In many B2B commerce implementations, the default features provided by Optimizely Configured Commerce may fall short, particularly when it comes to managing or storing custom data. This blog will outline how to create and work with custom database tables within the platform, ensuring flexibility without altering core system components.

What Are Custom Tables?

Custom tables are user-defined database tables used to hold additional information about products, customers, orders, or other business-specific data. They allow developers to expand the platform’s capabilities without interfering with the existing database schema, which supports better maintainability and easier upgrades.

Why Create Custom Tables?

Here are the key reasons to implement custom tables in Optimizely Configured Commerce:

• Storing metadata or attributes that don’t naturally fit into existing system tables
• Supporting business processes that require unique data structures
• Keeping the core schema that clean while enabling platform customization

Steps to Implement a Custom Table

Creating a custom table involves adding a new table via a SQL script and configuring it to run automatically using the Optimizely bootstrapper.

1. Set Up the Project Structure:
   Begin by creating a folder named DatabaseScript at the root of your Extension project.
   
2. Follow Naming Conventions:
   Use the following format for naming your SQL script files: YYYY.MM.DD.SS.DescriptiveName.sql
   • YYYY = year
   • MM = month
   • DD = day
   • SS = sequence number for that day
     This convention ensures scripts run in the correct order and version control is maintained.
3. Mark Script as Embedded Resource:
   To ensure the bootstrapper can detect and execute your script, set its Build Action to Embedded Resource in the properties panel.
   

Example: Creating a Custom Table for Product Data

Let’s say you want to store extra product details. You could create a table called ProductExtensions using a script named 2025.06.03.01.Table_ProductExtension.sql. To proceed, this file should be added to the DatabaseScript folder and marked as an embedded resource with the following content:

Once you execute the script, the system creates a custom table named Extension.ProductExtension in the database, as shown below:

Guidelines for Custom Table Design

• All custom tables, views, and stored procedures must exist under the Extensions schema.
• You can modify and load data into other schemas, but DDL operations are restricted to the Extension schema.
• Each custom table must include a primary key field named Id of type uniqueidentifier with a default of newsequentialid().
• Include audit fields like CreatedOn, CreatedBy, ModifiedOn, and ModifiedBy, all non-nullable and set with proper defaults.
• Add indexes on commonly queried fields like ErpNumber and Id.
• You can define foreign key relationships to dbo schema tables, since the Extensions user has permission to reference them.

Script Execution and Bootstrapper Behaviour

When the application starts, the bootstrapper checks for new database scripts and runs them. It also logs each executed script in the DatabaseScript table. To re-execute a script, however, you must delete both the custom table and its entry in the DatabaseScript table. On the next application start, the system will execute the script again and relog it.

Conclusion

Custom tables in Optimizely Configured Commerce offer a powerful way to tailor the platform to your organization’s unique data and functionality needs, all without compromising the integrity of the core system

Reference: Create custom tables with an entity and WebApi

For manufacturers, customer experience is no longer a differentiator, but a growth strategy. We’re proud to share that Perficient was selected as a company interviewed for Forrester’s May 2025 report, “Transform Your Manufacturing Extended Enterprise For Maximum Business Impact.”  We believe being interviewed for this report underscores our leadership in helping manufacturers modernize their digital ecosystems to deliver seamless, scalable, and personalized experiences across the value chain. 

Access the report here. 

Partnering With Manufacturing Companies As They Digitally Mature 

At Perficient, we have a proven track record in integrating complex systems like PLM (Product Lifecycle Management), PIM (Product Information Management), and OMS (Order Management Systems) to streamline product content and availability. 

As Forrester notes in the report, “As B2C digital experiences become more convenient and more B2B buying groups include younger members, manufacturers must curate, enrich, and distribute product content that supports compelling customer experiences at every touchpoint in the product buying group’s journey.” 

Our client-centric approach addresses these real-world challenges in manufacturing CX — from abandoned carts due to inaccurate lead times to inconsistent product content across channels. We also regularly publish thought leadership on leveraging AI and generative AI to scale personalization and automate product data management. 

“We’ve seen firsthand how aligning product data, systems, and customer expectations can unlock real business value, and we’re proud to contribute to the broader industry conversation on what it takes to lead in this space.” – Kevin Espinosa, Director of Digital Strategy and Manufacturing Industry Lead 

Perficient’s Vision for the Manufacturing Extended Enterprise 

Key insights the Perficient team provided in their interview for the Forrester report included the critical role content plays in customer experience, the responsible use of AI, strategies for overcoming organizational silos, the importance of inventory accuracy, and the path to digital maturity. 

Perficient’s position is that these changes should be addressed with urgency, and we are well-positioned to offer expert guidance. Below are some brief perspectives on each of these topics. 

Content is the Cornerstone of CX 

Accurate, timely, and localized product content is essential to building trust and driving conversions. This is especially true in B2B and D2C manufacturing, where buying decisions hinge on technical accuracy and availability.  

According to a recent Perficient survey of multiple manufacturers, commercial customers, and consumers of connected products, trust in a manufacturer is critical for the end consumers in making a buying decision. Providing consistent, accurate and up to date information about the products is a crucial first step in establishing this trust factor. 

AI is a Game-Changer — But Only When Used Responsibly 

Generative AI is transforming areas like product design, search, product descriptions and recommendations, virtual agents, agent assistance, coding, content creation, narrative reporting, and process automation, but human oversight remains critical. Our vision for the future of genAI includes agentic architectures where AI agents validate each other’s outputs and flag for human review, ensuring quality and compliance before content reaches the customer. 

System Integration is the Secret to Speed and Scale 

Manufacturers often struggle with siloed systems and disconnected teams. We’ve helped clients overcome these barriers by integrating PLM and PIM systems, establishing clear ownership models and creating enterprise-wide catalogs that reduce friction and accelerate time-to-market. 

Syndication and Availability Drive Revenue 

A number of our clients have experienced abandoned carts and dissatisfied customers when ATP (available-to-promise) and lead times are not available or inaccurate. Further, if the ordering experience is different online than the information received when calling an agent, the credibility of the brand is at risk. From ATP data to local inventory visibility, we help manufacturers ensure that what’s promised online matches what’s available in reality.  

Maturity Matters 

We help manufacturers assess and evolve their digital maturity, from foundational capabilities like centralized content management to advanced practices like AI-powered hyper-personalization and dynamic UI generation based on user personas. 

