Most Desired B2B eCommerce Features, November 2014 [CHART]

B2B buyers are resembling consumers in their online commerce preferences and expect vendors to have cross-channel visibility and omni-channel fulfillment options, according to a survey of 930 B2B buyers at organizations in Canada, the US, UK, France, and Germany. The study [PDF], conducted by Forrester Consulting on behalf of Accenture and hybris, finds that customers’ expectations are the leading driver of vendors’ investments in omni-channel initiatives. Indeed, in a separate survey of 526 B2B companies in those 5 afore-mentioned countries, 66% of respondents noted customer expectations as a primary driver of their investment in omni-channel initiatives. Other important drivers include an expectation of an uplift in customer satisfaction metrics (59%) and gaining a competitive edge over online pure plays (57%).

The study takes a close look at how vendors are aligning their technology investments with buyers’ expectations. Notably, vendors were most likely to cite enhanced search functionality on their websites as a top technology initiative over the next 18 months; separately, buyers identified this as the feature they would most like their suppliers to offer. Read the rest at MarketingCharts.