B2Basiakkaita

B2Basiakkaita, or business-to-business customers, are organizations that purchase goods or services to support their own operations, production, or resale, rather than for personal use. In B2B markets, purchases are typically larger in value and involve formal procurement processes, longer decision cycles, and multiple stakeholders, in contrast to consumer-oriented purchases.

Common B2B buyers include manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers, professional services firms, technology providers, and public sector bodies. Buying decisions are driven by factors such as total cost of ownership, return on investment, product or service compatibility with existing systems, scalability, and the quality of post-purchase support and maintenance.

The purchasing process often follows needs assessment, market research, requests for proposals or information (RFPs/RFIs), vendor evaluations, negotiations, contracting, and implementation. Relationships are typically managed through key account management and longer-term contracts, with emphasis on service levels, integration capabilities, and ongoing value delivery.

From a sales perspective, B2B requires account-based or solution-oriented approaches, close collaboration with procurement teams, and demonstrations of measurable value. Common metrics include net revenue retention, average revenue per account, customer lifetime value, and sales cycle length, as well as churn and renewal rates.

Current trends in B2B purchasing include digitization of procurement, e-procurement platforms, AI-assisted sourcing, and digital contract management. Security, compliance, and sustainability considerations increasingly influence supplier selection, alongside globalization and the growing use of platform ecosystems and marketplaces.