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Top ECommerce Development Tips For B2B Service Providers

Are you struggling to stand out in the competitive world of B2B eCommerce development services?

With so many businesses vying for attention online, knowing where to start your B2B eCommerce development platform can be overwhelming. Without the right strategies, you risk falling behind the competition and missing valuable growth opportunities. Read on to understand the essential B2B eCommerce development strategies that will help you navigate the complexities of online sales and create a successful B2B eCommerce platform that drives results. Benefits of B2B Service Providers for eCommerce Development When thinking about eCommerce development, partnering with B2B service providers has several benefits that can greatly improve the effectiveness and efficiency of your project.  Here are a few benefits: Specialized Industry Knowledge: B2B service providers contribute extensive industry expertise and a thorough comprehension of B2B dynamics. Their proficiency enables them to customize B2B eCommerce solutions to the distinct requirements and intricacies of business-to-business transactions.  When developing solutions that closely match your business requirements, B2B eCommerce development service providers have the insight to integrate with ERP systems, optimize for bulk ordering procedures, or apply unique pricing structures. Advanced Technical Expertise: B2B eCommerce platforms frequently need sophisticated technical features, like scalable architecture, strong security protocols, and intricate integrations.  B2B service providers are technically and experienced enough to handle these complications easily. By utilizing cutting-edge technologies and frameworks, they can create scalable, secure, and high-performing eCommerce solutions that satisfy the needs of contemporary B2B companies. Tailored Solutions and Customization: B2B service providers know there is no one-size-fits-all approach to eCommerce. They excel in providing customized solutions that meet the unique requirements of business-to-business customers.  B2B suppliers can comprehensively customize pricing models, catalog management, or customer-specific portals to guarantee a smooth eCommerce platform integration with your current company processes and systems. Comprehensive Integration Capabilities: B2B eCommerce success depends on integrating various backend systems (ERP, CRM, inventory management, etc.). By seamlessly combining eCommerce platforms with your current systems, B2B service providers can guarantee real-time data synchronization, optimized processes, and increased productivity. This integration feature increases overall corporate productivity by decreasing human labor and improving workflow automation. Dedicated Support and Maintenance: B2B service providers have specialized support teams that monitor platform performance, respond quickly to problems, and roll out upgrades to guarantee peak performance.  For eCommerce platforms to run well, post-launch support and maintenance are essential. This proactive support strategy reduces downtime, improves user experience, and gives businesses that depend on their eCommerce infrastructure piece of mind. Top eCommerce Development Tips for B2B Services Providers Developing effective B2B eCommerce solutions requires using a particular strategy designed to satisfy the demands of business customers.  Here are some tips for B2B eCommerce development service providers: 1.  Understand B2B Customer Needs Start by thoroughly grasping your B2B clients' distinct requirements and procurement procedures. B2B clients frequently need customized pricing, bulk purchase options, and more comprehensive product information. For instance, a construction supplies company's B2B eCommerce platform should have features like the capacity to obtain quotations straight from the website, comprehensive product specs, and discounts for large orders.   2. Focus on Customization Business-to-business (B2B) buyers anticipate individualized service catering to their needs. Providing customization choices can improve user experience and address individual client demands. Let's understand it with an example: Building an eCommerce site for office supplies allows companies to create recurring purchases, personalize product bundles, and bargain for lower prices based on order volume. 3. Integrate with Backend Systems Effective operation depends on seamless connectivity with backend systems like CRM, ERP, and inventory management. This guarantees order processing efficiency, real-time inventory changes, and data consistency. As an illustration, integrating an ERP system with a B2B eCommerce platform may automate inventory management, guaranteeing that orders are processed quickly and that stock levels are updated in real time. 4. Prioritize User Experience (UX) It's crucial to have an easy-to-use interface that simplifies the buying process. Large, complicated orders are frequently placed by B2B buyers, so the platform should be simple to use and navigate. For instance, an easy-to-use checkout procedure, reorder options, and a clear and intuitive navigation menu can significantly improve a B2B electronics distributor's customer experience. 5. Implement Robust Security Measures B2B transactions involve large orders and sensitive information, making security a top priority. Implementing strong security measures safeguards information and fosters client confidence. Example: On a B2B pharmaceutical eCommerce platform, the use of SSL certificates, two-factor authentication, and secure payment gateways guarantees the security of transactions and customer data. 6. Offer Detailed Product Information Giving B2B buyers access to thorough product information, such as datasheets, specs, and user manuals, enables them to make well-informed judgments. An industrial machinery B2B website should have comprehensive product descriptions, technical details, and downloadable manuals or datasheets. 7.  Provide Excellent Customer Support Dependable customer service is essential in B2B eCommerce best practices. Providing a variety of avenues for assistance and speedy turnaround helps improve client satisfaction. For instance, to help customers as soon as possible, a B2B eCommerce platform for IT services should have a live chat, a dedicated support hotline, and an extensive FAQ area. Examples of Successful B2B Service eCommerce Platforms Here are five successful B2B service eCommerce platforms and how they hired B2B eCommerce developers to excel in their respective industries: 1.  Alibaba Alibaba is a leading global B2B eCommerce platform that connects suppliers and customers. The platform provides a large marketplace with possibilities for bulk ordering, secure payment processing, and comprehensive product listings. Alibaba's success is attributed to its wide product knowledge, trade assurance program that fosters confidence between suppliers and customers, and comprehensive reach. 2. Amazon Business Amazon Business offers customized shopping for companies of various sizes, including multi-user accounts, bulk discounts, and connectivity with procurement systems. Amazon Business guarantees quick, dependable delivery and a smooth shopping experience for business clients by utilizing its extensive infrastructure and logistics network. 3. Grainger Grainger is an expert in providing goods and services for industrial supplies. The platform provides a simplified ordering process, real-time inventory updates, and comprehensive product catalogs. Grainger succeeds by offering thorough assistance and an intuitive interface that makes it simple for companies to locate and place efficient orders for their needed products. 4. ThomasNet ThomasNet provides a comprehensive list of goods and services from various industries, facilitating the connection between industrial customers and suppliers. ThomasNet's platform helps companies locate trustworthy partners and expedite their procurement procedures by offering comprehensive supplier information, including certifications and capabilities. 5. Office Depot Business Solutions Office Depot's business-to-business platform offers furniture, technological items, and office supplies, with features such as bulk savings, personalized pricing, and assigned account managers. The platform concentrates on improving the customer experience through individualized service and adaptable ordering alternatives by meeting the unique requirements of business clients.   In Conclusion Choosing the right B2B eCommerce development strategies and tips for your business depends on your goals, objectives and requirements. Therefore, you must start by evaluating your business's advantages, difficulties and opportunities. We hope the above-mentioned tips on eCommerce development for B2B service providers will help you enhance your retail operations and provide omnichannel customer experiences.  Furthermore, you can also connect with eCommerce development companies for their professional assistance and guidance.

