- In the last two years, digital commerce has changed more than in the entire previous decade
- Customers expect new answers and a diversification of channels in business models
In a world of constant evolution, it is not surprising that, in the last two years, sales and the way in which they are produced have changed more than in the entire previous decade. This implies that customers expect new responses and a diversification of channels in business models that are in line with their new demands.
In this way, and according to the report Digital trends 2024 for SME growth of Adigital, it is estimated that in the coming years 80% of sales will take place through digital channels and, therefore, that tools and platforms such as marketplaces and search engine campaigns continue to gain a large part of the commercial ground, not only today, but in the years to come.
Marketplaces
Good examples of this are marketplaces business model of transactions between companies (known as B2B for its acronym in English, business to business) for example:
- Alibaba, a leading global platform that was founded in China and connects millions of buyers and sellers around the world.
- TomasNet, one of the main B2B marketplaces focused mainly on North America, which also facilitates commercial connections between global entities and whose specialty is connecting industrial buyers with suppliers and manufacturers.
- Amazon Business, which has more than 6 million customers and offers products with specific features and discounts, and reached a turnover of more than $35 billion in 2023.
This type of growth in virtual commercial spaces is largely due to several determining factors such as:
- The increase in digital solutions that can be implemented in the market.
- The breadth of financing options and economic support for trade.
- The acquisition of greater management capacity in complex value chains that senior managers or profiles that make important decisions in companies have achieved.
In this sense, the scope of sales and the opportunities they represent also change since, by offering international services, the showcase also crosses borders to increase its reach and format and enrich audiences and clients at the same time.
Search engines
On the other hand, campaigns on search engines like Google or on social networks like LinkedIn or Facebook help in decision-making and generating contacts within a much more segmented audience. At this point, variables such as location, position, level of responsibility, niche, years of experience are taken into account. expertise and other user data that is very effective in capturing leads (that is, people interested in the services or products offered).
In line with the above, it is evident that trade on-line between companies is in an evolutionary process that strengthens trust in the digital channel and promotes hybrid sales models, even combining business models that add the implementation of SEM campaigns (or brand positioning in search engines, Search Engine Marketing) with landing page design (landing pages) specific to obtain specific information from potential buyers.
Ultimately, the dynamic commercial environment of recent years has caused significant changes in the way sales are made, driving a rapid transition to digital channels.
It is projected that 80% of transactions will be in digital commerce over the next few years and will involve continuous adaptation to the tools in a commercial landscape in constant transformation, as already highlighted in the aforementioned report.