Scaling Cross-Border B2B Ecommerce: Challenges & Solutions
The growth of ecommerce has opened new doors for businesses to sell across borders without establishing physical locations. However, B2B ecommerce comes with its own set of complexities that can make international expansion challenging for manufacturers.
In this article, we explore the unique challenges of B2B cross-border ecommerce and how manufacturers can adopt modern digital solutions to succeed internationally.
Why cross-border ecommerce is booming
Cross-border ecommerce allows businesses to sell goods and services to customers in other countries. This approach is gaining traction—56% of retail and manufacturers made cross-border ecommerce sales in 2023, according to Statista. An additional 8% planned to sell their products abroad by this year.
The benefits are clear:
- Wider market reach: Access fast-growing regions like China, the US, and Europe.
- Increased revenue: Expand beyond saturated local markets.
- Business stability: Reduce dependency on local markets and counteract economic downturns.
While the potential is immense, success requires overcoming significant challenges, especially for B2B manufacturers.
Key challenges of global B2B ecommerce
About 55% of companies find it difficult to sell their products internationally.
This difficulty is more pronounced in B2B cross-border ecommerce compared to B2C. Larger transaction values, complex regulatory requirements, longer sales cycles, and the need for tailored customer relationships fuel this.
B2B manufacturers intending to expand to new countries must anticipate several challenges that could negatively impact their success. These include:
1. Complex regulatory requirements
Different countries have unique tax systems, customs requirements, and trade rules. For example:
- Misclassified goods under Harmonized System (HS) codes can delay shipments and incur fines.
- Tax regulations like VAT vary widely, requiring strict compliance to avoid penalties.
According to Reuters Events and Avalara, 41% of businesses experience difficulties perfecting their HS codes, and 94% face cross-border shipping delays due to incorrect paperwork.
This is not only costly but can damage relationships with buyers.
2. Localisation of content and operations
Effective localisation directly impacts customer experience. Language is an integral part of localisation, and research has shown a strong customer preference for shopping in their languages.
For instance, 57% of Germans won’t purchase from websites not in German.
But expanding into new markets means more than translating content. Manufacturers must adapt product descriptions, specifications, and even pricing to meet regional preferences.
Customer support and post-sale services must also be localised to strengthen the relationships between manufacturers and buyers.
3. Complex payment systems
B2B payments often involve trade credit, multiple currencies, and long payment cycles. Exchange rate fluctuations and local regulations make managing transactions even harder.
4. Supply chain and logistics management
Shipping large industrial products internationally involves more hurdles than consumer goods. Customs clearance, transportation delays, and political uncertainties can disrupt deliveries. On top of that, your customers expect fast, reliable service—leaving you to balance speed with cost efficiency.
5. Siloed and outdated systems
Many B2B manufacturers still rely on fragmented and siloed systems to manage their cross-border operations. Siloed systems mean that critical information is stored in separate platforms.
Disconnected tools make processes like logistics, localisation, and payments, harder to manage and slow down your ability to compete globally.
How digital tools simplify global expansion
Manufacturers struggling with disconnected systems often experience inefficiencies and errors that hinder international growth. By adopting modern digital tools like ERP, CRM, PIM and AI automation, businesses can streamline processes, ensure accuracy, and scale successfully.
Here are the ways these respective tools can power your businesses towards your desired goals:
ERP integration: Centralising operations across borders
Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems provide a unified view of business operations. For cross-border B2B ecommerce, this includes managing:
- Inventory across multiple regions.
- Automated invoicing and compliance processes.
- Payments in multiple currencies.
eInvoicing integration: ERP systems enable eInvoicing, ensuring compliance with local tax laws and speeding up payments. eInvoicing supports multi-currency transactions and reduces payment delays.
CRM systems: Managing customer relationships
Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems help manufacturers build and maintain strong customer relationships by centralising all customer data and interactions.
These systems can segment customers based on region, purchase behaviour, and other factors, making it easier to personalise content and communication with each customer, from follow-up emails to post-purchase support.
PIM systems: Centralising and localising product data
Product Information Management (PIM) systems allow consistency in descriptions, prices, technical specifications, and digital assets like images and videos across multiple channels.
With PIM, you can quickly update product information in the central database keeping your product catalogues accurate and always localised for different markets.
AI automation: Reducing manual work and improving efficiency
Artificial intelligence takes over repetitive tasks, speeding up operations and improving accuracy. Key applications include:
- Automating order processing and compliance documentation.
- Using predictive analytics for demand forecasting and supply chain optimisation.
- Supporting multilingual customer communication with AI-powered chatbots.
Start scaling with confidence
The B2B ecommerce market has been estimated to reach 20.9 trillion dollars by 2027. For manufacturers, this means scaling efficiently is critical for staying competitive.
How to stay ahead:
- Invest in integrated systems: Connecting ERP, CRM, and PIM ensures seamless workflows.
- Adopt automation: Tools like AI and RPA reduce the workload and eliminate errors.
- Optimise supply chains: AI-driven solutions improve logistics planning and execution.
At ACTUM Digital, we specialise in helping manufacturers optimise operations, integrate digital platforms, and scale internationally. Let us help you succeed globally.