How composable commerce can help B2B companies thrive

In our previous blog post, we delved into the intricacies of B2B commerce and examined the difficulties and potential for implementing omnichannel strategies to overcome B2B challenges. Today, we will explore the B2B composable commerce approach, which has the transformative power to reshape the B2B landscape and its challenges.

What is composable commerce?

Composable Commerce is a development approach that allows businesses to innovate using a modular development approach using best-of-breed components. Unlike a monolithic application, where users are embedded with an out-of-the-box commerce tool, composable commerce allows B2B organizations to construct their own customized commerce solution that caters strictly to their unique business requirements.

This approach empowers organizations to adapt swiftly to market demands, stay ahead of the curve, and achieve growth and success, as stated in a 2020 study by Garner. It predicted that by the end of this year, organizations that embrace composable commerce will gain a significant competitive advantage, surpassing their rivals by a staggering 80% in speed and efficiency in implementing new features. 

Choosing between a monolithic and composable approach

So now the question B2B Businesses face is: should I remain with a monolithic system or make the jump to composable commerce? To make a well-informed decision that aligns with an organization’s needs and objectives, it is crucial to thoroughly comprehend the available options and carefully consider the benefits they bring.

Monoliths: the all-In-one solution

The traditional monolithic approach works well for smaller organizations with a centralized vision and an emphasis on all-in-one solutions. It involves implementing a comprehensive, ready-made system encompassing various ERP features and processes. While monolithic systems are generally perceived as simpler to implement, making them suitable for organizations with fewer resources, their tight integration poses challenges when scaling during company growth.

Composable commerce: flexibility for scalability

In contrast, complex organizations facing diverse operational requirements and integrating multiple systems can benefit from adopting a flexible, composable approach. Rather than relying on a single solution, organizations can leverage the flexibility of a composable architecture to adapt to their individual requirements.

One of the key aspects of B2B composable commerce is the ability to integrate different systems through the development of connectors and services. These connectors act as bridges, allowing different systems to communicate and share data seamlessly. This agility in integrating disparate systems is crucial for adapting to market trends, scaling operations effectively, and ultimately delivering exceptional customer experiences. 

“One of the biggest underrated advantages of composable commerce is to be able to pay almost entirely only for what you actually use or plan to use as a business. When you opt for a monolithic all-in-one solution, you end up with a lot of features but maybe some features you have very little use for. In the composable world, you can tailor the price tag and experience to your customers’ and your internal team’s needs”. Carl Lafleur, Digital Strategist at O2 Commerce.

Overcoming hurdles with B2B composable commerce solutions

Unlike a rigid monolithic system, composable commerce offers independence, modularity, and retro-compatibility. This flexible approach allows organizations to manage their commerce infrastructure and easily introduce new functionalities without disrupting the entire system. The modularity allows for smoother upgrades, as individual components can be updated or replaced without affecting the entire ecosystem. This level of control and agility ensures that B2B organizations can adapt to the ever-changing business landscape and stay ahead of the competition.

How to get started with composable commerce

If you’re thinking of switching to a composable commerce architecture, you must step back and evaluate your current technologies. You’ll need to start by mapping out the different systems and their purposes within your commerce ecosystem and identifying key functionalities and how they interact. Then you’ll need to emphasize promoting independence and integration among these systems, allowing them to function autonomously while enabling data sharing when necessary.

While adopting a headless composable commerce framework can future-proof your business, the transition process can be complex.  To learn more about whether composable commerce is right for you, our team of experts is here to provide you with information, and to guide you to ensure a seamless and successful implementation. Contact O2 Commerce today!

Drive B2B Success with O2 Commerce’s commercetools B2B accelerator

At O2 Commerce, we recognized the need to simplify the digital journey for B2B organizations. To address this, we developed O2’s B2B commercetools accelerator, which brings together the best ecommerce tools to help businesses maximize their online capabilities.

Through strategic partnerships, we collaborated with leading industry players: 

• Commercetools: to leverage their expertise thanks to their exceptional ecommerce solutions.
• Akeneo: a global leader in Product Experience Management (PXM) and Product Information Management (PIM) solutions
• Vue Storefront: a powerful frontend tool that ensures seamless and engaging interactions.
• Bloomreach: a suite of products that drive true personalization and digital commerce growth.
• Balance: for automated checkout, payment processing, and reconciliation for streamlined transactions.
• Google Cloud Platform: thanks to their robust data capabilities for data management.
• Contentful: to empower frontend experiences with their dynamic content management system

O2’s B2B commercetools accelerator is the ultimate solution for B2B ecommerce businesses. We guide and equip organizations with the tools and knowledge they need to accelerate their ecommerce success implementation. Our streamlined approach guarantees rapid results, surpassing competitors to elevate their brand to unprecedented heights in B2B ecommerce.

To find out more, you can consult our articles on composable commerce.