3 Reasons Why DIY Websites Don’t Work for B2B eCommerce

Nowadays, we are continuously bombarded with advertisements reminding us that we can create a website by simply selecting the right platform, dragging what you want to where you want it, and dropping it into the correct place. The major players in the DIY website industry, such as Squarespace, GoDaddy, and Wix, expend many resources attempting to persuade customers that their product promises a stunning, successful website. However, there are many more factors that play a part in a successful B2B ecommerce website.

So, if you're thinking of doing it yourself, here are three major reasons why website builders like these don't work for B2B ecommerce.

#1 DIY Sites are Not as Responsive

There are few website template characteristics more important than responsiveness. Responsiveness allows the site to appear and function accurately on a wide range of screen sizes and platforms: mobile, tablet, and desktop.

This functionality is significant since it was recently announced that mobile user traffic exceeded desktop traffic for the first time. If your website has content spilling off the page, images or videos being cut off, or is simply slow on your prospects' mobile devices, you have failed.

Furthermore, in almost all B2B contexts, you are attempting to capture the interest of many individuals throughout the purchasing phase. To be successful in this pursuit, you must ensure that the customer experience is consistent across all sites and for all users. It is non-negotiable to construct a responsive design, and many DIY website builders charge you extra for a template that fits these requirements.

#2 DIY Websites Don’t Have the Features Your Clients Need

Most of the DIY website-building platforms tailor their features toward B2C websites. While they provide most of the features needed for a successful B2C eCommerce site, they lack the features B2B clients value the most. This means you’ll either need to implement custom-coded features into your site or give your clients a sub-par eCommerce experience.

• Unlike B2C customers, B2B clients expect the following features:
• Corporate logins so multiple employees can order from the same account.
• Customized catalogs based on the client’s industry and needs.
• Tailored pricing to different customer types and specific customer groups.
• Flexible options for payment including offline payment methods and delayed payment.
• Personalized shipping options particularly for bulk orders.
• Implementing the features your B2B clients expect and rely on can be the difference between a successful B2B eCommerce site and a waste of time.

#3 Creating a Good DIY Website Requires an Expensive Learning Curve

Regardless of how “easy” a drag-and-drop DIY site claims to be, there is still a learning curve that someone will overcome. Therefore, you will spend time (and money) on the learning process before the project gets underway. For example, Besides having to create and implement the designs, pages, and content, you also must ensure your site loads as quickly as possible. Plus, to represent all communities fairly, you will need to ensure that the platform is ADA compliant.

So, while you might not be spending the time or money directly on a website designer, you are still allocating substantial resources to the process. The difference now is that you, or your employee, have wasted a considerable amount of time learning a skill that is not useful to either of you outside of creating your own website.

If you are in charge of creating a new website for your B2B business, turn your attention away from a DIY website builder. Instead, work towards a solution that will solve the real issue your executive team is addressing, producing more leads with a professionally developed website.