Summary:

70% of B2B buyers are now Millennials & Gen Z digital natives, according to Forrester. This changes the demands B2B sellers face; how B2B buyers source & buy products is evolving.

In this episode, we explore the tech ecosystem for B2B commerce, how vendors are evolving to satisfy B2B buyer & seller demands, and the key features and processes that underpin successful B2B commerce.

Our guest expert is Jason Greenwood, who runs Greenwood Consulting, one of the leading B2B consultancies & hosts the popular The Ecommerce Edge Podcast.

Podcast discussion guide:

Most companies overlook a game-changing secret in B2B ecommerce: just how urgently they need to modernise their tech, and what happens if they don’t.

Jason reveals the critical shifts shaping the future of industrial, regulated and highly complex industries. We explore how AI, agentic commerce and the evolving digital expectations of millennial and Gen Z buyers are redefining B2B sales.

You’ll discover:

• Why legacy tech stacks, tribal knowledge and outdated processes are holding companies back
• How real-time, AI-powered automation is poised to revolutionise everything from compliance to customer experience.

If you’re a B2B leader, vendor or agency grappling with modernising complex supply chains, understanding regulatory hurdles, or competing in a rapidly shifting market, this episode is your blueprint for staying ahead.

Jason shares behind-the-scenes insights on the industries least served by current platforms and how tailored, compliant solutions will unlock billions in new revenue.

We break down:

• How emerging AI and agentic protocols are making B2B interactions smarter, faster and more seamless than ever before
• The critical role of compliance, regulation and industry-specific needs in platform selection and digital transformation
• Why traditional sales teams resistant to digital are the biggest obstacle, and how to reframe incentives for success
• The future of self-serve, conversational and multimodal commerce channels in highly regulated industries
• Practical frameworks for identifying your tech gaps, setting realistic expectations and navigating an ever-evolving ecosystem of B2B platforms

This isn’t just a tech update; it's a call to action. The market is racing towards a future where compliance, complex products and personalised digital experiences will determine who leads.

Jason is a renowned B2B consulting expert, with over 26 years of experience helping manufacturers, distributors and platform vendors unlock digital transformation. His insights could be the difference between falling behind and dominating the next wave of B2B growth.

Chapters:

[00:30] - Introduction to the episode and guest Jason Greenwood.

[02:30] - The impact of AI on B2B buying behaviour.

[06:00] - The speed of technological change and adaptation in B2B

[09:40] - The importance of human skills versus AI capabilities.

[13:20] - The critical role of relationships and trust in B2B commerce.

[21:30] - Overcoming legacy sales processes and tribal knowledge issues.

[26:00] - The influence of evolving buyer demographics and expectations.

[31:15] - Platform evolution: Shopify, BigCommerce and B2B-specific systems.

[36:40] - AI-driven agentic procurement.

[41:10] - How to evaluate and choose the right B2B platform.

[46:00] - Emerging technologies for complex, regulated B2B industries.

[56:00] - Strategies for digital transformation in traditional B2B organisations.

"Building with native capabilities allows us to create an optimised experience. It reduces dependency on third-party apps, ensuring better performance and flexibility to adapt as business needs evolve. This approach empowers us to maintain control over the user experience and make dynamic changes without being constrained by external limitations."

Michael Klim, Co-founder & CTO at Commerce-UI.

ABOUT THIS EPISODE:

What drives a business to replatform varies; from current platform constraints, to changing business operational needs and onerous running costs. Project complexity also varies, depending on the size of business, systems architecture, business processes and geographical spread.

However, all projects share common challenges, including the need to unearth how a business really works and build a solution that delivers on functional and operational needs whilst being usable and fixing known issues, all within an acceptable cost model. To achieve this clarity is required, and businesses and their agency partners need to make compromises to deliver the project within agreed guardrails.

This podcast explores how Commerce UI took a brief from Lupine's CEO to rebuild everything, unify everything & rebrand everything across a hybrid DTC and B2B business, and collaborated with the client to build a viable solution based on detailed analysis of the wider business needs for ecommerce.

