B2B Customers Buying Behavior

Purpose – The presented paper aims to characterize the main differences and similarities between B2B as well as the commercial customers buying behaviors. Design/Methodology/Approach – The authors’ approach is based on the literature and research review, concerning the B2B customers buying behaviors. The authors assess buying behavior of professional clients. Findings – Based on the analysis, we can ind out that the use of electronic means of cooperation between the companies continues to grow in strength and dynamics. It seems that the distribution model, where the supplier runs his own B2B shop, maintains its position only in case of strong market players. Small and weak players will use the universal marketplaces. We observe growing “self-service with everything”; providers will pass on to buyers and systems, most actions which they can perform by themselves. Practical implications – The outcome of the analysis can teach managers to act on the B2B electronic markets, how to organise the multi-channel sale systems and how these systems can be used by both, commercial and business customers. Original value – The original value of the paper is that we have presented the general analysis of possible future expectations of B2B business customers, as well as those customers buying behaviors which regard to the use of the omnichannel sale. Article type


Introduction
Modern e-commerce sale between businesses (B2B) is changing as fast as trade between individual consumers (B2C).The development of the Chinese market and the global Internet companies, such as eBuy, Alibaba and Amazon in the B2B market, caught the attention of researchers, consultants and entrepreneurs on the speciics of buying behavior of professional clients.It was noted that the construction of  In the online environment, sellers are better prepared to associate their offer to the deman various stages of the process.There are used available tools to lead their purchase decisions On the basis of more than 100 B2B organizations, authors conclude that the company increase number of potential customers, a 10% increase in the number of new customers buying pro first time, and about 20% of the shortened time between registration of the contact and clos authors clearly distinguish the nature, and the differences between the purchases of the com purchase of the individual consumer.It is characterized by the following features: a larg research before the product buying; careful examination of the technical specifications an purchase procedures; analysis of the cost of the transaction; focusing, in particular, functionality; increasing the number of people participating in the procurement proces requirements in relation to the sales representatives of the company offering solutions.require from the sales representatives excellent technical preparation and knowledge of the b Source: Lingqvist et al. (2015).
In the online environment, sellers are better prepared to associate their offer to the demand of buyers in various stages of the process.There are used available tools to lead their purchase decisions much faster.On the basis of more than 100 B2B organizations, authors conclude that the company increased by 20% the number of potential customers, a 10% increase in the number of new customers buying products for the irst time, and about 20% of the shortened time between registration of the contact and closing sales.The authors clearly distinguish the nature, and the differences between the purchases of the company and the purchase of the individual consumer.It is characterized by the following features: a large number of research before the product buying; careful examination of the technical speciications and the formal purchase procedures; analysis of the cost of the transaction; focusing, in particular, on product functionality; increasing the number of people participating in the procurement process, as well as requirements in relation to the sales representatives of the company offering solutions.They usually require from the sales representatives excellent technical preparation and knowledge of the business of the company to which they offer their products and even personal guidance for merchants if they are available on social network sites.
Interpersonal relationships one to one increasingly turn into relations one to many, and will have great signiicance also for the submission of requests for proposals and the inal decision.Suppliers can never be certain that long-term relationships provide them with the order, because the relationship to other bidders are not directly visible.Moreover, contacts at other levels of decision-making can prevail and transfer the order to other bidders.
A report published on the website Traxpay.comshows that customers expect B2B purchase experience similar to those offered by Amazon (Amazon-like experience).Professional clients, representatives of companies, compare their storefronts with Amazon.comsite, which is a kind of benchmark.As better than Amazon -deined 17% of corporate websites, and 48% -as inferior, even though in relation to the competition usually evaluate them as better or at least comparable.It seems that the Amazon site is seen as a model deining the direction in which the development of online trading systems should aim (traxpay.com, 2015).
A wider analysis of the differences between B2C and B2B markets from the point of view of marketing presents Wieczerzycki (2013).The author analyzes four groups of factors related to: 1) the duration of the interaction, 2) the perceived role and behavior of the customer, 3) B2C vs. B2B market structure and 4) the subject of interactions of marketing.Detailed analysis of these factors' groups author concludes that "[...] classically understood marketing dichotomy in B2B and B2C loses offered cognitive value.The differences in some cases disappear".
Demographic change generations of buyers and managers enterprises have a signiicant impact on the formulation and method of implementation of the purchasing procedures.Johnson (2016) makes comments on the perception of the business environment by people born after 2000 (Millennials).Companies offering products and services on the Internet are the irst choice for a new generation of partners.In addition, they do not distinguish the offers for individual as well as for business professionals.They just use the whole resource and demand to take into account their habits.The author presents ive areas in which there are observed signiicant changes.At irst, he mentions considerable development of the omnichannel model along with the growing use of smartphones.Currently, Millennials take over more and more positions in companies (34% compared to 29% occupied by the Baby Boomers) expecting consistent service across all channels.Another important factor in running a business is to reduce costs in companies (up to 90%).It causes that the current self-service offer turns into a full-service for both customers and employees.Another observation of the author concerns the linking application platform in the cloud.They result in a new, easier form of integration between systems of different partners and instant reach to the customer with multi-dimensional and full range of integrated partners that support payments, logistics and so on.What is more, globally available solutions allow quick services and platforms to be tailored to customer segments and proile business without hiring programmers or purchasing servers.All this causes a signiicant acceleration in the development of new business ideas, the most tested in the market B2C which now is ready for use in the B2B market.
Observations on the demographics were made by Snyder & Hilal (2015) as well.They emphasize that there has been a signiicant change in the age of sale systems users.A clear difference was noticed in the group aged 18-34.In 2014, this group accounted for 18% among persons engaged in the search for business purposes.In 2015, it was 46%.As a result, the inluence of this group on the companies' activities and the environment is becoming more and more evident.The mindset of customers from this group and shaped ways of working will affect the structure of businesses with whom they cooperate.They expect, among other things, full-text search products, immediate reaction of a supplier in question, prefer a multimedia online communication between business partners (Figure 2).The buyers for the business move their behavior from the world of individual consumers.They expect the same functionalities in purchase for companies and a similar quality of service on the part of sellers.This position presents Kaplan (2015).She describes the changes in behavior and professional treatment of customers by the suppliers of a strong position portals like Alibaba and Amazon.Their entry into the professional market accelerated the transformation of purchasing systems.B2B portals were modeled on the online stores comparably to those designed for retail customers.In the construction of environments for professionals, as well as retailers, there has been highlighted the shaping of a positive customer experience throughout the purchasing process.This approach treats the person as a buyer, who has his/her expectations, experience and -at least to some extent -the will to perform unplanned purchases, sometimes being inluenced by recommendations.The author also draws attention to the changing model of purchasing on the B2B market with a one-tomany to many-to-many model.This is conirmed by data from the market B2B of the Alibaba and the Amazon portals (Frost & Sullivan, 2015).Being signaled change is that currently such tenderers do not supply the entire range of products, but also provide a platform for other suppliers.It becomes a source of virtuous growth of sales, according to the principle: more products attract more customers, and more customers attract more suppliers.

