The growth of marketplace shopping is radically shifting the consumer experience and by association, the business-to-business journey is being forced to adapt or simply, die. Greg Vercelloti, commercial director from Dariel Software, says that success today, in such an evolving landscape, will require B2B brands to invest in modern technology, create a more personalised and seamless experience, while still leveraging their expertise to build trust and long-term partnerships, says Greg Vercelloti, Commercial Director of Dariel Software.

"Technology is changing the consumer experience, the mere fact that TikTok has a marketplace and it is generating over $33-billion is proof that B2C trends will continue to shape B2B approaches to ecommerce, and this means it needs to meet mandated criteria to succeed, or in fact survive."

But he says that the rise of the B2C-style ecommerce marketplace doesn't leave B2B behind; rather, it forces B2B to adapt by adopting similar digital-first strategies to meet evolving customer expectations. B2B buyers now expect the same convenience and personalisation they experience in their personal shopping, propelling significant growth and digital transformation in the B2B sector. By 2025, it is estimated that 80% of B2B sales interactions between buyers and suppliers will occur on digital channels.

It makes sense then that there is what Vercelotti calls an urgency to modernise digital commerce locally. Challenges for businesses ignoring the ecommerce evolution includes Intense competition and price transparency, difficulty balancing brand and commoditisation, complex integration issues with legacy systems and changing customer relationship dynamics.

"The way forward can be a considered one where a hybrid approach can bridge the gap and make the evolution easier to address." This, he says, is a solution that can leverage proven SaaS platforms (Shopify, BigCommerce, Woo Commerce and Adobe Commerce) for speed, stability and ecosystem benefits; layer custom front ends and integrations for flexibility, tailored UX and alignment with existing enterprise systems, while delivering the best of both worlds: rapid deployment without sacrificing scalability, control, or local relevance.

There are five key benefits of hybrid digital commerce: Key Benefits of Hybrid Digital commerce:

  • Faster Time-to-Value: Launch in weeks, not years, while iterating continuously.
  • Flexible Customer Journeys: Customised front ends ensure brand differentiation and tailored experiences.
  • Enterprise Integration: Seamless connectivity with ERP, CRM, payment gateways and supply chain systems.
  • Lower Long-Term Costs: SaaS stability reduces infrastructure burden while custom components evolve with business needs.
  • Scalable Growth: Adapt quickly to new markets, products, or business models without re-platforming.

"We build for the client and Dariel's approach is built for South African enterprises that need digital commerce without compromise," concludes Vercelotti. "The new landscape presents B2B companies with both significant challenges and opportunities for those who embrace the shift."

For more information, visit www.dariel.co.za/. You can also follow Dariel Software on Facebook, LinkedIn, or on Instagram.

*Image courtesy of contributor