Invest in End-to-End Digital Transformation for Manufacturing 

We believe that Perficient being interviewed for the Forrester report is a validation of our commitment to helping manufacturers transform their extended enterprise for a differentiated customer experience. Whether you’re looking to modernize your product content strategy, integrate complex systems, or harness the power of AI, Perficient is the partner to help you lead with confidence. 

Explore our manufacturing industry expertise and our portfolio of commerce and contact center capabilities that make an excellent customer experience a reality. 

Shoptalk Spring 2025 in Las Vegas is only a few weeks away, and our experts cannot wait to reconnect with brands and discuss where the industry is headed. They have been busy scheduling meetings, packing their mics, and making predictions about which technologies and strategies retailers and ecommerce brands will be placing their bets on this year.  What do they believe is a safe bet?

Will you be there? Let’s schedule some time to chat over a coffee, tea, or cocktail.

An Agenda that Centers On the Customer

Nothing tells the story of ecommerce and retail this year quite like the topics making up the conference’s agenda. Across the agenda, key themes rise to the top like innovation in retail media, customer centricity, the concept of hospitality within retail, and the transformation of customer journeys using new technologies. Justin Racine, Principal of Commerce Strategy, points out that he is most looking forward to hearing from Liza Lefkowski, Chief Merchant and VP of Stores for Wayfair. She will discuss Muse, their new AI-powered tool for personalized home shopping and how it will lead to better customer experience. Another keynote that our senior strategist, Timm Henderlight, is excited about is “Re-Imagining Gap for a New Golden Age,” presented by Richard Dickson, President and CEO of Gap Inc. While this session focuses on unified commerce, there will be additional sessions on ecommerce personalization and retail media strategies.

Our team is eager to listen in and be a part of the conversation about what it means to be customer-centric and how brands and consumers need to come together to humanize the shopping experience. More than ever, brands are embracing connection with their customers and creating a personal experience rather than a transactional one.

Will Brands Take Risks or Play It Safe?

Our experts are going all-in on several bets that retailers might be taking, including mobile apps, augmented reality, and increased AI usage. The house doesn’t always win, however, and Timm suggests that a few capabilities parallel each other. There’s going to be continued discussion about AI and how it’s going to change the industry, but ample opportunities for personalization at scale are often missed by retailers. We’ll continue to see disconnected experiences, whether customers are searching or browsing, usually due to retailers using different technologies. Customer identity resolution and customer data platforms will continue to play a role and should be part of everyone’s personalization strategy.

As more companies move towards personalization, our team recommends brands keep these key points in mind when deciding on a solution:

1. Primarily ensure you are not creating friction in the experience.
2. Be able to identify the customer both online and offline through previous order history and customer affinities.
3. Track intersession data when a customer is not logged in and augment the experience based on how the customer was attracted to the website.
4. Represent the customer journey from a mobile ad or paid advertisement throughout the entire experience, augmenting based on real-time signals from the customer.

Staying relevant in retail is an ongoing challenge, and it means understanding the customer across all channels. It requires having a clear omnichannel strategy and understanding how the journey inside the store touches the digital footprint. In the future, there’s the potential for beacon technology being implemented in physical retail environments, which will track your movements between departments to give in-store associates access to your previous behaviors. This will help guide the store associates and yourself to purchases you’re most likely to make based on where you’ve been. Of course, there’s so much more beyond this, and our experts can’t wait to meet with brands and discuss new opportunities during the event.

For now, watch your step: the future has a lot in store. Stay up-to-date with all the new innovations in commerce, retail + distribution, and consumer goods.

Will you be there? Let’s schedule some time to chat over a coffee, tea, or cocktail.

It’s that time of year when everyone comes out with their trends to watch for 2025. While it may seem a bit of a cliche, 2025 has several innovations taking hold that should prove exciting for anyone willing to grab the opportunity.

The way businesses buy and sell is changing faster than ever, and B2B companies are at a tipping point. It’s a segment of business that is often slow to change and adopt new practices. However, more organizations are moving away from traditional processes, embracing online platforms to streamline operations, expand their reach, and deliver better customer experiences. This shift isn’t just a trend—it’s a revolution. Recent research shows that the global B2B e-commerce market is expected to surge from $28.86 trillion in 2025 to $60.49 trillion by 2030, growing at an impressive annual rate of 15.95% (Mordor Intelligence).

These numbers make it clear that businesses that fail to adapt risk being left behind. To stay competitive, it’s critical to understand the key trends shaping the future of B2B e-commerce. In this article, we’ll discuss four trends for B2B in 2025 and how businesses should use them to drive growth.

Trend 1: Hyper-Personalization in B2B Purchasing

Let’s face it—personalization isn’t just a buzzword anymore; it’s a game-changer quickly becoming a requirement, especially in the B2B world. Buyers today don’t just expect personalized experiences—they demand them. Long gone are the days when a one-size-fits-all catalog could satisfy your clients. Modern B2B customers want solutions that feel tailor-made for their business and deliver them seamlessly.

Hyper-personalization takes this concept to the next level. Businesses can offer customized product recommendations, dynamic pricing, and personalized purchasing portals by leveraging AI and data analytics. Imagine being able to present each client with a tailored experience based on their buying history, preferences, and unique business needs. It’s not just about making sales but building trust and long-term relationships.

If you’re not sure where to start, the key is data. Drive deep into your customer data to uncover patterns and preferences. Then, use that information to craft experiences that feel truly individualized. AI-powered platforms make this easier than ever, helping you predict client needs and meet them proactively.

Want to explore this topic in more detail? Check out my previous blog on Micro-Moments in E-Commerce, where I break down the strategies and tools you can use to make personalization a cornerstone of your business.

Trend 2: Omnichannel Excellence for B2B Buyers

Buyers expect more than just a seamless shopping experience—they expect consistency, no matter how or where they engage with your business. Think about your purchasing habits. Whether browsing on your phone, checking inventory on your laptop, or following up with a sales rep in person, you expect everything to align. Your clients are no different. They want to start a transaction on one channel and finish it on another without skipping a beat.

For example, a buyer researching your product catalog online adds items to their cart but pauses to confirm specs with a colleague in the warehouse via a mobile device. Later, they call their account manager to finalize the purchase. If your system isn’t fully integrated, they’ll need to repeat information or deal with errors, which is a frustration no one wants.

Omnichannel excellence means ensuring that every touchpoint—your e-commerce platform, mobile experience, customer portal, or sales team—works flawlessly. This requires more than technology; it’s about aligning your processes and teams to deliver a unified experience.