Characteristics of the B2B market
Data on B2B e-commerce market are dificult to access.Frost & Sullivan (2015) estimate the value of the global market to sell online B2B model in 2020 to a value of about 6.7 trillion (1 trillion = 10 12 ) dollars, which will constitute 27% of the total market trade.The market value of the sales professional e-commerce can also be estimated on the basis of available data from the B2C market.According to eMarketer.com( 2016), global retail sales in 2016 will reach the volume of 22.1 trillion dollars.Predicted sales in 2020 will reach 27.8 trillion dollars.Online sales is estimated at 8.7%, giving a value of 1.9 trillion dollars in 2016.The estimation for 2020 is 4.1 trillion dollars, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD, 2016) provides data on the e-commerce market in 2015.The estimated online sales to retail customers was estimated to be worth 2.2 trillion dollars.While the value of the professional market is estimated at 19.9 trillion (Table 2).The largest retail market by the number of online shoppers is China, and the second -the United States.The B2B market is dominated by the United States with the estimated result of the sale of more than 6 trillion.The second place is occupied by Japan and China with sales of 2.3 trillion and 2.0 trillion dollars.
According to the Ecommerce Foundation (2016a, 2016b), online retail sales in 2015 amounted to 2.3 trillion dollars (10 12 ), and in 2016 will reach 2.7 trillion US dollars, an increase of 17.5%.Sales structure includes 62% of goods and 38% of services.In many cases it is dificult to assess whether the given data refer only to sales of goods or also include the sale of services.Data on sales of goods alone give such Statista (2016).Analyzing the categories of goods such as clothing, electronics and utilities, groceries and furniture and equipment -sales value for 2016 is slightly lower than that according to the report of Ecommerce Foundation and is worth 1.2 trillion dollars, giving a share of around 44% of sales of goods in total e-commerce market.
European B2C market value is estimated at around 2.59% of GDP and amounts to 455.3 billion (10 9 , approx.505 billion dollars), which is approximately 22% share of The market value of B2B e-commerce in Poland was estimated in 2015 at 2.15 billion PLN (Bałkowiec, 2015).The analysis of the e-commerce market in Poland took Laskowski and Poszewicki (2015).The authors regarding the trends in the development of Internet commerce refer to commonly cited areas: mobile, personalization, multichannel and combining traditional sales and website.On the other hand, Malinowski and Senkus (2015) focused on the B2B market in Poland.Citing CSO data for the period 2012-2014, they estimated the value of the professional market at 2.2 billion PLN, of which 10-12% is B2B e-commerce, which gives a value of PLN 0.124 billion.According to the Eurostat (2015), the market value of B2B may be even ten times more than a similar value for the consumer market.