This Humanoid Robot Could Build Your Next Mercedes

ByAmy Feldman, Forbes Staff

Humanoid robots are having a moment. Amazon is testing out bipedal robots called Digit from startup Agility Robotics in its warehouses. Figure AI recently raised a $675 million megaround at a $2.6 billion valuation to develop humanoids for BMW and others. And Elon Musk is pitching Tesla's futuristic Optimus as one day being able to help assemble cars — even though the only demo bot he's shown so far appears to be a human operated one (a step up from a human in a costume). That's just a few of the more than a dozen companies, including Norwegian firm 1X and Sanctuary AI, that are developing humanoids with the promise that they, unlike task-specific robots, can do many different things, just like humans.

For the founders of Apptronik, a small University of Texas at Austin spinout that makes a humanoid called Apollo, the newfound buzz is surprising. They've been building a humanoid robot that can pick up items and move boxes for the past eight years, with, until recently, only $28 million in total funding, a tiny fraction of what's now pouring into the space. And until this spring, when they raised more funding, Apptronik had actually brought in more in revenue than it had raised so far–more than $30 million.

"It's interesting to see everyone hyping something they said was dumb just two years ago," said cofounder and CEO Jeff Cardenas.

Apptronik cofounders Nick Paine (left) and Jeff Cardenas with some components of the Apollo robot and an Apollo prototype called QDH.

