chapter 5 : the B2B online presence 1 : Introduction Two issues are significant in加拿大留学生电子商务营销论文代写 B2B marketing: The method of both the decision–making process and the actual purchase differs from B2C, and The range of products varies dramatically Firms make use of the Internet in their purchasing as a source of information Garrido Samaniego et al (2006)  2 : B2B buying practices Importance of the decision making unit (DMU) The key decisions to be made with regard to B2B buying practices revolve around being aware of: How your potential customers go about their buying decision, and Who – within the buying organization – has the responsibility for seeking information on the product that will meet its needs These issues can be addressed by reviewing the B2B buying process – or cycle  3 : The B2B website Tenants of good website design no less important on B2B site Develop content to meet all stages of the buying cycle: Problem recognition Specification development Search for products (if off-the-shelf) or search for supplier (if bespoke) Evaluate products and suppliers Arrange purchase After sales service  4 : Lead generation The nature of B2B marketing and procurement makes this the key objective of the majority of B2B websites Key issues include: Appropriate calls to action on website Mediums of communication offered Who handles the initial contact Must be seamless link between ‘online’ and ‘offline’  5 : e-Marketplaces Often industry or market specific – also act as communities or portals – often restricted membership Mirrors ‘consumer’ equivalents Three parties involved: buyers, sellers and marketplace providers Not a ‘fit and forget’ solution – e–marketplaces should be constantly monitored for activity  6 : Online auctions and tendering Staples of B2B trading for decades – Internet has eased the process Auctions:  Forward – quality, quantity and specifications of goods are made known and interested parties make bids against each other, with http://www.liuxuelw.com/jianadalunwen/ the highest bid buying the goods  Reverse – the buyer announces what they wish to purchase and then inviting bids to satisfy those wants Tendering Buyer makes known their requirements and invites interested parties submit an online bid by a pre–determined deadline – buyer reviews all of the bids and selects most suitable end