Here’s the good news: Omnichannel strategies drive serious results when done right. Research shows that companies with strong omnichannel engagement retain 89% of their customers, compared to just 33% for those with weaker strategies. This retention can translate into significant revenue growth in B2B, where relationships are king.

To get started, focus on unifying your systems. Ensure your CRM, e-commerce platform, and inventory management tools speak the same language. And don’t forget your team—sales, support, and marketing must be aligned to provide consistent messaging and service across channels.

Trend 3: Embracing Headless Commerce for B2B Agility

Businesses are turning away from a single implementation platform to headless commerce to keep up with growing demands and shifting buyer expectations. If you’re unfamiliar with the concept, headless commerce is about separating the front end—the part your customers interact with—from the back-end systems that manage inventory, orders, and data. You’ll often hear this referred to as a “best in category” concept. This separation allows for customization and speed that traditional, monolithic platforms can’t match.

Why does this matter for B2B? Your buyers expect tailored experiences that adapt to their needs; headless commerce makes delivering that possible. For example, imagine offering each of your major clients a custom storefront where they can see products, pricing, and order histories unique to their account—all without overhauling your entire back-end system.

The numbers back up the importance of this trend. The global headless commerce market is projected to grow at an impressive CAGR of 22.5%, reaching $13.2 billion by 2035 (Modern Diplomacy). By 2025, 35% of businesses are expected to adopt headless platforms to meet the demand for more personalized, scalable solutions.

For B2B businesses, headless commerce isn’t just about keeping up; it’s about getting ahead. The ability to quickly update your user experience, scale as your business grows, and seamlessly integrate with third-party tools puts you in a position to outpace competitors while delivering exceptional service to your buyers.

Going headless is not without risk and should not be undertaken lightly. The key to a good headless strategy is to accept that with greater flexibility comes an elevated cost of ownership. I’m not just referring to a monetary cost of ownership—though that is part of it—but also to the investment of your team members’ time in managing multiple systems.

Trend 4: The Rise of Social Commerce in B2B

When you think of social commerce, it’s easy to picture consumer brands selling trendy products on Instagram or Facebook. But here’s the thing: B2B companies are catching on and social commerce is quickly becoming a powerful tool for engaging clients, building relationships, and even driving sales. In fact, 75% of B2B buyers now use social media to inform their purchasing decisions. Platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, and even Facebook aren’t just for networking anymore—they’re where decision-makers research solutions and connect with potential partners. (Demand Sage)

The rise of social commerce in B2B makes perfect sense. Today’s buyers, just like consumers, value authenticity and accessibility. They want to see real-world applications of your products or services, hear success stories from peers, and interact with your brand personally and immediately. Imagine hosting a LinkedIn Live demo of your latest software, where potential clients can ask questions in real time or share customer testimonials on Twitter that spark new inquiries. These interactions don’t just showcase your offerings—they build trust and credibility.

And the momentum behind social commerce is undeniable. Nearly half of all brands, including those in the B2B space, plan to increase their social commerce investments in the coming year. Meanwhile, the global social commerce market is projected to grow from $1.52 trillion in 2025 to an incredible $5.32 trillion by 2030, at a CAGR of 28.53%. (Mordor Intelligence)

If your B2B strategy doesn’t include social commerce, now is the time to rethink your approach. Engaging with clients where they already spend their time online is no longer optional—it’s essential for staying relevant and competitive. As 2025 approaches, leveraging social platforms can help you build meaningful connections, showcase your expertise, and drive growth in a fresh and forward-thinking way. Out of the four trends we’ve discussed so far, I see this one as requiring the lowest lift to get started and the highest amount of pushback in an industry known to be slow to adopt new marketing methods. However, the data supports this as a solid growth opportunity.

Conclusion

2025 is shaping up to be an incredible year for B2B e-commerce. With market share growing and new technologies reshaping how businesses connect with their customers, it’s an exciting time to be part of this space. Trends like hyper-personalization, omnichannel experiences, and headless commerce are more than just buzzwords—they’re the key to staying competitive and thriving in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.

But with so much change on the horizon, the question isn’t just about recognizing these trends—it’s about acting on them. How will your business leverage the opportunities that 2025 brings? Whether creating seamless buying experiences, building trust through social platforms, or reimagining your digital infrastructure, the growth potential is enormous.

At Perficient, we specialize in helping businesses like yours capitalize on the latest B2B e-commerce trends. Our experts can guide you through the complexities of digital transformation and equip you with the tools and strategies to succeed in this dynamic market. Let’s work together to position your business for success in 2025 and beyond.

Ready to take the next step? Reach out to us today and discover how we can help you lead the way in B2B e-commerce.

Optimizely Configured Commerce provides a unique way of managing emails. This allows administrators to configure and manage the email templates and settings used for automated email communications with users. This feature is essential for ensuring consistent branding, and operational efficiency in a B2B e-commerce environment. And most importantly, those emails are setup automatically and should not require many updates.

However, in some scenarios, you might need more customizations when working with emails. This article will provide more insights about Optimizely Configured Commerce’s Emails that have not been covered in the documentation. You will get some ideas on how to deeply customize the Email Templates and also, send emails using the B2B framework from Optimizely.

Prerequisites

Before jumping into customization, you need to have fundamental understandings about Email Administration in Configured Commerce.

• This will help you know more about the process flow for how emails are sent: https://docs.developers.optimizely.com/configured-commerce/v1.5.45-b2b-sdk/docs/defining-working-with-and-troubleshooting-email-lists-and-templates
• You also need to be able to work with Email Templates in admin console effectively: https://docs.developers.optimizely.com/configured-commerce/v1.5.45-b2b-sdk/docs/creating-and-editing-email-templates

How to send email with Optimizely Configured Commerce

In Optimizely Configured Commerce, emails are sent automatically when a certain event occurs on a webpage (for example, order confirmation email is sent when submitting an order). However, some actions are not associated with sending mails. If you want to do that, like sending a notification email to the new registrant, you have to put some code inside your custom handlers, or Web API Controllers. Using .NET SmtpClient is a good choice, but in the scope of this article, I would suggest utilizing the EmailService inside the B2B framework that we’re using. The reason is you can benefit from the Email Administration feature that is integrated to Configured Commerce, from managing email templates to monitoring the email message logs, etc. Every mail sending through the EmailService will be kept track of inside this screen:

