Open, closed or a combination.

We encounter the following 3 variants:

1. Open shop: In this variant, the customer has direct access to the products and prices and an order can be placed immediately.
2. Closed shop: With a closed webshop, the range is behind a login. A customer can sign up for an account and after possible approval, the customer gets access to the portal with its own prices and possibly its own assortment.
3. Combination: A combination between an open and closed webshop is also possible. For example, while showing the product range to all visitors, logging in is required to place an order or see customer-specific prices.

Open shop: the pros and cons

An open webshop gives customers instant access to products and prices, which is beneficial for attracting new customers and generating leads:

• Customers can easily browse the range and make purchases directly;
• Because with an open webshop the entire product portfolio is publicly accessible, search engines are able to index the pages. More visibility in the search engines means more website traffic, more brand awareness and more sales potential. 

For many business customers, showing prices or a product range online is just not desirable. In that case, you quickly end up with a webshop that requires the customer to log in.

Closed webshop: the pros and cons

Unlike an open webshop, a B2B portal requires customers to sign up to access the range and prices. This offers a number of advantages:

• Because each customer has to log in, it is easier to have specific pricing agreements and payment terms for each customer.
• In addition to ordering, more information can often be displayed after logging in, thus serving the customer even better. Examples include order history, outstanding invoices and documents and attachments.

A disadvantage of a closed webshop can be that it can be a barrier for potential customers who do not want to (or cannot) create an account before making a purchase. In addition, your product range is not findable online so your product range cannot help attract new customers.

When do you choose an open webshop or a B2B portal?

The choice between an open webshop and a B2B portal depends on several factors, including customer type and strategic objectives. Below, we share some considerations:

• Determine what type of customers your shop serves: showing prices is usually more suitable for shops that operate in both the B2B and B2C markets, as well as for shops that mainly serve small-business customers. Small business customers prefer to place orders directly via the web shop because of the (usually) smaller order sizes.
• Map out your webshop's objectives: if your webshop focuses on attracting new customers and generating leads, an open webshop is a good option. However, if your webshop has a solid and existing customer base, specific price agreements and assortments, then a B2B portal is preferable. A customer case of a company that recently implemented a B2B webshop where direct ordering is possible is Mister Pop.

The combination

Increasingly, we also see a combination of the open or closed B2B webshop. After logging in, the webshop offers all the functionalities of a full B2B portal, but the choice is made to make the product range visible online. Here, prices are often hidden or a recommended retail price is displayed, but the customer benefits from the online visibility of the product range. Click here for the customer case of Artificial Grass Specialist Using a combination.

Want to know more?

Want to know more about which option is most suitable for you? We would be happy to advise you on the options and best practices for your business. Or check out our B2B guide with even more information on B2B webshops. Need more information on this topic? Then don't hesitate to contact us for more information or a demo.