Deinition
The concept of omnichannel is popular in the scientiic literature (see eg. Lazaris, 2014;Deloitte, 2015;Yenna, 2015).It should, however, refer to the understanding of the omnichannel concept by managers.Rutkowski and Górazda (2016) deine omnichannel as a solution related to technology and strategy, which involves the synergy of online and traditional sales.Omnichannel marketing as consistent and penetrating the communications in multiple channels simultaneously, allows brands to tell a single story whenever the consumer desires to interact with them.As a result, the receiver provides a similar experience, regardless of the communication channel, if the device is enjoyed by him/her.This requires consistency and the creation of such a strategy of brand communication, which can be translated into all the channels in which it is present.Currently, the consumer can come into contact with the brand at the point of sale, on the website of the brand in the mobile application, its channels in social media, television, outdoor advertising, press, etc. His/Her experience across all channels should be consistent and complementary.The television campaign may, for example, redirect him to social media, and social media to the website of the brand.Consumer can start buying product on a mobile device, and then move on to another device.What is more, there are many channels to choose from, and the customer can use them at the same time (e.g. the phenomenon of second screen -watching TV and using the mobile device at the same time).The main advantage of multi-channel marketing is greater brand exposure and easy access to its contact.Omnichannel allows you to reach consumers in multiple locations simultaneously and increases the reach of the brand.Marketing activities created in this way are also more consistent and relect the creation of a consistent brand image.
Brand presence across multiple channels also provides more information about consumers and can better understand their behavior.It also requires a focus on data analytics and conducting research to accurately identify which devices customers use when you are most likely to receive marketing messages.
The concept of omnichannel gains popularity as a model in trading companies.Bełcik (2014) refers to the research conducted by the Unity, the IT company (Unity, 2014).The company examined 25 stores of the category: DIY, household appliances and electronics, cosmetics, footwear, furniture and accessories, assessing omnichannel conducted to their businesses.According to a study, Polish shops are still far from widespread implementation of multi-channel strategy.There are a few market leaders and rising customer expectations, but the companies conine themselves to running the basic functions of an online store, leaving aside the full integration and improvement of channels.

