The advantages of a PWA for B2B commerce
Developing your online presence is not just about creating a website. Implementing a mobile optimized experience that performs as well as your desktop website, ensuring a customizable cross-platform customer journey, providing a user experience that sets you apart from your competitors… These elements can hinder the development of your business, taking up all your time, human resources, not to mention your energy. However, at Front-Commerce, we believe that technology should be at the service of your team and your customers, not the other way around. Thanks to a high-performance technological base, the user experience remains at the forefront while the handling of the developers is done without hindrance: a certain gain in time and sales! A headless architecture, combined with PWA (Progressive Web App) technology, can create the ultimate web and mobile experience. But what is it and what are the benefits for a B2B company?
PWAs and Headless Commerce: your technological foundation’s
A PWA goes hand in hand with a headless solution.
What is the headless approach?
In a headless approach, the frontend and backend of your e-commerce store are “decoupled”; they are independent of each other. This means that the content presentation layer is separate from the platform administration.
“By decoupling your front end from your back end and going headless, you can evolve the user experience you provide your customers quickly.” Magento
This headless architecture allows you to choose the best systems to store content and deliver it through APIs, enabling, for example, the implementation of a PWA powered storefront.
What is a PWA?
A Progressive Web App is an application that is delivered through the web. This mobile friendly version of your website combines features that were previously reserved for native applications (iOS & Android apps) with web features. Taking advantage of new web programming interfaces (APIs) linked to a progressive enhancement strategy, a PWA can be deployed on any device and integrates the available functionalities of the device and the browser used.
Learn more : PWA or native app: what’s the best choice for your business?
PWA & B2B E-Commerce
For any B2B company that’s looking to achieve growth, certain steps are essential in order to come up against common issues. Customer journey optimization, data security, a fast & smooth online navigation… PWA technology meets many of these challenges.
The advantages of a PWA for B2B businesses and their clients
Reliability:
Some B2B merchants find it difficult to present an online business communication that is as effective as their offline channels. For example, a business that needs to function fully in areas with poor internet connectivity. If this is your case, rest assured! A PWA solution does not require a good internet connection, and works even offline.
Use case example: PWA capabilities guarantee a constant online catalog, with a stable payment setup. We can imagine implementing a fully transactional website with an always up to date catalog for the agricultural industry. Sales people & their clients, who are frequently in areas without wifi and even 3G/4G, would no longer need to thumb a paper catalogue or struggle to find a connection to conduct business.
Security:
Many B2B merchants only have a ‘non-transactional’ online presence. Headless & PWA technology allow a complete shift to an assertive and effective presence, with real results on sales. Through its HTTPS protocol, the PWA ensures the security of your digital assets on your online store, but also of your users’ data, making usage and transactions just as safe as with an online website.
Speed:
As B2B professionals, your time is precious. With a PWA, when you make changes to your product catalog or offers, the update will be automatically triggered for your clients and prospects. No need to ask them to go to their App Store to install yet another update.
Page loading speed is one of our priorities. Our PWA Frontend uses native technology to optimize the speed of your site X2!
Communication:
A PWA solution, such as the one offered by Front-Commerce, allows for an operational experience across all platforms. This will allow your sales teams to work with less restrictive tools. Also, new communications channels are now available, such as push notifications: message clients directly with order tracking or new product launches.
The user experience is a central element favored by a headless PWA approach. Your designers and developers are free to create the on-brand UX/UX experience that you’ve always dreamed of! And your prospects can consume your content anywhere, anytime. In short, collaboration becomes fluid and easy between two entities.
We Information System:
Using a headless platform offers IS managers a better solution to interact and integrate with other IS components. Multiple departments (marketing, design, product … ) can now work harmoniously together!
APIs and headless technology are the future of B2B E-commerce, don’t miss out!
Bonus!
Cost optimization:
Development costs can be lower than with native applications: you don’t need to invest in a website and an seperate application as the PWA manages your online presence across all channels.
The move to a headless architecture will save you costs in the long run, as you will easily be able to adapt your services and platform components as your business evolves, without a replatform.
Improved SEO:
SEO performance metrics are much better with a PWA. First of all, your PWA will be indexed by robots and your application will appear naturally in Google search results. Secondly, Google will favor websites that are optimized for their users: the ultra-fast display of your pages will be in your favor, as well as the optimization for mobile devices and security levels (HTTPS).
Easier multi-site management:
Managing multiple (and international) sites becomes easier! Launch and management is now effective from a single platform. This is how you will overcome the challenge of synchronizing and maintaining the many different versions of your site, inventories and internal procedures.
Leveraging the benefits of a PWA in B2B e-commerce
B2B companies are increasingly supporting digital channels for their business activities. A PWA ensures a smooth and fast user experience, an important strategy to avoid disappointing clients who are used to a flawless relationship and communication.
Front-Commerce offers an ultra-fast front-end based on the PWA standard. Not just a front-end for headless commerce, Front-Commerce is also an innovative solution that keeps you ahead of the game. Our solution is optimized for mobile devices, increases conversion rates and natively boosts SEO.
A recap of the benefits of a PWA for B2B commerce
- Unrestrictive communication across all channels for your sales teams, clients & prospects. Seamlessly display your content wherever, whenever!
- Reliability: present online content and finalise transactions even with poor connectivity.
- A Secure HTTPS protocol ensures the security of your digital assets & your users’ data, making usage and transactions as safe as a regular website.
- Speed: PWA technology improves page loading time twofold.
- Headless platforms offer Information Systems managers a better solution to interact and integrate with other components.
- Cost optimization: lower your long term development costs & improve your bottom line.
- Native PWA technology will Improve SEO by indexing your app for search and improving core web vitals