Key Insights from B2B eCommerce World Americas 2025

The Novatize team recently attended B2B eCommerce World Americas 2025 in Scottsdale, Arizona, where leaders from across the Americas gathered to discuss the current state and future of digital commerce for manufacturers and distributors. During the event, Novatize was recognized as “B2B Agency of the Year” (Mid/Small System Integrator category) at the B2B eCommerce Industry Awards. Beyond this important milestone, the event provided valuable insights into how B2B organizations are approaching digital transformation, sales enablement and customer experience in a rapidly evolving market.

Here are the main takeaways from our conversations with manufacturers, distributors and digital leaders who are shaping the next generation of B2B commerce.

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1. Customer Adoption as the Primary Success Indicator

Many B2B companies still define the success of their digital commerce projects by customer acquisition metrics. However, the most successful transformations are driven by customer adoption. Early KPIs should focus on how effectively existing customers are using and benefiting from new digital tools. When current customers adopt a platform and recognize its value, they become credible ambassadors and drive future acquisition organically. Building loyalty and advocacy within existing relationships remains the most reliable path toward scalable B2B growth.

2. Collaboration Between Manufacturers and Distributors Creates Measurable Growth

A key insight from the discussions was the strategic importance of collaboration between manufacturers and distributors. Manufacturers benefit from better visibility into how distributors use digital platforms and what their customers expect. Distributors gain stronger partnerships, improved responsiveness, and access to optimized product information. Transparent collaboration and data sharing enable both sides to strengthen the value chain and respond more effectively to evolving buyer needs.

3. Education Drives Adoption More Than Incentives

Incentives such as discounts or rewards can encourage short-term adoption, but lasting engagement is achieved through education. B2B organizations that prioritize training and internal communication create stronger adoption among both customers and employees. Sales and marketing teams, in particular, play a key role in this process. When they are confident in the tools and their value, they become advocates who accelerate change rather than resist it.

4. AI Readiness Begins with People

Artificial Intelligence was a recurring topic throughout the event, with many organizations acknowledging that transformation begins at the individual level. According to the Deloitte Digital study presented at the event, 45% of B2B organizations already use AI within their sales processes. In most cases, this adoption began with individuals testing AI tools and sharing successful practices before wider implementation. AI readiness is not only a technological investment; it is a mindset that grows through curiosity, experimentation, and gradual integration into daily operations.

5. Digital Leadership Comes from Practice

Effective digital leaders combine business understanding with hands-on technological experience. They learn through testing, iteration, and collaboration rather than relying solely on theoretical planning. This type of leadership builds trust within teams and creates alignment between strategy, operations, and technology. Action-oriented leadership remains one of the most consistent success factors in B2B digital transformation.

6. Change Management is the Foundation of Every Transformation

Among all topics discussed, change management was unanimously recognized as the most critical factor in successful digital initiatives. Strong leadership alignment, clear communication, and continuous employee engagement are necessary to ensure that new platforms and tools are effectively adopted. Organizations that invest early in structured change management strategies achieve stronger results and a higher return on investment.

7. Digital Enablement Equals Sales Enablement

One key takeaway summarized the tone of the event:

“By leveraging digital services for customers, you’re enabling sales”.

Digital transformation is no longer a cost center; it has become a growth engine. With the right structure and governance, measurable ROI can be achieved within months. Furthermore, 47% of B2B buyers now expect a self-service digital experience (according to the study presented by Deloitte Digital), demonstrating that digital enablement is now an essential part of the sales process, not a future goal.

8. Unified commerce as a B2B operating model

More and more B2B organizations are adopting unified commerce as their core operating model. The goal is to centralize commercial rules, product data, and customer history to deliver a seamless buying experience across all channels, as website, sales reps, marketplaces, punchout, and more. This model connects ERP, PIM, CPQ, CRM, and eCommerce systems through a shared layer. It's then consistent pricing, real-time availability, reliable lead times, and a clear view of the customer journey, regardless of the channel.

Moving Forward

The discussions at B2B eCommerce World Americas confirmed that the B2B industry has entered a new phase of digital maturity. Manufacturers and distributors are no longer asking whether digital transformation is necessary; they are now focused on how to execute it efficiently, integrate technology across teams, and generate profitable growth.

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At Novatize, we continue to support B2B organizations across North America in this evolution. Through strategic consulting, Shopify B2B implementation, and system integration, our goal is to help manufacturers and distributors modernize their operations and build digital ecosystems that enable sustainable performance.