The scope and development of multi-channel sales
The authors of the Forrester report (2015) present study business of customers in multichannel sales model.The study included 1,307 decision-makers from 750 companies from the USA, Europe, Latin America and Asia.The analysis shows that about 25% of B2B customers buying products online were using the Internet to identify the offer.Interestingly, 33% of them start searching from retail stores, 26% use search engines, and only 17% on sites designed for business.Respondents estimate that a total time spent on the sites for the purpose of purchasing is increasing, compared to previous years, increasing the percentage of all purchasing activities performed online and the total value of purchases in this channel.Respondents (professional clients) emphasize that they are willing to re-purchase from suppliers who have a transparent pricing system and offer consistently low prices, a wide range of products and excellent service.Through excellent service they understand individual approach, assistance during the purchasing and after-sales service.Each of these factors has accumulated more than 55% of the votes of participants.The second group of factors valued by clients includes personalized recommendations, various payment options and multichannel -these options are granted 33% to 39% of the votes.The authors also pay attention to the fact that it is necessary to use information technologies, agile processes, supporting purchases in real-time, as well as the employment of competent people capable of creating multi-channel systems involving customers, which consequently provide them with excellent shopping experience and build lasting relationships.
Interesting approach to multi-channel sales of WiFi technology presented Ważyńska (2015).The author notes that logging in to the WiFi network in retail chains, convenience stores, service points, hotels and restaurants provides marketers a multidimensional customer proile.Clear information about the free WiFi service, increases the prestige of the premises as well as attracts and encourages customers to take advantage of this free service.In order to log into the network, customers must provide an e-mail.They also express consent to receive shipments marketing.Another option is to use a login proile with social networking, which further reveals customer data.In such a situation, it is easy to get to the age, gender or interests of the client.Additional marketing can induce the client to the activity in the media provider, which leads to building individual customer proile.Thus, the use of customer data to proile the media is no longer just a matter of professionalism of the marketing department of the service provider.The use of Social WiFi in the B2B customer segment is performed frequently on trade meetings, in hotels or in training.Orrigo (2015) in her article draws attention to the phenomenon of the increasing use of applications on smartphones in B2B relationships.The conclusions from these observations include the statistics presented in Table 3.
On the other hand, Forte ( 2014) reports that about 7-10% of visits to B2B sites comes from mobile devices; over 52% of customers use smartphones to browse the products related to their business, 61% watch professional video clips, and 57% is constantly looking for content related to business -even during working hours.Customers use their smartphones to browse the reviews and recommendations (56%), product information (55%), comparing the characteristics of the products (50%) and price (48%).Suppliers shall respond to the needs associated with the increasing use of smartphones.Most of the providers surveyed (57%) say that the move from the sphere of activities ofline to online and virtual self.Many of them (44%) say that B2B e-commerce adopts the best solutions for the consumer market in order to optimize the purchasing process.22% and 15%).Answering the question "The prefered method of disposal" most respondents indicated e-commerce (78%).Mobile application, call center and e-mail indicated 19% of study participants and stationary shop only 11%.Apart from doing shopping and using multiple channels, personal contact is still important for B2B clients.Professional clients expect their purchase needs are met without leaving the ofice, suggesting that the role of a sales representative is still necessary and irreplaceable.
Research on B2B customers doing shopping for the needs of non-productive products, was well conducted by Forrester (2014).The study was carried out on a sample of 1,500 employees in companies employing more than 500 people in Australia, China, France, Germany, the USA and Great Britain.Research shows that the majority of purchases (76%) are performed by searching the offer and acceptance of superiors.In these cases, there are no formal procedures for purchasing goods or service.Nearly 36% of purchases are performed through internal shopping portals, while 47% of respondents admitted that they are used to certain restrictions as far as the freedom to purchase in the market is concerned.A large group of respondents (66%) admitted that before the purchase, there is made an on-line diagnosis, and 59% of buyers use the predeined list of suppliers or even speciic products.Over 55% of employees surveyed expected an increase in the purchases performed using the Internet.This is facilitated by a variety of payment methods which they can use.

