Despite all the disruption we saw in 2020, many manufacturers struggled to evolve beyond their traditional, offline ways of working. Unfortunately, the hesitation to digitize is holding back manufacturers' potential for business transformation. Let's take a look at why that is and explore the benefits of e-commerce for manufacturers - beyond just adding a new revenue channel.

Transformation in the manufacturing industry is being driven by consumer behavior - namely, the move we're seeing toward digital channels. Manufacturers that still primarily serve clients through phone, fax, or email risk losing the loyalty of these customers, especially as their worlds and preferences become even more digitally driven.

In 2021, it is clear that manufacturers have accepted the move to digital. According to 2021 data from The Manufacturing & E-Commerce Benchmark Report, 98% of manufacturers have, are, or are planning to implement an e-commerce strategy. On top of that, 42% of the manufacturers who have invested in e-commerce and digital recognize improved customer relationships as a result.

In this same study, manufacturers reported that more than half of their overall revenue was generated via online sales channels. So, it feels as though manufacturers have come a long way since last year when 80% of manufacturers still depended primarily on their internal sales force to drive revenue, according to Digital Commerce 360. Yet, we know that manufacturers still have a few more improvements to make in order to appease B2B customer expectations.

Today's B2B customers want to be in control of their experience online, so you need to offer self-service capabilities in addition to a transactional website. And when engaging with your web store, these customers also expect to be able to rely on accurate information, whether it is inventory levels, product details, order history, or their own negotiated discounts. They also want to be able to do so whenever and wherever they want.