Apptronik

Apptronik's Apollo, stands 5 feet 8 inches tall, weighs 160 pounds and has an electronic display on its chest. It has a human-shaped head with eyes that house cameras atop a human-like body; its hands look like human hands wearing thick black gloves. The robot, now on its eighth version, can bend at the waist and knees and carry around up to 55 pounds, thanks to Apptronik's researchers focus on the actuators that power it, which have gone through some 40 different iterations. Each robot has 32 actuators. Having worked on Apollo for years, Apptronik is expected to release its ninth version before year-end. The new Apollo will be sleeker in appearance, with no visible wires, a larger battery and a mouth that's a screen that can change expressions.

"It's interesting to see everyone hyping something they said was dumb just two years ago."

Jeff Cardenas, Apptronik cofounder and CEO

For now, it's focused on the most basic of tasks: Moving boxes, industrial totes, bins and other materials, an endless task for manufacturers and warehouse operators that can't find enough workers. Cardenas was excited to have signed up Mercedes, to test one robot, in a plant in Hungary; it carries a tote with the car's immediately recognizable star to the production line. The company also has agreements with Terex, a $3.7 billion (market cap) maker of materials-handling equipment, which is also an investor, and with $5.8 billion (market cap) logistics giant GXO, plus a dozen other companies that Cardenas declines to name citing confidentiality agreements. He said that Apptronik is talking with some 60 potential customers, and that he expects to be ready to move beyond pilot projects to a commercial launch by the end of 2025.

By comparison, Figure recently released the second version of its second humanoid, and said this week that the robots had passed a test at its pilot with BMW by inserting sheet metal parts into specific fixtures at its Spartanburg plant.

Humanoids' commercial value lies in their potential to do multiple tasks, switching easily between them, in an unstructured environment, for example moving bins in the morning and unpacking boxes in the afternoon. "The people I talk to say, 'Think beyond the human body.' I say, 'Tell me another format that will be more versatile,'" said Apptronik's cofounder and scientific advisor Luis Sentis, a professor at the University of Texas, Austin, and head of its Human Centered Robotics Laboratory.

Apptronik's Apollo robot can bend at the waist and knees and carry up to 55 pounds, thanks to researchers' focus on the actuators that power it.

APPTRONIK

At least 16 established companies are making robots that walk on two legs or roll about on a base but have workable arms, according to data from Interact Analysis, a U.K.-based research firm. And that number is growing, spurred by advances in artificial intelligence, price declines in robotic arms and a shortage of blue-collar workers. Apptronik makes both a legged version of its humanoid and one that sits atop a base.

Goldman Sachs has predicted that the market for humanoids could reach $38 billion by 2035 as the technology keeps getting better and costs come down. One key: AI advances that allow humanoids, like those from Apptronik and others, to learn new movements simply by emulating humans.

"It's crazy times in robotics," Sentis said. "We did not expect they [humanoids] would rise to fame as quickly as they have."

"What's happening now with humanoids looks a lot like the explosion of autonomous mobile robots in its early days."

Melonee Wise, Agility Robotics' chief technology officer

To compete, in April Apptronik raised a previously undisclosed $37 million, for total funding of $65 million, at a valuation of some $250 million. Now it's raising more than $100 million at a valuation that Forbes expects will be at least $1 billion.

Bill Gates visited Apptronik's headquarters in Austin in mid-June to learn more about its humanoids.

APPTRONIK

But it's unclear how long any of the humanoid pilot projects will take to be cleared for commercial use. For safety, the humanoids generally operate within cages to keep them away from workers. One robotics expert called the efforts "mostly fluff at this point," noting that there's a long road between today's demonstration projects and commercial viability in the real world. That makes them similar to autonomous vehicles, which have been through many years of both excitement and false starts, even as the technology underpinning them has improved.

At Figure's office during a recent visit, getting the Figure 01 robot walking required a five-minute warm up and a quick software fix; that's hardly ready for primetime. Sanjay Aggarwal, a venture partner at F Prime Capital, who analyzed some 1,500 companies for a recent robotics report, said the videos of humanoids we see online might require 100 takes to shoot. "They do tend to fall over," said Interact Analysis robotics researcher Ash Sharma. "That's why I say this is so early in the lifecycle."

