Digital or Die
eCommerce News
The Time is Nigh for Distributors to Embrace eBusiness
by Jonathan Bein, July 31, 2020. Distribution Strategy Group
It’s now or never for digital adoption in B2B markets.
There was a sharp increase in online engagement with customers in March and April 2020 and it is proving to be more than just a blip due to COVID-19.
Evidence of a massive digital shift:
- Distribution Strategy Group survey: The majority of distributor respondents have seen a major shift to online buying as a percentage of sales vs. other channels as a result of the COVID-19
- Forrester survey: Half of decision-makers said digital commerce is driving their growth right now.
- McKinsey survey: B2B customers prefer digital engagement 2X more than traditional sales interactions.
- McKinsey survey: Mobile app sign ups have grown up to 250 percent in recent months.
Distribution Strategy Group believes that end-user adoption of digital technologies for shopping and buying has been accelerated by three to five years. Distributor e-commerce revenue has also been accelerated as a result.
The debate should no longer be about whether to invest in a robust digital platform. Investing in digital in B2B is a cost of doing business.