Portugal ranks fourth among European Union countries with the lowest percentage of companies selling in the B2B channel (company to company) and/or on B2G (business to the government) via websites, applications and/or marketplaces.
The conclusion is of “The B2B Future Shopper Report 2023,” a study conducted by Wunderman Thompson, a creative, consulting and technology firm. And besides being at the bottom of the table, “over the past five years, the country has narrowed the gap with the European average in this area, ranging from 1.7 percentage point (pp) in 2018 to 5.6 percentage points in 2022,” Gonçalo Rodrigues, advisory director at that agency, told Dinheiro Vivo.
In fact, national companies “mark the pace compared to other European countries, a reality that even large companies cannot escape”, the official underlines, referring to the study that states that this situation is observed in Portuguese companies of all sizes.
And while there is a positive correlation between company size and the representativeness of sales through digital channels, large Portuguese companies show a hole even larger compared to their European counterparts than small and medium sized companies, details from the manager.
On a global level, the study states that within five years, about 60% of business-to-business (B2B) product purchases will be made over the Internet. Currently, this type of acquisitions is around 49%. The automotive, textile, clothing and footwear, pharmaceuticals and medical devices, food and beverage, and beauty and healthcare sectors were identified as the key areas showing high dynamism in B2B commerce.
The public sector is also distinguished by the need for transparency and compliance in public procurement, where digital media play a central role and Portugal is no exception to this reality. Wunderman Thompson’s research also revealed that B2B buyers worldwide are not as loyal as one might expect.
About two-thirds of buyers said inflation made them more willing to switch suppliers, while about half said the impact of the pandemic, especially with increased remote work, made them less loyal to suppliers with whom they had personal relationships .
Economic factors such as better contract terms, prices and discounts were identified as the main reasons for switching suppliers, along with the variety of products available and operational factors such as delivery time and ease of returns.
To reverse this trend, the study points to the need to be competitive, but emphasizes that price should not be the only answer. Other factors relevant to the B2B purchase decision include the quality and variety of products, operational capability (delivery, returns, and purchasing process), supplier reputation, recognized expertise in products or services, and the ability to provide value-added services. to deliver.
Similarly, the study found that about 70% of B2B buyers say they are more likely to buy from companies that innovate. According to Gonçalo Rodrigues, “who is not seen, is not remembered”, more immediate solutions can be: ensuring a good traffic generation strategy through creative content and a website that highlights the main competitive factors of the brand, as well as its products and services reflects , call for purchase or contact.
Mónica Costa is a journalist for Dinheiro Vivo
Source: DN