As being said, here’s how you can send the email any time with B2B Email Service (along with explanation):

// getting email template from IEmailTemplateUtilities (you need to inject this interface in your controller)
var emailTemplate = emailTemplateUtilities.GetOrCreateByName("MyCustomEmailTemplate");

// retrieving the content manager from the email template
var emailTemplateContentManager = emailTemplate.ContentManager;

// using IContentManagerUtilities to get the current version of the email body (you also need to inject this interface in your controller)
var htmlBody = contentManagerUtilities.CurrentContent(emailTemplateContentManager).Html;

// now create the email model to store the dynamic data. It's basically an ExpandoObject
dynamic emailModel = new ExpandoObject();
emailModel.Name = "John Doe";

// Parsing the template. For example, the placeholder [[Model.Name]] in the html body will be replaced with the actual data of emailModel, which is "John Doe".
// You need to inject the IEmailService before using it
string strEmailBody = emailService.Value.ParseTemplate(htmlBody, emailModel);

// Send the email with Configured Commerce's IEmailService
var sendEmailParameter = new SendEmailParameter();
sendEmailParameter.ToAddresses = new List<string>(){ "john.doe@test.com" };
sendEmailParameter.FromAddress = "defaultemail@test.com";
sendEmailParameter.Subject = "Welcome to our site";
sendEmailParameter.Body = strEmailBody;
try
{
    emailService.Value.SendEmail(sendEmailParameter, unitOfWork);
}
catch (Exception e)
{
    // Error handling
}

You can create a new template or edit an existing one. The IEmailService will send successfully as long as it is able to find the template name, and the placeholders match with the structure of your Email Model ExpandoObject:

Customize Email Templates

DotLiquid is used to render the views of all email templates. However, seems like it’s not the standard DotLiquid syntax. The syntax has not been documented, this is what I found while inspecting the default templates:

Placeholder Syntax

The templating engine uses this syntax [[Model.PropertyName]] to render dynamic data from the Model. Since the Model is an ExpandoObject so you’re free to define any property inside. Also, there’re bunch of built-in variables for existing templates, please refer here: https://support.optimizely.com/hc/en-us/articles/4413199986957-HTML-variables-for-email-templates

If-Else Statement

Use this logic block when you want to render something conditionally.

If:

[% if Model.MyProperty != null and Model.MyProperty != "" -%]
    <p>[[Model.MyProperty]]</p>
[% endif -%]

If-Else:

<strong>
    [% if Model.FirstName!= null and Model.FirstName!= "" -%] [[Model.FirstName]] [% else -%] [[Model.LastName]] [% endif -%]
</strong>

Iteration

Use this block to loop through a list:

[% for orderGroup in Model.OrderGroups -%]
    <div>
          <p>[[orderGroup.Heading]]</p>
    </div>
[% endfor -%]

Note: As of now (Jan 2025), the templating engine hasn’t supported nested loop yet.

Site Messages

You can even use Site Messages in your templates. For example:

<span>[% siteMessage 'Welcome_Message' %]:</span>

The cool thing about it is, Site Messages can be localizable. So based on SiteContext.Current.LanguageDto (from Insite.Core.Context), it can detect the current language and translate the message automatically for you.

I hope this information will be helpful when you need to work on Email Administration in Optimizely Configured Commerce. Happy coding!

In today’s fast-paced digital landscape, ecommerce professionals must seize fleeting opportunities to engage consumers. These opportunities, known as micro-moments, represent brief, intent-driven actions where customers turn to their devices to address an immediate need—whether to know, go, do, or buy. Understanding and leveraging these moments can dramatically enhance customer engagement and drive sales.

What Are Micro-Moments?

Micro-moments are the building blocks of modern consumer behavior. Google introduced this concept to explain how digital interactions have shifted toward shorter, more targeted engagements. According to a Think with Google article, 96% of smartphone users now turn to their devices to quickly search for information. This statistic shouldn’t be a shock to anyone in modern society; everyone has had a question regarding a product or need that we recognize at the moment and pulled out our phones to perform a quick search. For ecommerce, this means adapting strategies to meet consumers where and when they need you most.

Here is a practical example of this behavior in action. A clothing retailer identified a spike in mobile searches for “best winter jackets” during cold snaps in the Midwest and Southern United States. By creating optimized product and landing pages for these searches, the retailer achieved a 30% increase in sales, according to Google on Micro-Moments case study. This case highlights why micro-moments are not just theoretical but actionable opportunities.

The Four Types of Micro-Moments

In ecommerce and DXP, success takes foresight and planning on the part of the brand to meet customers at pivotal moments in their journey. Not to boil things down to an overused phrase, but it’s amazing how lucky one is in business is proportional to how much preparation performed. By understanding the distinct types of micro-moments, companies can create their own fortunate by preparing themselves to engage consumers effectively and create meaningful interactions. Below, we break down the four micro-moment types and explore how to capture them to boost your ecommerce strategy.

1. I-Want-to-Go Moments: These moments are dominated by location-specific needs, such as finding store availability or curbside pickup options, dominate these moments. Ensure your mobile platform provides location-based services, easy navigation, and real-time inventory updates. Depending on your business, this micro-moment is either completely irrelevant or an untapped business market.Imagine that you’re a DIYer replacing your kitchen sink. I could stop right there with that description, and you would most likely know what’s coming next. You will inevitably need something from the hardware or plumbing supply store. Since customers can’t order the part and wait for it to be delivered, they will look for the closest retailer.If you have a brick-and-mortar presence, you can capture that moment by providing the customer with a dealer locator – preferably one that does geolocation. What if you were able to offer in-store pick-up? Cut down the time the Customer is trying to find the item in the store. They order online, run into the store, and are on their way.
2. I-Want-to-Do Moments: This type of micro-moment is the most misunderstood in the ecommerce and DXP space. The misunderstanding is because the moment isn’t about directly selling a product. It is counterintuitive to the primary conversion of any online business application: to convert sales. It can be hard to quantify via KPI (there are methods, but that is not the topic of this blog), but the goal is not to sell a product today. It’s to establish yourself as the trusted resource for the sale tomorrow. In this type of micro-moment, Customers are seeking tutorials or advice for a given industry or field, not about specific products. By offering how-to videos, product usage guides, and interactive customer support, brands can secure loyalty and encourage further engagement. Again, this isn’t about specific products but the industry you serve. What are your products used for? Talk about that! Position your site as a go-to location for industry knowledge.
3. I-Want-to-Buy Moments: These moments are the most straightforward. The Customer knows what they need and wants to buy it quickly. Removing any obstacles that would slow down the transaction is the key to capturing these moments. Amazon set the standard for capturing these micro-moments with its “Buy Now” options. The Amazon one-click shopping method doesn’t work for every type of ecommerce engagement, but the idea behind it does. Review your checkout or product quoting process. Are you asking for information that you don’t need? Are there too many steps? Look for fields on your form that the Customer may not know right off the top of their head. If the Customer has to leave their device to find the information you are asking for, they will not return and complete the transaction, as the moment will be gone.
4. I-Want-to-Know Moments: There is a distinction between a wanting-to-know moment and a wanting-to-buy moment. In the former, the Customer generally knows they have a need but is not entirely sure what product would best meet that need. They will complete their transaction, but first, they want to compare options, read reviews, and seek advice.The goal for capturing this micro-moment is to position your business as the subject matter expert in the field: product review blogs, videos, detailed descriptions, and product comparisons of relevant metrics. Take a moment and consider your product offering from the Customer’s point of view; what information does the average Customer need to know when considering your products? While you want to position yourself as the subject matter expert on the product offering, it is equally important to recognize that you may not know your average Customers’ primary concerns as well as you think you do. Contact your Customer Service team and find out the most asked questions. What are the most returned products and why?