The idea of robots that look and act like humans goes back hundreds of years. In 1495, Leonardo da Vinci designed a suit of armor, operated by a series of pulleys and cables, that moved as if there was a real person inside. And the first full-scale human-like robot was built half a century ago, in 1973, when researchers at Tokyo's Waseda University created the WABOT-1. But the concept for many years remained mostly a curiosity and research exercise, even as autonomous mobile robots — vacuum cleaners and delivery/warehouse bots — have been rolled out widely over the past decade.

As industrial automation gained hold, Amazon, which acquired pioneer Kiva in 2012, developed a bunch of its own robots to speed up its warehouses' operations, while billionaire Rick Cohen's Symbotic, which is automating Walmart's warehouses, went public two years ago and is now worth $13 billion. "From 2010 to now has been the era of the autonomous mobile robot," said Melonee Wise, Agility's chief technology officer, who previously founded autonomous mobile robot firm Fetch Robotics (acquired by Zebra Technologies). What's happening now with humanoids looks a lot like the explosion of autonomous mobile robots in its early days, she said. "We saw within a 12-month period, 20 other companies on the scene," she said. "You're seeing that now in the humanoid market. It's a strong indicator of a market need being identified and the technology being ready to go after it."

Back in 2010, when Sentis joined UT Austin as a young Stanford-trained professor, humanoid robots were more fantasy than reality. But Sentis had a theory that humanoids could overcome their technical problems with a new whole-body control framework based on prioritizing different tasks, such as coordinating mobility and manipulation. "Luis had all these theories about control theory and AI, but there were no robots," Cardenas said.

Apptronik CEO Jeff Cardenas (far right) talking with the startup's executive team

APPTRONIK

Sentis and his students set out to build them. "Having humanoid robots is something that has been promised through science fiction for decades," said Nick Paine, then a Ph.D. Student in Sentis's lab who is now Apptronik's chief technology officer. "Oftentimes it is not the pragmatists or the realists that do the impossible. It's the people who don't know any better."

"The future is going to be one robot that can do thousands of different things."

Jeff Cardenas, Apptronik cofounder and CEO

An opportunity presented itself when the Department of Defense's research arm Darpa jump-started humanoids research in 2011 with a series of robotics challenges. For one such challenge in 2013, Sentis and Paine teamed up with scientists at NASA to build "a superhero robot that could do all the things required in a future natural disaster," Cardenas said, called Valkyrie.

At the time, Cardenas, who is 38 and had previously launched a voting app called ThinkVoting, was at UT Austin working on a master's in technology commercialization when he first saw a photo of Valkyrie, which stood 6 foot 2 inches and weighed 300 pounds. He then connected with Paine and Sentis, and they traveled to Washington, D.C. For Cardenas to see the robot in person at NASA. Though Cardenas had no technical background, he was taken with the idea of humanoids and saw potential to commercialize them. "Industrial robots were like mainframe computers," he said. "They were becoming more versatile, but they were difficult to program and inaccessible to the masses. The future is going to be one robot that can do thousands of different things."

In 2016, Sentis, Paine and Cardenas spun Appronik out of UT Austin, setting up shop in two small rooms on the UT Austin campus. "We decided early on we weren't going to raise money. We were going to prove we could build these," Cardenas said. "This isn't a market problem, it's a technology problem." They bootstrapped the business for six years, raising a first seed round of $15 million from PerotJain, Grit Ventures and others, in 2022.

At first, they focused on contracts with NASA, working on a second iteration of the Valkyrie robot that never got off the ground, and other government contracts, including building exoskeletons for U.S. Special Forces. To date, the company has received nine federal research awards totaling $7.5 million from NASA, the Defense Department and the National Science Foundation. They named their current robot Apollo after the early spaceflight program.

"If you are not ambitious, it makes no sense to build these systems," said Paine. "Our view was, it's humanoids or bust," Cardenas added.

Eight years after starting the company, one of Apptronik's biggest tests is now happening at Mercedes's Hungary plant. Mercedes isn't using the robot to replace its skilled workers who actually make the car, but instead is testing only material handling – a large market, but one comprised of tasks that are fairly simple to carry out. While it's only a test, Mercedes, which has made a larger bet on digitizing its factories, is thinking about how the robots might go beyond that if their performance proves good enough.