Creating value in the process of B2B sales
The presented research results emerging a set of values cherished by B2B customers.Respondents also answered the question "What is most important in post-sale?".In the irst place it was indicated the response time (85%), whereas the professional service (63%) comes second.So, professional clients appreciate the service time, personal relationships and professional sellers.The role of retailers also conirms answers to questions about preferred method of contact (telephone to contact a sales representative or by e-mail).Marketplanet (2014) conducted a survey among purchasing managers and sales managers using the portals to offer products and make a purchase for business purposes.The study was aimed at presenting the most important elements in cooperation between buyers and sellers in the area of value creation.Key indings from the survey are summarized in Table 4.
The results show good consistency in the perception of cooperation or how to use online tools for buyers and sellers.Perhaps the market is so transparent and open and mutual relationships between buyers and sellers in the professional market created common perception of value and a kind of business empathy.Buyers need the corporate value of the well-known brands, low prices and a positive shopping experience.In addition, they expect good quality product data, quick service and transparent delivery costs.Motivating factor is also the option of tracking.What prompts B2B customers to repeat purchases, is the low price and the total evaluation of the quality of service.Brown et al. (2007) analyze the role of the brand in the process of decision-making in the context of company purchase.The authors go back to the deinition of the brand formulated by Kotler (1991, p. 442), understood as a name, a set of signs and symbols, whose purpose is to distinguish the products of the seller from the products of its competitors.Products are considered to be more valuable if they belong to a particular brand.Of course, compared to the situation in which these products were devoid of brand (Ailawadi, Lehmann and Neslin, 2003).The perception of the brand is relected in recognition, values and image.
Brand is particularly important in the case of purchases of complex products whose quality can not be recognized alone through an analysis of attributes or if the buyer is not willing to make such an analysis.For business customers, the situation is further complicated by management system, in which the person making the assessment of the product is assessed by the supervisor.In such a situation, there is support for the product brand, which is recognized in the industry as it was increased value for money, while giving psychological safety of those who decide to buy. Brown et al. (2007) conclude the discussion on the role of brand in the B2B procurement process in four aspects, presented in Table 5.The authors point out several times on the situational context of individual and group purchasing decision, as well as their consequences.

Context Type of risk Description
The organizational context The risk of a decision of an individual and a group Recognizable brand with an appropriate reputation with less perceived risk of making the wrong decision, so in the sense of individual responsibility and the whole team.

The psychological context
The risk of economic decisions and eiciency costs Brand can reduce the risk of purchasing decision if you communicate the arguments of rational choice of the product by reducing or proper balancing the emotional components of motivation.

Risk relationships with clients
Brand communication should take into account the use of the product by the company in activities that maintain and strengthen its market position and inal customer satisfaction.

Risk of ordinariness, risk of use diiculties
Brand should ensure its customers treating them in a unique way.On the one hand, it should communicate the uncompromising quality in solving the problem, the ease of use within the company, a friendly attitude and a unique perceiveness of provider as a bidder.
Source: Own calculations based on Brown et al. (2007).
Table 5.Four contexts of risk reduction by proper use of the brand in the B2B business