Strategies to Capture Micro-Moments

1. Be There: Real-Time Presence: Review your marketing strategies. Identify the micro-moment each initiative aligns with. Adjust your strategy to account for areas you are not capitalizing on. Confirm that you have an active, long-term plan for SEO and Accessibility; both of these items are paramount.
2. Be Useful: Offer Relevant and Actionable Content: Reorganize your content to make it easy for customers to find the information they want based on their micro-transaction. Use resources like FAQs, product reviews, and social proof to add value and instill confidence in potential buyers.
3. Be Quick: Prioritize Speed and Simplicity. Page speed and intuitive navigation are critical. Ensure fast-loading websites and provide seamless user experience through one-click actions and minimal conversion steps. A key question to ask yourself at every step is, “Are we asking for this information because it will help the customer, or are we asking this information because it will help marketing?”. Focus on the customer, and the marketing data will follow naturally.
4. Be Humble: Understand Your Customers. It might sound harsh, but I base these next statements on twenty years of B2C / B2B experience. Do not assume your customers know your product line as well as you do. Additionally, do not assume you understand how customers shop for your product catalog. Unless you have data to support your claim that “you know how your customers shop,” you don’t.
5. Be Proactive: Make Your Own Luck. Like SEO and accessibility, personalization and micro-moment capture are not one-time initiatives. A dedicated initiative must be created to review, maintain, and improve micro-moment capture.

Tools and Technologies for Leveraging Micro-Moments

• Data Analytics: Track customer behavior to identify high-impact micro-moments. Build metrics around micro-moments and methods of tracking them. Hard data on behavior is key to measuring the impact of your initiatives. Vanity metrics are great, but measurable conversions to specific transaction points are better.
• Mobile-First Design: This shouldn’t even be considered optional in modern web development. Intuitive mobile design is not just a best practice but a requirement.
• AI and Machine Learning: Personalize recommendations based on predicted customer intent. If you have not already begun developing a personalization strategy for long-term growth, you need to do it now. Mobile-first used to be nice to have, but then it quickly became a must-have, and those who hadn’t jumped on it early were left behind and lost market share. AI and personalization are now at the nice-to-have stage but are already transitioning into the must-have zone.
• Robust Search: Invest in on-site search tools that provide a robust search experience. According to multiple search engine companies such as Algolia or SearchStaxs, 50% of visitors to your site will use the on-site search engine as their first interaction unless they come directly into a relevant landing page. Do not miss out on capturing these customers because your on-site search doesn’t provide appropriate results quickly.

Challenges and Considerations

While micro-moments have undeniable potential, they also present challenges. Balancing personalization with data privacy regulations is critical. Prioritize the most impactful moments for your initiative strategy and then make incremental changes based on metrics, customer feedback, and A/B testing. Accept that it is part of the long-term cost of ownership and not a single expenditure. Additionally, recognize that your product data must be in good order before starting a campaign to capture micro-moments. Poor data will dramatically increase your acquisition cost per Customer—garbage data in and out. Read more about the importance of good data as a foundation in my previous blog here.

Conclusion

Micro-moments are reshaping the ecommerce landscape by redefining customer expectations. Brands that anticipate and address these moments will gain a significant competitive edge. As you refine your ecommerce strategies, consider how to better capture and capitalize on these nuanced but powerful interactions.

Take action today: contact Perficient to help analyze your current touchpoints and determine micro-moment strategies. Don’t get left behind, be ahead of the curve and watch your engagement soar.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing B2B ecommerce, enabling capabilities such as personalized product recommendations, dynamic pricing, and predictive analytics. However, the effectiveness of these AI-driven solutions depends heavily on the quality of the underlying data. Despite AI’s potential, poor data governance remains a significant challenge in the industry. A recent Statista survey revealed that 25% of B2B ecommerce companies in the United States have fully implemented AI technologies, while 56% are experimenting with them.

As AI adoption grows, B2B companies must address data quality issues to leverage AI’s benefits fully. Anyone who has spent time in the B2B industry will acknowledge that quality data is often a struggle. This article explores the critical importance of clean data in AI applications and offers strategies for improving data governance in the B2B ecommerce sector.

Common Symptoms of Bad Data Governance

Bad data governance is a pervasive issue in the B2B ecommerce landscape, particularly in industries like manufacturing, where complex supply chains and product catalogs create unique challenges. Here are some of the most common symptoms:

1. Duplicate Records: Customer and product data often contain duplicate entries due to inconsistent data entry processes or a lack of validation protocols. For example, a single customer might appear in the database multiple times with slight variations in name or contact information, leading to inefficiencies in communication and order processing.
2. Inconsistent Formatting: Manufacturing and distribution often involve extensive product catalogs, and inconsistencies in SKU formats, product descriptions, or units of measurement can disrupt operations. For instance, some entries might use “kg” while others use “kilograms,” confusing systems and causing inventory management and procurement errors.
3. Outdated or Missing Data: Stale data, such as outdated pricing, obsolete product details, or inactive customer accounts, can lead to misinformed decisions. Missing data, like incomplete shipping addresses or contact details, can result in delayed deliveries or lost opportunities.
4. Siloed Data Systems: Many B2B companies, especially in manufacturing, rely on disparate systems that don’t communicate effectively. A lack of integration between ERP systems, CRMs, and ecommerce platforms leads to fragmented data and manual reconciliation efforts, increasing the risk of errors.
5. Unreliable Vendor and Supplier Information: Manufacturing businesses often deal with a large network of suppliers, each with varying formats for invoices, contracts, and delivery schedules. Poorly managed supplier data can result in delayed production, stockouts, or overordering.

