Let’s be real, a lot of manufacturers and distributors are getting serious about reaching out to the end customer. Online stores, better websites, social media, it all makes sense. Consumers expect to find and buy parts fast, and they’re not waiting around. And the Ownership of the customer is a top goal.
But here’s the challenge…
How do you grow your B2C presence without stepping on the toes of those customers and buyers that have helped build your business?
That’s the balance we see our clients walking every day. And when you get it right, it’s not only possible to balance both, it gives you a serious competitive advantage!
Top 3 advice points on this:
1. Talk to your B2B Partners Before They Start Asking Questions
Distributors are used to adapting. They’ve weathered supply chain breakdowns, parts shortages, pricing volatility, and staffing challenges. But there is one shift that hits differently and it’s happening more often.
More manufacturers and brands are leaning into B2C and while they call it growth, modernization, or meeting the customers where they are, for distributors it often means : You Are Being Sidelined…
It’s not about losing sales. It’s about trust. And for a channel built on relationships, that’s a tough pill to swallow. So it’s important to have some respectful notice of your business growth goals in B2C before they start asking questions. Usually those that buy from you are OK with all that as long as they continue to know they are getting the best deal so they can make margin on any reselling.
2. Keep Your Brand Voice Consistent Everywhere
Seeing your brand promoted gives confidence to your customers; they are buying from a trusted source, a prominent company, a company with a good reputation. Show the demographic you serve and all the types of customers you serve. It’s more open doors for more business. Tout your inventory, your delivery timing, your line cards, and above all, get and display good customer reviews! It’s easy to integrate Google Reviews or TrustPilot into an eCommerce build.
3. Have Good Pricing Strategies
Minimum advertised price strategy and pricing strategies generally are critical in ecom. There are business rules and factors at work such as territories and exclusive rights. And in eCommerce, those that buy a lot often command a larger overall discount that other customers are not going to earn. MAPs isn’t always going to be the price that is final, but it helps brands prevent erosion of price, maintain brand value, and brand position and placement. And don’t forget sales, specials, discount codes, first time customer discounts and more.
Sound Press builds B2C sites, and can run digital advertising campaigns. We have a proven track record and portfolio in automotive and heavy duty parts. We are platform agnostic, meaning we can build on the right ecom platform that is best for your business. We can help you figure out what that would be as well and build strategic business and marketing plans for growth. Sound Press also handles integrations from various data sources for parts data, and ties into warehouse management systems (WMS) and software for Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP Systems) as well as sales and marketing Customer Relationship Management systems (CRMs) such as Salesforce, Dynamics, Hubspot and more. See More Here