It use to be that Business-To-Business (B2B) eCommerce had all the exciting technologies. There was RFID, EDI, internet (yes internet started with Government and businesses), broadband, fiber optics, electronic payments, cloud computing, wireless, and so on. This was neat stuff. Now it seems that person-to-person (P2P) communications is using all the neat technologies. Things like cell phones, wireless internet, YouTube, social networks, Twitter, and so on.
B2B eCommerce |
Most businesses seem to be still caught in the Dot.com bubble of 2001. Web sites still look about the same as in 2001. Seems like most companies print more paper per employee than a decade ago. Businesses have limited information on their customers and what they should be selling them. Companies have limited B2B ecommerce and integration with most of their trading partners. Many companies have spent too much on technology with nothing to show for it. Other companies have spent too little on technology as they are unsure how to us it.
Hopefully soon, we will breakout of this B2B logjam. Technology integrators need to do a better job of selling B2B ecommerce solutions that add value to the businesses. Businesses need to do a better job of understanding B2B ecommerce technology and how they can use it to provide superior products and services. Seems like both IT and businesses have focused too much on the “shiny, new” technology instead of figuring out what works for a given business. P2P ecommerce and information exchange has rapidly outdistanced anything going on in B2B ecommerce.
See Scobleizer posting, What are the tech bloggers missing? Your business! on how tech bloggers get too focused on the “shiny, new” technology instead of communicating the value the technology can provide to a business.
Tags: B2B, eCommerce, EDI, internet