Why is Bad Data Governance So Prevalent in B2B Manufacturing?

Unlike B2C industries, where streamlined data processes are often a core focus, manufacturing businesses face unique challenges due to their operations’ complexity, reliance on legacy systems, and decentralized structures. Understanding why these problems are so prevalent is key to addressing the underlying causes and fostering long-term improvements.

1. Complexity of Operations: Manufacturing involves numerous moving parts—raw materials, suppliers, distributors, and customers—making data governance inherently more challenging. The sheer volume of data generated across the supply chain increases the likelihood of inconsistencies.
2. Legacy Systems: Many B2B manufacturing companies rely on outdated legacy systems not designed for modern ecommerce integration. These systems often lack robust data validation and cleaning mechanisms, perpetuating bad data practices.
3. Decentralized Operations: Manufacturing companies frequently operate in multiple locations, each with its own systems, processes, and data entry standards. This decentralization contributes to a lack of standardization across the organization.
4. Focus on Production Over Data: In traditional manufacturing mindsets, operational efficiency and production output take precedence over data accuracy. Thus, data governance investments may be considered a lower priority than equipment upgrades or workforce training.
5. Limited Awareness of the Impact: Many B2B organizations underestimate the long-term impact of bad data on their operations, customer satisfaction, and AI-driven initiatives. The focus often shifts to immediate problem-solving rather than addressing root causes through improved governance.

By recognizing these symptoms and understanding the reasons behind poor data governance, B2B manufacturing companies can take the first steps toward addressing these issues. This foundation is critical for leveraging AI and other technologies to their fullest potential in ecommerce.

Why Clean Data Governance is Non-Negotiable in the AI Era

AI thrives on data—structured, accurate, and relevant data. For B2B ecommerce, where AI powers everything from dynamic pricing to predictive inventory, clean data isn’t just a nice-to-have; it’s the foundation for success. Without clean data governance, AI systems struggle to provide reliable insights, leading to poor decisions and diminished trust in the technology.

As the B2B commerce world embraces AI, those who recognize and prioritize addressing a systemic industry problem of bad data will quickly move to the front of the pack. Garbage in, garbage out. Implementing AI tools with bad data will be doomed to failure as the tools will be ineffective. Meanwhile, those who take the time to ensure they have a good foundation for AI support will overtake the competition. It’s a watershed moment for the B2B industry where those who recognize how to get the most value out of AI while those who refuse to alter their own internal workflows because “that’s the way it’s always been done” will see their market share diminish.

1. Accuracy and Relevance: AI models rely on historical and real-time data to make predictions and recommendations. If the data is inaccurate or inconsistent, the AI outputs become unreliable, directly impacting decision-making and customer experiences.
2. Scalability and Growth: In an era where B2B companies are scaling rapidly to meet global demands, clean data ensures that AI systems can grow alongside the business. Bad data governance introduces bottlenecks, stifling the scalability of AI-driven solutions.
3. Customer Experience: AI-powered personalized recommendations, accurate delivery timelines, and responsive customer service are critical to building customer trust and loyalty. These benefits rely on clean, well-governed data. A single misstep, like recommending the wrong product or misquoting delivery times, can damage a company’s reputation.
4. AI Amplifies Data Issues: Unlike traditional systems, AI doesn’t just process data—it learns from it. Bad data doesn’t just result in poor outputs; it trains AI systems to make flawed assumptions over time, compounding errors and reducing the ROI of AI investments.
5. Competitive Advantage: Clean data governance can be a differentiator in a competitive B2B market. Companies with well-maintained data are better positioned to leverage AI for faster decision-making, improved customer service, and operational efficiencies, giving them a significant edge.

Ignoring data governance in the AI era isn’t just a missed opportunity—it’s a liability. Poor data practices lead to inefficient AI models, frustrated customers, and, ultimately, lost revenue. Moreover, as competitors invest in clean data and AI, companies with bad data governance risk falling irreparably behind.

Clean data governance is no longer optional; it’s a strategic imperative in the AI-driven B2B ecommerce landscape. By prioritizing data accuracy and consistency, companies can unlock AI’s full potential and position themselves for long-term success.

How B2B Companies Can Address Bad Data Governance

Tackling bad data governance is no small feat, but it’s a journey worth undertaking for B2B companies striving to unlock AI’s full potential. The solution involves strategic planning, technological investment, and cultural change. Here are actionable steps businesses can take to clean up their data and ensure it stays that way:

1. Conduct a Comprehensive Data Audit
2. Standardize the Data Entry Process
3. Implement Master Data Management (MDM)
4. Leverage Technology for Data Cleaning and Enrichment
5. Break Down Silos with Integration
6. Foster a Culture of Data Ownership
7. Commit to Continuous Improvement

The first step is conducting a thorough data audit—think of it as a spring cleaning for your databases. By identifying gaps, redundancies, and inaccuracies, businesses can reveal the full extent of their data issues. This process isn’t just about finding errors; it’s about creating a baseline understanding of the company’s data health. Regular audits prevent these issues from snowballing into more significant, costly problems.

Once the audit is complete, it’s time to set some ground rules. Standardizing data entry processes is critical for ensuring consistency. Clear guidelines for formatting SKUs, recording customer details, and storing supplier information can prevent the chaos of mismatched or incomplete records. Employees should be trained on these standards, and tools like automated forms or validation rules can make compliance seamless.

Of course, even the best data entry standards won’t help if different systems across the organization aren’t communicating. That’s where Master Data Management (MDM) comes in. By centralizing data into a single source of truth, companies ensure that updates in one system are automatically reflected across all others. With MDM in place, teams can work confidently, knowing that their data is accurate and consistent.

But standardizing and centralizing aren’t enough if you’re already sitting on a mountain of messy data. Performing this step by hand is significantly time-intensive. Enter data cleaning and enrichment tools. AI-powered solutions can quickly identify and correct errors, deduplicate records and fill in missing fields. These tools don’t just clean up the past; they automate routine processes to keep data clean moving forward.

