The Experience Economy Has Arrived in B2B E-Commerce
GUEST POST by: Brandon Spear (CEO of TreviPay)
Something fundamental has shifted in business-to-business (B2B) commerce, and many merchants are still working to keep pace.
The traditional relationship-based loyalty that sustained business partnerships for decades has given way to something more immediate and demanding: experience-based loyalty.
Business buyers are making loyalty decisions the same way consumers do – based on the ease of each transaction.
It's more than surface-level convenience, as business buyers are treating each checkout interaction as a loyalty test their suppliers may either pass or fail.
This shift comes at a pivotal time. With U.S. B2B e-commerce projected to exceed $3 trillion by 2027, companies that don’t evolve their checkout experiences risk falling behind.
Merchants can either adapt their checkout experiences to match these new expectations, or risk seeing market share flow to competitors who understand that loyalty today is earned through experience, not legacy.
What happens when service outweighs brand loyalty in B2B?
According to VML, 40% of global B2B buyers have switched all their suppliers within the past 12 months.
Even more telling, 66% say the quality of service they receive matters more than the brand or company they’re buying from.
When retailers create efficient, convenient purchasing processes, 70% of B2B executives will spend more money – sometimes up to half a million dollars on a single transaction.
They're paying a premium for smoother experiences because the alternative – dealing with friction – has become unacceptable.
Why investing in buyer experience pays off?
These behavioral changes create measurable financial opportunities. Research shows that retaining a business buyer for seven years can lead to a 150% increase in revenue per customer, jumping to 240% after a decade.
This means the compound effect of experience-driven loyalty generates significant value.
The cost of poor experiences has become equally measurable.
As B2B commerce expands internationally, cross-border payment capabilities have become an important part of the overall e-commerce experience for businesses that work with suppliers across multiple countries.
When these international transactions fail, the financial impact can be significant.
U.S. merchants lost an estimated $3.8 billion in 2023 due to failed cross-border payments, often stemming from friction points and outdated infrastructure. Each checkout obstacle now carries direct financial consequences.
Given these stakes, merchants should focus on three areas that shape purchasing decisions and sustain long-term business buyer relationships.
1. Flexible payment solutions
The complexity of B2B purchasing demands payment options that go beyond traditional methods.
They require flexibility. For example, a global retailer processing invoices across different jurisdictions needs capabilities quite different from a manufacturer negotiating volume discounts and 60-day net terms.
Research conducted by the TreviPay team reveals 86% of buyers view having their preferred payment option as non-negotiable.
Customizing payment experiences to business size, region and industry builds trust and encourages repeat purchases.
2. Invoicing designed for B2B buyers
This guaranteed flexibility extends to invoicing.
For most B2B buyers, invoices trigger complex financial processes. Many require controls like purchase order numbers or serial numbers for record-keeping and policy compliance.
A recent study showed 78% of global business buyers consider flexible invoicing essential. Companies that provide e-invoicing options with line-item details and customizable templates help buyers (and their respective accounting teams) manage accounts seamlessly.
Without these capabilities, invoices get rejected and payments get delayed which can erode merchant trust.
3. Streamline the entire process
Process simplification tackles structural complexity.
Most B2B purchases involve 6 to 10 stakeholders, and every additional step in reaching consensus creates opportunities for deals to stall.
Smart retailers counter this with user-friendly platforms. Purchase history loads instantly when you need it. Approval workflows are already set up and running smoothly. Reordering something from last month takes seconds, and doesn’t require a phone call to your account rep. You can place bulk orders, check inventory levels in real-time and work within whatever payment terms your company negotiated without having to think about it.
The complexity is still there, but it's handled behind the scenes.
Beyond individual transactions features, successful B2B platforms focus on deeper system integration.
When checkout systems connect seamlessly with buyers' ERP platforms, they reduce errors while streamlining order management and giving buyers greater oversight.
AI-driven tools can enhance this by enabling faster credit decisioning and more efficient order processing.
Setting up for success in B2B payments
These experience elements combine to create a powerful competitive position.
Successful B2B merchants no longer only sell products or services – they provide infrastructure that business buyers depend on for smooth operations.
This shift requires thinking beyond individual transactions to consider how checkout experiences integrate into buyers' broader operational workflows.
Business buyers have grown accustomed to consumer-grade experiences and demand that same convenience from their suppliers, without sacrificing enterprise functionality.
The companies that succeed in the $3 trillion B2B e-commerce space understand this balance.
It’s no longer a question of whether to adapt, but rather, how quickly companies can transform their checkout processes to stay competitive.
About the Author: Brandon Spear leads TreviPay with expertise in managing large, diverse global teams.
His strength is discerning and focusing on the most important challenges facing an organization at a particular point in time and unifying all stakeholders behind accomplishing a set of specific goals.
Brandon has a unique ability to connect across all levels of an organization, motivate staff with diverse skill sets, while ensuring a common alignment and results.