The 7 Best Apps For B2B Ecommerce

Managing a B2B ecommerce operation is complex, but a mobile app is a great way to streamline everything. Whether you have sales reps out in the field, customers placing repeat orders, or warehouses full of products, an app lets you manage all of these aspects from anywhere.

There are plenty of B2B e-commerce apps available, though. So, how can you be sure which one will work for you? Remember to consider what your business does and look for apps that simplify shipping, ordering, customer interactions, and other aspects of your business. 

Plus, if your customers and sales reps can use it, too, that’s even better. Look for apps that tie in multiple areas of your business and that let you get everyone on the same page.

To help you decide, we’ve gathered seven picks for the best B2B ecommerce apps.

1. Your own app, built by MobiLoud

MobiLoud isn’t an app per se, but we can build you a custom, cross-platform B2B ecommerce app using your existing website, workflows, and code with no coding needed from you. And unlike the other options on this list, that app will be tightly integrated with your existing setup.

After all, if you already rely on your website for sales and customer management, why reduplicate your efforts by using a third-party app and migrating all your information over to it? Instead, you can preserve your website's look, feel, and experience and turn it into a convenient app that serves both your customers and you.

On the ordering side, customers are much more likely to place repeat orders if they can use an app. Your icon on their home screen reminds them of you, and push notifications let you reach out in customized ways.

And any business management tools and backends you have created will stick around when you build your app with MobiLoud. You won't have to import any data manually, transfer files or information, set up new accounts, or deal with the hassle of setting up new workflows.

Your app will feel like a custom native app, too. We do all the work. You just stick to managing your B2B ecommerce business. After all, you are already selling through your website. Therefore, it is easy and affordable to convert your website into a mobile app with MobiLoud.

At MobiLoud, we have made apps for over 2,000 companies. That includes B2B and B2C companies, global brands, and more. As Mitch Free, a developer at Impact Wholesale, a B2B wholesaler, found,

“Turning our website into an app was perfect for us because it meant managing just one store, but being able to say we have an app and connect with customers who wanted an app experience.”

If you are a settled business with your website, processes, and backends already defined and in place, MobiLoud is a fantastic choice. But if you haven’t quite gotten off the ground yet, some of the other options on this list may be helpful.

Pros

• Reuses your existing website and code
• Tightly integrates with your existing workflows
• The resulting mobile app requires no coding from you

Cons

• May not be able to harness native device features
• Requires you to have a website and business management tools already built

2. Oracle NetSuite

Oracle NetSuite is a popular enterprise resource planning (ERP) system for all sorts of businesses, including ecommerce. It offers plenty of handy features, including inventory management and ordering, returns handling, and lots of stats and data, all in one place.

You get order and inventory management to track everything in one place. It’s all real-time, and it updates automatically. You can keep up with multiple warehouses, storefronts, and other locations. 

As for ordering, your customers can place an order from anywhere, and you can fulfill it in the same way. NetSuite even tracks returns, so the entire product lifecycle is accounted for. 

Integration is easy with NetSuite, too. You can tie in sales, finance, and ops teams to ensure your entire ordering process is streamlined and everyone is on the same page.

Data is always available for everything in NetSuite, so you can track your results and optimize any deficiencies. You can even customize offers. For example, you can give discounts or rebates to qualifying customers using custom rules you set up. 

Consider NetSuite if you are a small- to medium-sized business with many departments that need to be integrated. It’s great for keeping sales reps in the field and employees in the office all similarly informed and coordinated.

Pros

• A total solution that integrates everything your business does
• Very detailed reporting and metrics
• Comes with many ecommerce-focused features
• Gives multiple teams a central place to share data

Cons

• Will be separate from your existing website and workflows
• Pricing is available by requesting a quote
• May require lots of setup time and moving all your data over into the platform
• Learning curve

3. Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central

If Oracle NetSuite intrigues you, but you want an alternative, consider Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central. Much like NetSuite, you can manage all sorts of business with this ERP.

In particular, ecommerce operations will find its order tracing and customer information features quite handy. Plus, it handles stock monitoring and sales contacts, too. If you rely on Microsoft’s other products, it’s a good choice.