For many B2B companies, fragmentation is one of the biggest hurdles to clean data. Silos between ERP systems, CRM platforms, and ecommerce tools create inconsistencies that ripple across the business. Breaking down these silos through system integration ensures a unified flow of data, improving collaboration and decision-making across departments. This requires a thoughtful integration strategy, often with the help of IT experts, but the payoff is well worth the effort.

Clean data isn’t just a technical problem—it’s a cultural one. Companies must foster a culture of data ownership, where employees understand the importance of the data they handle and feel accountable for its accuracy. Assigning clear responsibilities, such as appointing a Chief Data Officer (CDO) or similar role, can ensure that data governance remains a priority.

Finally, data governance isn’t a one-and-done project. Continuous improvement is essential. Regular review of data policies and feedback from team members help refine processes over time. Establishing KPIs for data quality can also provide measurable insights into the success of these efforts.

By taking these steps, B2B companies can move from reactive problem-solving to proactive data management. Clean, well-governed data isn’t just the backbone of AI success—it’s a strategic asset that drives better decisions, smoother operations, and stronger customer relationships. In an increasingly data-driven world, those who master their data will lead the way.

Conclusion: Turn Your Data into a Competitive Advantage in the AI Era

In the rapidly evolving landscape of B2B ecommerce, integrating AI technologies offers unprecedented opportunities for growth and efficiency. However, as we’ve explored, the effectiveness of AI is intrinsically linked to the quality of the underlying data. Companies risk undermining their AI initiatives without robust data governance, leading to inaccurate insights and missed opportunities.

Perficient stands at the forefront of addressing these challenges. With extensive experience in implementing comprehensive data governance frameworks, we empower B2B organizations to harness the full potential of their data. Our expertise encompasses:

• Product Information Management (PIM): We assist in managing all aspects of your product data—from SKUs and descriptions to stock levels and pricing—ensuring consistency and accuracy across all platforms.
• Digital Asset Management (DAM): Our solutions help organize and distribute digital assets related to your products, such as photos and videos, enhancing the efficiency of your operations.
• Data Integration and Standardization: We streamline your data processes, breaking down silos and ensuring seamless communication between systems, which is crucial for effective AI implementation.

Investing in clean data governance is not just a technical necessity but a strategic imperative. With Perficient’s expertise, you can transform your data into a powerful asset, driving informed decision-making and sustainable growth in the AI era.

I was given the opportunity to partner with my colleague David Stallsmith to present at B2B Connect in San Diego, CA. We were thrilled to participate in this invite-only conference and host our session, “How to Prioritize Your Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) Capabilities: What Should I Do Now vs Next?” We summarized why D2C is important to many companies during our workshop and discussed the latest trends. Then, we reviewed the D2C capabilities segmented into three groups: basic, emerging, and innovative.

At Perficient, we have a framework called “Now, New, Next” in which we associate the “Now” category to current capabilities, the “New” category to emerging capabilities, and the “Next” category to innovative capabilities. We use this framework to talk about a company’s maturity and develop a roadmap to help them with many transformational business needs. The most engaging part of our workshop was when we gave the audience time to complete their own Now, New, Next exercise for D2C capabilities and opened the discussion about what they saw as important to them.

Let’s discuss what was so exciting about these insights.

What’s Happening Right Now?

Regarding the “Now” category, SEO and marketing campaigns were the most checked items on the list of current capabilities. These categories’ popularity does not surprise me – if companies want their products to be found or heard about, then SEO and marketing campaigns are crucial components of the strategy.

Following these two current capabilities closely were customer experience and customer support. It’s good to see that the majority of companies have not only already identified that focusing on the customer is of utmost importance but also made significant moves towards providing excellence in customer care. Having a commerce site with a shopping cart and transaction capabilities was also checked off the same amount.

From these insights, you can begin to see the pattern: We want our site to be able to be found, we want to market the site and the products, and we want to have a great customer experience. Items that made the list, but weren’t quite as popular, were secure payment, product information, and basic analytics.

After reviewing where most of the companies are focusing in D2C capabilities, we would recommend more focus in basic commerce capabilities to focus on product information such as overview, specifications, and imagery early on in your journey. This is crucial to the customer experience and their ability to understand your products.

New: Where It Gets Interesting

What was checked the most on the “New” list? Of all the emerging capabilities, the most popular was triggered marketing campaigns. Again, this capability follows the theme we’re seeing of wanting to be able to act on the customer’s behavior on the site and follow up on what they found important. There were several tied for the most mentioned, a group of them having to do with the promotional type of capabilities: promotion, loyalty programs, and upselling. The others with the same number of mentions were commerce-related capabilities: shipping options and returns.

Again, these capabilities were focused on advancing the promotional and commerce capabilities mentioned in the “Now” basic category. We would recommend that capabilities such as upselling and cross-selling and a guided shopping experience be included in this phase.

What Are Cutting-Edge Companies Doing?

When it comes to the “Next” category, we naturally see much less checked off. This category lists only the most cutting-edge capabilities that will be adopted in the future, but companies are only just scratching the surface now.

When it comes to the most popular item in the “Next” category, I won’t be shocking anyone: AI-driven personalization was checked off the most. As we all know, the use of artificial intelligence (AI) is a megatrend, and in D2C, it is no different. Next was A/B testing, which has a lot to do with the customer experience we saw so popular in the “New” category. Finally, we saw customer surveys and chatbots.

AI is going to have a big influence in everything that we do. In D2C, we see it has a big influence in triggering a personalized customer experience, conducting analysis of the customer behaviors, and powering a more intelligent chatbot.

Diving Into D2C Insights in Manufacturing and Distribution

There was a lot of logic in the feedback we received in the session, but there were also a few surprises. Of course, the companies wanted their site and products to be found, and of course they wanted to make sure they built a first-class customer experience on a commerce platform. Along with that, it’s clear that they would prioritize at least the basic shopping capabilities like good product information, shopping cart, shipping options, and returns.

But there are so many items that weren’t as popularly checked off in our categories that would be a huge difference in these areas, and we urge companies to consider making significant investments as soon as possible. Capabilities such as analyzing website traffic and customer behavior are key to informing your decisions regarding enhancements for your site. Further, guided selling is a capability that improves the customer experience by helping customers find parts that fit or complement the product they own or are thinking about purchasing.