Conclusions
The Internet provides a wealth of information on the market for professional B2B.However, it is often imprecise.Nevertheless, based on the analysis of research indings presented above, we can draw some important conclusions regarding the emerging model of e-commerce B2B and the values, cherished by customers in the process of B2B purchasing e-commerce.They were characterized below.
1.The role of the Internet in B2B activities.It seems that the direction of the increasing use of electronic means of cooperation between the companies continues to grow in strength and dynamics.With the change of generations of buyers and sellers' extensive use of the network in the whole range of available forms, it will penetrate to the companies and include more and more new areas of application.2. One-to-many, many-to-many.It seems that the distribution model, where the supplier runs his B2B shop, maintains its position only in case of strong market players.Small and weak players will not be able to get enough popularity and trafic.In this case, the model quickly quelled growing popularity of universal (marketplace), such as e.g.Amazon and Alibaba, who are reporting double-digit increases in turnover year-on-year (Forbes, 2016;Internetretailer, 2014).3. Global market vs local market.Trading platforms such as Amazon, Alibaba, eBuy, or Allegro will play a large role in the purchasing of non-production, and the search for new suppliers.It seems that this way of realization of purchases will not have decisive signiicance for purchasing professionals.They require continuous and specialist contact and the relationship between buyers and sellers.These relationships and proven ways of cooperation form the basis of contracts for the professional market.Of course, geographical proximity and cultural diversity may lose value or even cease to be important in the process of purchasing.4. Blurring differences in individual and business customer experience.Business customers in everyday life are consumers.In shopping for the needs of corporate accept service of similar quality, while others require a specialized approach.One of the key areas speciic to B2B relationships is an individual pricing system.Business customers accept the differences in prices for different customers and even require differentiation.Companies usually combine the price with the volume and repeatability purchases.B2B customers are demanding payment for their loyalty in the form of a good price, or special handling facilities and automation (e.g.EDI).They strive to optimize costs.Proffesional customers expect a detailed technical description of the product.At the same time, retail customers expect photos, graphics and synthetic description of the technical characteristics and utility of the product.5. Multichanneling.For B2B customers transition to the electronic channel will increase.Professional clients are often equipped with several devices with Internet access, so access from each of them to the purchasing platform can be accepted with appreciation.However, not all of them will be used for immediate purchases.
Often, because they are used to verify the nature, availability or price of the goods.Many customers, even professional shopping companies, consider it a too serious step to carry it out on one's smartphone, in a coffee shop, or while travelling.Undoubtedly, however, B2B clients will not have any inhibitions to use all channels of communication and identify the offer, including salespeople, call center and shop stationary supplier.6. Self-service with everything.The appetite for reducing servicing costs will rise.
Providers will pass on to buyers and systems, most actions that they can perform by themselves.This will allow access to products, but with limited service in the use of personnel through a call center or a unit dedicated to key customers.The sales force will be transferred to the task of acquiring new customers, leaving regular customers in electronic self-service.More discussion on this topic can be found in the article by Johnson (2016).7. Scope of the offer.Most professional customers look for speciic products.They do not need a wide range, but a trusted source of speciied ranges.8.The role of trademark.In the process of B2B, brand is of particular importance.
It constitutes a kind of insurance in case of errors in purchasing decisions.On the one hand, "support" of the decision on buying a product with a good tradmark results in the success of product's usage, on the other hand, recognized brand with a stable market position does not leave the company itself in case of implementation of dificulties.In such situations, you can take advantage of the seller's experience and lexibility behind the product brand.Despite the popularity of the idea that e-commerce systems for professional clients may be downloaded from the retail market, a closer examination of the B2B market, even on the basis of the online publication, reveals signiicant differences.Professional clients will expect speciic treatment and sales systems take into account their requirements (see e.g.Parry, 2015).
clients and analysed signiicant differences in relation to the process of purchasing made by individual consumers.The consultants of McKinsey Company developed a spiral model of corporate purchases, shown in Figure 1.differences in relation to the process of purchasing made by individual consumers.The c McKinsey Company developed a spiral model of corporate purchases, shown in Figure 1.

Figure 2 .
Figure 2. Searches for corporate purchases by age groups

Figure 3 .
Figure 3. Retail e-commerce sales (USD bilion) Pobrane z czasopisma International Journal of Synergy and Research http://ijsr.journals.umcs.plData: 15/09/2023 13:41demand is the main motivating factor for their companies to run multi-channel sales.Subsequent entries submitted in the ranking are the factors associated with the convenience of users and cost optimization (Figure4).Source: Forrester (2015).

Table 3 .
The E-Commerce Poland report(2015)was prepared on the basis of online questionnaires obtained from 50 representatives of 11 industries: electronics/appliances/photo, home and garden, computers and accessories, books and media, sport and tourism, automotive, clothing, cosmetics and pharmacy, hobby, children, food.A picture from the research emerges the perception sale of B2B e-commerce.Respondents indicate the use of the traditional sales channel supported website and catalog (36%) or all channels (44%).Only 4% of respondents use the traditional channel only.This may indicate the ongoing process of digitization of distribution model for professional sale.The most commonly used tool to assist traditional trade is electronic mail (89%) and online catalog (67%).Social media (33%) and mobile application (22%) are used much less frequently.Almost half of respondents (47%) said that online tools have changed the way of communication with customers.A large number of respondents (33%) noted an increase in the number of customers, a 20% increase in sales or even a change in the structure of the company.The majority of survey participants (74%) indicate e-commerce as a key channel for business purposes, 41% use stationary shop and e-mail, and 37% perform shopping sales representative.Call Center and mobile applications accumulated the lowest number of votes ( Orrigo (2015) (2015).