Apptronik's Apollo robot is testing out carrying Mercedes' ubiquitous stars as it looks to go commercial by the end of 2025.

APPTRONIK

One possibility would be to combine the robot with artificial intelligence to detect quality issues in parts coming in from suppliers, said Jörg Burzer, a member of the board of management at Mercedes-Benz Group in charge of production, quality and supply-chain management. That would "push the application to the next level," Burzer said. "We are always looking for the next big thing."

To get there, Apptronik will need to prove that its robots can operate reliably and safely, and do so at a viable cost. Cardenas said that Apptronik's goal is "to build a robot for less than the price of a car," or $50,000, as it cranks up production and continues to bring down the cost of the actuators. He expects to build nearly 100 of the next version of the Apollo robot for launch this year, and several hundred of them next year.

"This is a long game," he said. "You have to take the long view – and I think that's what will determine the winners and losers in this space."

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Automation Adoption Won't Drive Itself

—story by Ross Courtney—photos by TJ Mullinax

Hector Zamora, front, and Jonathan Hernandez operate a Prospr, the autonomous sprayer from Robotics Plus, in June at a Stemilt Growers orchard near Quincy, Washington. It takes relationships between growers, manufacturers and distributors to bring automation tools to tree fruit farms. (TJ Mullinax/Good Fruit Grower)

The self-driving tractors, smart sprayers and other forms of automation that growers hope will help them overcome the surging cost of labor and protect the future of the tree fruit industry are making their way onto Washington farms. 

"Things are accelerating," said Keith Veselka, managing partner of NWFM, a Central Washington farm management company.

But someone must help growers through the patient and sometimes painful trial-and-error phase of integrating new machines. The tractors may drive themselves, but the commercialization of automation is hardly automatic.

That's where dealerships come in, said Veselka, a frequent early adopter of automation and a board member of the Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission.

"We need that retail partner to understand the space," Veselka said.

As the era of automation advances, dealerships are helping growers navigate new options and learn to deploy them, while growers are pushing those dealers toward the emerging tools the industry needs.

Burrows Tractor, a Yakima, Washington, equipment dealership, has positioned itself as a pivot point for ushering emerging automation technology into commercial use through a series of conscious decisions and prodding from growers.

"We had a lot of conversations with our growers about what is the next step in farming," said Tom Riel, sales manager and a member of the family that owns the company.

The company has agreements involving four automation tools — Prospr, the self-driving, diesel hybrid sprayer from Robotics Plus; the self-driving, electric Monarch tractor; Bluewhite's retrofit and factory kits that automate traditional tractors; and Smart Apply precision, variable sprayers. 

Burrows isn't the only one. RDO Equipment and Papé Machinery represent GUSS automated sprayers on the West Coast. RDO also sells Smart Apply and an automated tank-mixing system. Both dealers demo the equipment at field days and work with early adopters to learn the nuances.

Automation requires a whole new approach to customer service, Riel said. Reps from the dealer and the manufacturer help growers install the equipment, site communication towers, build maps and more. With tractors, growers know how to use them. They just need to make sure the new model fits the orchard and has enough horsepower.

"After the sale, there's not as much to do," Riel said.

Burrows' approach

To kickstart new technology adoption, Burrows finds growers to hold demos and sends its sales and support crews to trainings. Then the company negotiates an agreement with the manufacturer, which usually includes stocking requirements. 

Next, Burrows's staff vets grower customers similarly to the way they do machines: They look for farmers with the patience and will to muscle through inevitable setbacks. High-tech automation isn't perfect out of the box.

"We tell them it may only work on 70 percent of their land or operation," Riel said.

Riel declined to share unit prices, which are complicated by lease and buy options, quantity packages, site visits and purchase commitments. 

"We don't want to sell somebody the next thing off the shelf. We want to make sure it's a long-term match," said TJ Lange, ag technology manager for Burrows.

A screen in an operations office, located in a Stemilt Growers shop near Quincy, Washington, shows the progress of two Prospr driverless sprayers applying calcium in nearby blocks. (TJ Mullinax/Good Fruit Grower)

They call it a scope-of-work plan, looking five years down the road at what tasks growers want to automate. For example, if growers want systemic change, they have options such as Robotics Plus, Lange said. If they simply want to automate their current fleet of tractors, Burrows will steer them toward a retrofit with Bluewhite's Pathfinder software that automates existing tractors.