Its order tracking is quite powerful, and the app allows you to manage multiple orders, customer interactions, and more. It also has a Shopify connector option, so if you use that platform, there’s no need to reconfigure anything. 

Meanwhile, inventory management tools let you monitor your stock, track your warehouses and storage facilities, and more. That way, you can catch a product before it goes out of stock or check the efficiency of your shipping processes.

Sales reps can also manage all their contacts in the Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central app. They can organize them into categories, eliminate duplicates, and target their efforts based on the profiles they set up. That way, all information about your clients is in one place.

Automation is a big part of why Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central is useful. Product quantities update in real-time, and you can even enter forecast information to anticipate future demand. 

Plus, like NetSuite, Dynamics 365 Business Central lets you integrate the finance department, reporting, analytics, and more in one place. Give it a look if you need a fully featured app and are already tightly tied in with Microsoft’s other products.

Pros

• Full-featured management suite that ties in lots of departments
• Powerful inventory management tools
• Lots of data and analytics

Cons

• Shopify is the only ecommerce tie-in
• Adds a complex backend to your existing setup
• May not tie in well with your existing website and code

4. BundleB2B

BundleB2B is a management platform for B2B businesses that integrates with BigCommerce. One of its standout features is that it allows you to implement self-service options, a critical component of growing B2B sales.

On the customer side, BundleB2B lets your existing clients place repeat orders and view products they’ve already bought so that they can buy them again. They get all the online shopping features expected of storefronts, including search, filtering, “add to cart,” and more. 

Your sales reps can also log in on behalf of a customer and put together shopping lists or even place orders, a powerful tool for when they’re out in the field. That way, they can demo your products and bag a sale all in one place from anywhere.

For business owners, this B2B ecommerce app lets you manage all your accounts in one place. You can set up personalized experiences depending on who is logged in, so each of your customers gets a customized experience, another key aspect of driving sales.

Furthermore, the platform allows you to customize pricing and offers, handle invoices, manage addresses, shipping information, and other details. If you wish, you can set up different permissions for your employees and customers, dictating what they have access to.

Give BundleB2B a look if you want to find ways to let your customers place repeat orders through a convenient storefront. It’s also quite powerful for sales reps in the field, so they’ll appreciate it, too.

Pros

• Specifically focused on B2B ecommerce needs
• Lots of handy management features
• Lets you customize access for both customers and your employees
• Includes self-service options

Cons

• Only supports BigCommerce
• Is another layer added to your workflow
• Not quite as fully-featured as NetSuite or Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central
• May not tie in well with your existing website and features

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5. Equip360

If you are in the manufacturing world and looking to modernize your entire ecommerce operations, Equip360 by GenAlpha is for you. Specifically, parts manufacturers and distributors with large lists of products and customization options will find a lot to like.

Rather than dealing with outdated paper brochures and manuals, Equip360 lets you set up online 2D and 3D parts catalogs. That means your customers can use an app to search through whatever they’re ordering to find what they need. Using parts drawings you likely already have, you will instantly streamline the browsing and ordering process.

Even returns are easier to manage, and you can see the entire process in Equip360. Your customers can place a return through the platform, and you can keep track of it there, too. You see the date it was submitted, its status, and more.

If you offer customization options or additional configurations, they're possible, too. For instance, if you offer different engine options or seating configurations in a vehicle, you can set that up in Equip360 to keep track of everything, and your customers can place their custom orders using the same setup.

Plenty of data is at your fingertips, too. You get access to dashboards to track your key performance indicators (KPIs). Plus, you can share data in real time with your teams and get everyone on the same page.

While it is pretty niche, the features Equip360 offers to OEMs, parts distributors, and manufacturing businesses can’t be easily duplicated by more general B2B ecommerce apps. It’s worth a look if you’re in this line of business and want to modernize your processes.

Pros

• Highly optimized for the parts and manufacturing market
• Plenty of powerful configuration options
• Tight integration between you and your customers

Cons

• Not much use for other types of ecommerce stores
• May not retain your website’s looks, feel, and features

6. B2B Wave

Are you new to B2B ecommerce? B2B Wave may be precisely what you need. If you want to get your ecommerce store up and running but don’t have much experience or knowledge, this B2B app platform offers a lot to like.

