How to improve the e-commerce experience for pet care buyers

This means meeting – and exceeding – the expectations of today’s B2B buyers, who seek a purchasing experience akin to that of DTC commerce. They expect:

• convenience at every stage of the buying journey;
• the ability to place orders quickly and autonomously;
• to find what they’re looking for as seamlessly as possible;
• to have timely customer support around the clock; and
• tailored interactions that make them feel understood and valued.

Failure to meet these expectations means you could miss out on revenue and retention.

At Swanky, we’ve supported leading pet care brands like YuMOVE, Natural Instinct and Catit with global e-commerce growth. In this article, we share some tips on how to optimize your B2B pet care store for conversion, taking into account the unique challenges of online wholesale and buyer expectations.

For more information on this topic, take a look at this in-depth article on how to improve your online B2B customer experience.

B2B e-commerce strategies for success

1. Simplify store navigation

B2B stores can have thousands of SKUs and, therefore, require clear navigation to help users find what they’re looking for. To create an easy-to-navigate store, start by analyzing available data to understand your buyers’ intentions and needs. Use this information to guide the design of your site structure and navigation, allowing buyers to have an intuitive browsing and discovery experience.

For B2B store navigation, we recommend clearly showing product categories, hierarchies and filters to aid product discovery. A mega menu can be an effective way to achieve this, and it works especially well for B2B stores with extensive product catalogs.

Including an optimized site search function can also help users navigate your store and has been proven to increase conversion rate, revenue per session, session times and page views. This is particularly helpful for high-intent purchasers looking for a specific product.

2. Provide detail-rich product pages

Once buyers have navigated to a product page, they’re looking for detailed and accurate information to make an informed purchase decision. This includes thorough product specifications, clearly listed product benefits, and details of any relevant certifications.

Comprehensive product descriptions should be combined with high-quality visuals to further support decision-making. Professional e-commerce photographs and videos can also instantly add credibility to your B2B site and increase buyers’ confidence in your brand.

3. Enable “self-service”

B2B customers now expect to be able to access product information and checkout as they would on a DTC store, with the vast majority of buyers preferring self-service tools over a conversation with a sales representative.

Some of the most common ways you can facilitate this include:

• offering downloadable product data, i.e., product variants, prices, quantities and restock dates;
• leveraging an automated chatbot (like that available with Gorgias) to instantly provide customers with answers to FAQs and direct them to relevant pages; and
• creating an on-site knowledge base where customers can access support documentation and other information to find answers to their questions.

This aids a buyer’s decision-making process by providing accurate and easy-to-find information at any time.

Enabling self-checkout is another key part of the puzzle. Shopify’s B2B functionality has been engineered with self-serve purchasing in mind. For example, it allows buyers to make quick purchases with bulk-ordering tools, enables easy reordering from within customer accounts, and allows users to easily edit and manage their accounts with an intuitive customer portal.

4. Leverage client testimonials

Much like User Generated Content (UGC) does in DTC e-commerce, sharing client testimonials and case studies can provide peace of mind for B2B buyers making high-stakes purchasing decisions on behalf of their company. These forms of social proof demonstrate that others in similar positions have had successful relationships with your brand, increasing buyer confidence and trust.

Testimonials also supplement product descriptions by providing rich insights to help customers visualize your products and their benefits, which is crucial in e-commerce, where buyers can’t physically examine items before purchase.

5. Develop an omnichannel strategy

Omnichannel is the new buying norm in B2B. It’s about providing a holistic approach that allows buyers to connect with your pet care business through their preferred channels, whether live chat, phone, email, social media or in person.

Curating this omnichannel customer experience first requires understanding your customers and how they behave. Second, it requires consistency across all channels. Ensure your branding and marketing are unified and speak to your target audience, as this will grow customer loyalty and encourage recommendations.

6. Take a data-driven approach

Leveraging customer data is essential for making informed decisions that optimize the B2B customer experience. By collecting and analyzing data on customer demographics, purchase history, browsing behavior, and engagement across touchpoints, companies can gain a deep understanding of their buyers. This consequently enables personalized shopping experiences, anticipating users’ needs and proactively addressing pain points.

Data-driven insights should also guide on-site design, product catalogs, pricing, promotions, content, and support. For example, analyzing search data and identifying common queries can inform content creation to better educate buyers. Tracking abandon rates can pinpoint friction points in the purchase process and help streamline the customer journey.

By understanding buyers, simplifying their journey to purchase, providing excellent service and engaging them with relevant content and community, pet care companies can deliver outstanding online B2B experiences that drive loyalty and growth.

Grow your B2B pet care store with Shopify

Legacy tech often prevents B2B stores from adapting to buyers’ evolving expectations. Swanky has supported numerous brands in the pet care industry and beyond in growing their online B2B services with Shopify.

We know what it takes to create a successful pet care brand in today’s world, one that engages and delights customers but also operates smoothly. If you’re looking for support on this journey, get in touch with our e-commerce team today.