalment.

 

Likewise, web-to-print can help you automate the entire print process – from ordering to fulfilment, automation increases efficiency and reduces reducing labour intensity and overheads. The automation includes precise quoting, design templates, and rapid order completion with minimal human input. This not only improves the customer experience but creates a seamless production workflow in the back-end.

 

By integrating web-to-print with other software and hardware, data is synced seamlessly across systems (whether that’s measurements for the cutting machine or delivery information to your shipping provider), saving both you and your customers significant time.

 

Complete our trilogy of white papers

 

A versatile web-to-print solution, like Infigo, allows the creation of various gated and ungated portals and websites from a single platform. This adaptability is key for scaling quickly and meeting diverse client needs while maintaining a seamless user experience.

 

By adopting these portals, you’re not only streamlining your processes and enhancing client experiences but also future-proofing your business in an increasingly digital world.

 

To discover more about the futuristic benefits of B2B portals, download our white paper by completing the form now.