As we approach the final stretch of B2B digital transformation, the landscape of B2B commerce is set to undergo significant changes. By the end of 2025, Gartner predicts that 80% of all B2B transactions will be online, a sharp increase from the current 30%. To understand the trends driving this transformation, we spoke with Arno Ham, Chief Technology Officer, who shared insights on what to expect in the coming years.

1. E-commerce Adoption Will Be the Number One Focus

E-commerce adoption is a critical concern for B2B businesses. Both internal teams and customers need compelling and useful e-commerce platforms to drive adoption. Currently, 92% of B2B leaders and 85% of B2B buyers experience frustrations with their e-commerce tools. Despite these challenges, 73% of buyers prefer buying online due to reliability, efficiency, and speed. This presents a unique opportunity for B2B leaders to differentiate themselves by providing superior e-commerce solutions.

2. Managing Complexity is Paramount

B2B commerce is inherently complex, involving recurring orders, high-volume orders, personalized pricing, and multi-site shipping. In 2025, managing this complexity will be crucial. Features like online sales rooms and deal negotiation will become more prevalent, enabling businesses to handle complex orders more efficiently within e-commerce platforms.

3. Subscription Selling Will Increase

Subscription selling offers numerous benefits, including recurring revenue, easier inventory management, and increased brand loyalty. While B2C businesses have long embraced subscription models, B2B companies are now catching up. As e-commerce solutions become more robust, subscription selling will become more feasible and popular in the B2B space.

4. Sustainability Will Be a Priority

With rising demand for sustainability from both government regulations and buyer ethics, suppliers will focus on greater supply chain transparency. This will allow buyers to see the entire product journey. Additionally, circular selling, where customers trade in old equipment for credit towards new purchases, is expected to rise in the B2B sector.

5. AI Automation Will Be Deeply Woven into E-commerce Solutions

AI is already widely used in B2B industries, with 81% of companies utilizing it and 79% planning to increase investment. In 2025, AI will be integrated more into back-end development, enabling teams to generate full webpages, new connections, and automations through GenAI.

6. Composability is Key

Composable commerce allows B2B companies to integrate multiple top-tier tools into a tailored configuration. This approach enables businesses to adapt quickly to changing circumstances and create solutions specific to their needs. Flexible e-commerce solutions like Sana Commerce Cloud demonstrate the strengths of composability.

7. Personalization and Customization

B2B buyers expect a high level of personalization in their professional lives. In 2025, e-commerce platforms will leverage real-time customer data to provide personalized pricing, product recommendations, and unique cross-sell and upsell opportunities. This will enhance customer satisfaction and profitability.

8. Guided Selling

Guided selling simplifies the search and discovery process for buyers by using AI and historic data. Through dynamic questions, buyers are presented with a curated set of products that meet their specifications. Gartner predicts that 75% of B2B sales organizations will implement guided selling in 2025.

Conclusion

B2B e-commerce is on the brink of a major transformation. By the end of 2025, 80% of all B2B transactions are expected to be online. To achieve this, suppliers must provide a curated, personalized e-commerce experience that can adapt to changing circumstances. Embracing these trends will be key to staying competitive in the evolving B2B landscape.