Right out of the box, you can use it to manage your orders and inventory in one centralized location. Your customers also get a central place to place their orders and reorders. If you want, you can enable back ordering so customers can still buy out-of-stock items. 

You can show or hide certain groups of products to certain customers to create customized, targeted experiences for each one. That’s essential for making each of your B2B customers feel like you’re giving them the attention they need. Plus, it simplifies the experience and makes them more likely to place repeat orders.

The B2B ecommerce mobile app portion lets your sales reps access product information out in the field and shows off what you have to potential leads. Customer information is available in a few taps in the app. You can even place orders on behalf of customers and adjust quantities on the go.

On the backend, B2B Wave comes with some templates and accessible design features. That’s handy if you don’t quite know what your storefront will look like.

If you are just getting started, it is a great way to get your B2B ecommerce presence out there. However, for established customers, B2B Wave may not be in-depth enough or feel sufficiently customizable. 

Pros

• Very beginner friendly
• The mobile app is quite useful for on-the-go sales reps
• Includes some customization options

Cons

• Not as useful for established merchants
• May not reuse your existing website and code
• Mobile app not as useful for customers as it is for reps

7.  SellerChamp

SellerChamp is a B2B ecommerce app that lets you manage the essentials of the process. If the other options on this list seem overbuilt, it’s worth a look. It handles three basics of B2B operations: scanning, listing, and shipping. 

Instead of manually scanning items one at a time, you can use SellerChamp to scan UPC codes, upload files, or import from another channel to list products in bulk. SellerChamp will auto-populate data, including the product description, features, photos, and more.

On the inventory and listing side, you can manage Amazon, eBay, Walmart, or any other online marketplace. Your inventory will be updated automatically across all of them any time you add products or orders come in.

As for shipping, you can send order notifications via email, FTP, or API to whatever destination you choose. You can manage your orders in a dashboard and integrate them with Shipstation to streamline the process further and get products moving faster.

Beyond these basics, intelligent item repricing is also available. This feature can alter the price of your items based on the competition or your sales, so you always stand out as the best option.

Furthermore, you get lots of data and feedback. Real-time inventory reports ensure you will catch low-stock items before they go out of stock. You can also look at monthly or quarterly reports to optimize your strategies. 

If you need an app that takes care of the core aspects of B2B ecommerce operations, SellerChamp is a solid choice. However, businesses looking for a more fully-featured solution should consider some of the other options on this list.

Pros

• Highly focused on the core needs of B2B operations: inventory, shipping, and listing
• Makes it easy to bulk import and list products
• Data and feedback with real-time information

Cons

• Not a full company management suite
• Doesn’t offer much for sales reps
• May not integrate well with your existing website and code

The best mobile apps for B2B ecommerce: The bottom line

It’s a great idea to use a mobile app as a part of your B2B ecommerce business, and there are a few reasons why. Namely, you can organize every aspect of your business in one place. Solutions like Oracle NetSuite let you tie in ordering, finance, sales reps, and more teams so everyone is on the same page.

Another key aspect of B2B mobile apps is the ability to manage your business from anywhere. That is especially helpful if your business requires you to travel. And it’s great for sales reps, who can pull up customer information, demos, and more while they are out scoping new prospects.

An app is great for driving customer loyalty and repeat business, too. Platforms like BundleB2B give customers a centralized self-service place to contact you, place recurring orders, and look up information. On the backend, you can see any interactions with them in real-time.

For some B2B ecommerce operations, choosing an off-the-shelf app is a good way to dip your toes into the world of ecommerce B2B apps. They let you get your workflows set up quickly and start using the app right away. But do note you likely won’t be able to reuse your existing website and backends with them.

On the other hand, if you want to reuse your existing website in your mobile app, MobiLoud makes that easy. We can build you a fully featured app that integrates with your existing workflows. And you won’t have to code anything. You can even get a free preview by entering your URL.

Get in touch with us today to find out how quick and easy it is to build your custom B2B ecommerce mobile app.

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