Also, Burrows can now install the Bluewhite Pathfinder kits locally, rather than sending tractors to California — as they initially had to do. 

The timing is tough. Growers want automation but can't afford to gamble on new equipment right now. 

Jeff Cleveringa, also a research commission board member and orchard manager for Columbia Fruit Packers, said the adoption rate of new technology should improve once the fruit economy improves. Until then, times are tough for distributors like Burrows, just as it is for growers. All folks in the game need to make money for tech adoption to scale.

"Burrows can't make a living off of maintaining 10 machines," he said.

In June, farm equipment manufacturing giant CNH Industrial announced an investment partnership with Bluewhite.

CNH and Bluewhite are taking things slowly, with only a few pilot dealerships on the West Coast, said Paul Welbig, precision technology lead for CNH's North American division. Burrows is one of them.

"We're not trying to go too fast, because we're trying to learn along the way," he said.

Burrows Tractor and other vendors display automation tools in December 2023 at the NW Hort Expo, held alongside the Washington State Tree Fruit Association's annual meeting in Kennewick, Washington. (TJ Mullinax/Good Fruit Grower)

Details are still in the works, but the arrangement will bolster the pipeline for service and parts for the Bluewhite kits and allow CNH to make their tractors "automation ready" with mounting brackets, harness wires and other components already in place. 

Welbig also hopes the deal "offers some credibility and stability" to Bluewhite and gives farmers more confidence to buy new equipment from a startup.

The point of the middleman

Ag tech is a global game, with technologies developed in Israel, New Zealand and beyond making their way to Washington. But growers adopting those tools need regional expertise to get the tools running on the farm and keep them that way, said Cleveringa of Columbia Fruit.

"Things break in the field," he said. "There's no other way around it. It's a tough environment to run in." That's true whether a machine is driven by a person or by lidar.

It happened to one of his farm's Prospr sprayers. Though Robotics Plus has representatives in Washington training operators, siting communication towers and installing software, Burrows mechanics fixed the problem in their Yakima shop.

For its part, Robotics Plus has been cultivating relationships with growers since it was founded in 2010. Cleveringa saw early iterations of Prospr about 10 years ago in New Zealand. 

When it came time for dealership arrangements, Robotics Plus took cues from those same growers, said Nathan Soich, chief commercial officer for Robotics Plus. Growers had existing relationships with Burrows, and the distributor was willing to dedicate staff to the lengthy process of trials, demos and trade shows for commercial rollout.

"We realize people are making a long-term commitment … we want to be respectful of that," said Soich, adding that they have two new staff members in Washington now.

The company has plans to add mowing, defoliating and herbicide application packages to the Prospr. 

Dave Del Moro of RDO Equipment Co. Discusses Smart Apply sprayer automation technology at a field day in August 2023 near Prosser, Washington. (Ross Courtney/Good Fruit Grower) Going first

Someone has to go first with new tools, and it's often the grower.

Columbia Fruit Packers was one of three early adopters who bought units directly from Robotics Plus last year. (Burrows hasn't yet sold any of its own Prospr machines. Most farmers make capital expenditures later in the year, Riel said.)

Stemilt Growers was another early adopter. Stemilt has been happy with the reliability and accuracy of the sprayers, said Bernardo Reyes, area manager. They can run a driverless machine faster than a traditional airblast sprayer, and the vehicle's four-wheel-drive system allows it to hit each row, instead of skipping a row.

As for troubleshooting, Robotics Plus technicians have been adjusting lidar sensitivity. The machine bumped a few things in the orchard, but a sensitive shut-off bumper stopped it before any harm or damage was done. The crews also sometimes struggled to maintain connectivity with the radio tower, fastened to the roof of a shop. 

Through it all, Burrows reps tagged along as Stemilt worked through such challenges. Their mechanics adjusted the wheel-base width once, Riel said.

That's the way the triangle of grower, manufacturer and distributor must work when it comes to new technology, Riel said. And though he declined to share specifics, more new tools are on the way.

"We truly believe there's a need for it," he said. "We have a lot of growers that are asking us for it." •

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