We focus on the process Commerce UI and Lupine went through to achieve project goals, not the platform they chose.

What you can expect:

• Replatforming challenges: every project is unique, with different technology decisions and complexities. Common challenges include change management and making compromises for optimal outcomes.
• Discovery process: a thorough discovery process is crucial, involving understanding branding, digital UI/UX and operational improvements. This helps align the technical solution with the brand's vision.
• Front-end decision-making: choosing between headless and theme-based solutions depends on team composition, future plans and specific project needs. A theme was chosen for its B2B advantages and design flexibility.
• B2B Capabilities: Shopify is evolving in the B2B space, offering open APIs and tools like Shopify Flow for custom logic, though it doesn't yet match enterprise-grade solutions.
• UI/UX Considerations: balancing the needs of D2C and B2B users requires distinct approaches, as each group has different intents and requirements.
• Product Configuration: Using native tools like metaobjects allows for flexible and scalable product configurations, reducing dependency on third-party apps.
• Change management: successful projects require managing client-side change, as new systems alter team operations and expectations.

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What you'll learn:

• The evolution of Salesforce Commerce Cloud and the drive to rediscover its competitive edge.
• How AI is enhancing user experience and agility.
• Strategic priorities and future directions for enterprise commerce.

Summary:Salesforce Commerce Cloud has long been considered a heavyweight in the enterprise ecommerce space, but has lost many SME clients to platforms like Shopify with more compelling roadmaps. As it ramps up investment in the platform, we explore what type of business it is relevant to now, and why.In this episode, Rob Smith, SVP of Commerce at OSF Digital, pulls back the curtain on the platform’s evolution, and what it really takes to compete with newer, leaner solutions like Shopify and Centra.You’ll discover how Salesforce’s focus on multi-country, multi-language management keeps it in the upper right of Gartner’s Magic Quadrant = suitable for large, complex brands.Rob answers common challenges:

• What common refrains are still applicable?
• Has recent investment in AI, React-based architecture and agentic merchandising made it more agile and user-friendly, especially for fast-paced replatforming projects?
• What's the minimum GMV a retailer needs to make platform investment viable?

We break down the real costs, implementation speed and much criticised admin experience, plus what’s coming next.We explore the strategic priorities Salesforce is doubling down on, from AI-enhanced search and recommendations to scalable infrastructure that’s built for trust and uptime. Rob shares candid insights into how the platform is balancing between enterprise needs and simplifying the admin experience without sacrificing power. Whether you’re considering a Salesforce project or just want to understand its future trajectory, this episode provides a nuanced, honest view of what to watch for.Hit play now to explore whether Salesforce Commerce Cloud can keep pace with your next big growth move, and how its latest innovations are tailored to enterprise commerce.Chapters:[01:00] Salesforce Commerce Cloud market segmentation, target business size & recent evolution.[05:45] Challenges related to admin complexity and platform usability.[07:00] Salesforce's maturity for multi-country, multi-language, multi-currency setups.[09:25] The new Salesforce reference application built on React and Tailwind.[10:40] AI-driven front-end development and automation in replatforming projects.[12:10] Suitability of Salesforce for different business sizes and use cases.[13:30] Speed to market and platform deployment times.[16:15] AI and agentic tools integration for marketing and content management.[17:30] Licensing fees and cost flexibility for enterprise clients.[19:45] Admin UI improvements and UX enhancements.[21:15] Strategic focus areas including search & recommendations.[26:20] Handling complex enterprise requirements versus mid-market needs.[27:45] Balancing feature richness with partner ecosystem and third-party integrations.[34:35] Salesforce's strategic direction towards integrated data, marketing and commerce tools.[39:00] Practical limitations and user experience gaps in current platforms like Shopify.[42:15] The shifting landscape of legacy enterprise platforms and Salesforce’s position.