The SMB Secret to Winning B2B Online with Christiane Soto

The First Wave of B2B eCommerce Failed—But Not for the Reasons You Think

According to Christiane, many manufacturers and distributors did dip their toes into eCommerce over the past decade. But the results were mixed. Why?

Because the platforms they used were built for consumers. Retrofits were expensive. Integration was limited. Teams didn’t adopt the tools. Customers didn’t get the experience they expected. In some cases, eCommerce just created more work for everyone.

Now, those same companies are hesitant to try again, not because they don’t believe in digital, but because their first experience burned them.

What’s Changing in 2025? Everything.

Christiane points to two major shifts reshaping the landscape:

1. Competitive Pressure: Mid-market companies are losing customers to digital-first competitors, not because of price, but because of convenience. When a rival can close a reorder in 30 seconds, your 3-hour meeting loses its edge.
   
2. A Changing Workforce: Gen Z is now entering the B2B workplace. These digital natives expect to order parts the same way they order Taco Bell, online, fast, and trackable. They’re not asking why it’s digital. They’re asking why it isn’t.
   

Defining B2B eCommerce: It’s Not Just a Shopping Cart

Christiane is quick to challenge a narrow definition of B2B eCommerce. It’s not just selling parts online. It’s:

• Warranty registration and transfers
  
• Sharing tailored price lists with distributors
  
• Enabling rep portals to support field sales
  
• Complex fitment data for aftermarket parts
  
• ACH payments, not just credit cards
  
• Custom user roles under a single account
  

For Nomad’s customers, eCommerce isn’t a website. It’s a better, faster way to serve the channel, whatever that channel looks like.

The Real Work: Integration, Change Management, and Education

At the heart of every successful B2B eCommerce implementation is tight integration with the ERP. “ERP is the lifeblood of the business,” Christiane says. But ERPs are customized, messy, and unique. That’s why Nomad’s superpower isn’t just a platform, it’s the ability to pull from the ERP, CRM, CMS, and third-party databases to deliver a unified digital experience.

But even the best integration means nothing if no one uses it.

That’s where change management and education come in. Christiane was candid about the need for better training and support in the B2B eCommerce space. Unlike B2C, there’s very little content that helps companies navigate this transition. It’s why Nomad partners with associations to push certification and training, not just software.

As Christiane put it: “You don’t know what you don’t know. And you don’t know what to ask.”

Why the Mid-Market Needs a Purpose-Built Platform

Nomad is unapologetically focused on the mid-market, companies between $10M and $250M in revenue. These organizations don’t have internal dev teams or deep IT budgets. They need a partner who can build, host, support, and continuously update a platform that just works.

And that’s exactly what Nomad does. From HVAC to fasteners to restaurant supply, they specialize in companies that sell parts, OEM, aftermarket, or wholesale.

Many of their clients already have direct-to-consumer websites. What they lack is a wholesale experience that matches the complexity and nuance of their actual operations. Nomad fills that gap.

The Stakes Are Higher Than Ever

In industry after industry, digital convenience is winning. Whether it’s Milwaukee Tool in construction or a fast-growing restaurant supply competitor, the story is the same: the more seamless your buying experience, the more loyalty you earn.

Christiane summed it up perfectly: “You’re not losing business because your competitors are cheaper. You’re losing it because they’re easier to buy from.”

Final Take

If you’ve tried eCommerce in the past and it didn’t stick, that doesn’t mean digital isn’t for you. It probably just means you used the wrong tool.

The good news? There are now platforms built for how B2B really works, and partners like Nomad who know how to integrate, educate, and support you through it.

Because in B2B, transformation doesn’t start with a shopping cart.

It starts with knowing your business, and building from there.

Contact Christiane | Nomad eCommerce

Christiane Soto

Nomad eCommerce

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