Did you see any popular items here that aren’t on your list of capabilities? Were there any that you’re excited to prioritize in the coming months? Tap into our manufacturing industry expertise and reach out to discuss further with us the insights we’ve gathered and how to prioritize these direct-to-consumer capabilities.

Dive deeper into D2C for Manufacturers.

In this blog, we will learn below points:

• Creating a custom widget in Spire

In this blog post, we will explore the process of replacing creating a custom widget in Spire, a popular content management system. I will provide examples and step-by-step instructions for create a custom widget, along with details on implementing these changes on a local machine.

Creating a custom widget in Spire

A new, custom widget is an excellent alternative if you need to offer totally new functionality to cover your use cases. The latter is normally more effort, but the option you select depends on your unique situation.With a few exceptions, the methods for creating a new widget in Spire are identical to those for overriding an existing widget.In this example, we’ll make a widget that shows how to add custom CMS field definitions.These field definitions are shown as editable components in the CMS.

Example of creating a custom widget in local machine

The Blueprint for this example can be found in /modules/blueprints/example.

All references to directory locations will be relative to the /modules/blueprints/example/src directory.

Please follow below steps:

• Create a directory within the Blueprint. The directory will be located at /Widgets/Common.
• Add a file named ExampleWidget.tsx within that directory and paste the attached code:

/*

This illustrates how to create a widget that makes use of a number of different field definition types.

*/

import { WidgetDefinition } from "@insite/client-framework/Types/ContentItemDefinitions";

import WidgetModule from "@insite/client-framework/Types/WidgetModule";

import WidgetProps from "@insite/client-framework/Types/WidgetProps";

import * as React from "react";




// this is used to help ensure that the names match between props.fields and definition.fieldDefinitions[].name

const enum fields {

checkboxFieldValue = "checkboxFieldValue",

textFieldValue = "textFieldValue",

integerFieldValue = "integerFieldValue",

multilineTextFieldValue = "multilineTextFieldValue",

radioButtonsFieldValue = "radioButtonsFieldValue",

dropDownFieldValue = "dropDownFieldValue",

}




interface Props extends WidgetProps {

fields: {

[fields.checkboxFieldValue]: boolean;

[fields.textFieldValue]: string;

[fields.integerFieldValue]: number;

[fields.multilineTextFieldValue]: string;

[fields.radioButtonsFieldValue]: string;

[fields.dropDownFieldValue]: string;

};

}




const ExampleWidget: React.FC<Props> = props => {

return (

<div>

<div>

Checkbox value:

{props.fields.checkboxFieldValue.toString()}

{props.fields.checkboxFieldValue && <span>Is True</span>}

{!props.fields.checkboxFieldValue && <span>Is False</span>}

</div>

<div>Text value: {props.fields.textFieldValue}</div>

<div>Integer value: {props.fields.integerFieldValue}</div>

<div style={{ whiteSpace: "pre" }}>MultilineText value: {props.fields.multilineTextFieldValue}</div>

<div>RadioButtons value: {props.fields.radioButtonsFieldValue}</div>

<div>DropDown value: {props.fields.dropDownFieldValue}</div>

</div>

);

};




const definition: WidgetDefinition = {

group: "Testing",

fieldDefinitions: [

{

name: fields.checkboxFieldValue,

displayName: "Checkbox",

editorTemplate: "CheckboxField",

defaultValue: false,

fieldType: "General",

tooltip: "checkbox tip",

},

{

name: fields.textFieldValue,

displayName: "Text",

editorTemplate: "TextField",

defaultValue: "",

fieldType: "General",

tooltip: "text tip",

placeholder: "text placeholder",

isRequired: true,

},

{

name: fields.integerFieldValue,

displayName: "Integer",

editorTemplate: "IntegerField",

defaultValue: 0,

fieldType: "General",

tooltip: "integer tip",

placeholder: "integer placeholder",

isRequired: true,

sortOrder: 0,

},

{

name: fields.multilineTextFieldValue,

displayName: "MultilineText",

editorTemplate: "MultilineTextField",

defaultValue: "",

fieldType: "General",

tooltip: "multi line tip",

placeholder: "multi line placeholder",

isRequired: true,

},

{

name: fields.radioButtonsFieldValue,

displayName: "RadioButtons",

editorTemplate: "RadioButtonsField",

options: [

{

displayName: "Yes",

value: "yes",

tooltip: "this means yes",

},

{

displayName: "No",

value: "no",

tooltip: "this means no",

},

],

tooltip: "radio buttons tip",

isRequired: true,

defaultValue: "",

fieldType: "General",

},

{

name: fields.dropDownFieldValue,

displayName: "DropDown",

editorTemplate: "DropDownField",

options: [

{

displayName: "Option1",

value: "option1",

},

{

displayName: "Option2",

value: "option2",

},

],

tooltip: "drop down tip",

isRequired: true,

defaultValue: "",

fieldType: "General",

},

],

};




const widgetModule: WidgetModule = {

component: ExampleWidget,

definition,

};

export default widgetModule;

• Now let’s append this code snippet to the end of the file. Every widget in Spire needs to default export a WidgetModule. It describes to Spire how the widget is rendered and displayed in the CMS, among other things.

const widgetModule:

WidgetModule = { component: ExampleWidget, definition, };

export default widgetModule;

• Uncomment below code from

  start.tsx

  file in custom blueprint:

import { addPagesFromContext, addWidgetsFromContext } from "@insite/client-framework/Configuration";

// Load all custom widgets so they are included in the bundle and enable hot module reloading for them. Do not do this for the ./Overrides folder

const widgets = require.context("./Widgets", true, /\.tsx$/);

const onHotWidgetReplace = addWidgetsFromContext(widgets);

if (module.hot) {

module.hot.accept(widgets.id, () => onHotWidgetReplace(require.context("./Widgets", true, /\.tsx$/)));

}

• Start Spire.
• After Spire is up and running, sign into the CMS at http://localhost:3000/contentadmin.
•  After we are signed in, edit the home page.
• Scroll to the bottom of the page and add a new row.

• Add the ExampleWidget widget to the new row. We can find it within the Testing Elementsgroup in the Add Widgetmodal.

• After adding the widget to the page, we can customize the widget using the field definitions defined in code. The CMS displays them in the sidebar.

• Now, publish the change you just made.
• If we log out of the CMS and go to the Home page, we can see our new widget on the page.

Conclusion:

Creating a custom widget in Spire can be accomplished by following a few straightforward steps. By using the provided examples and implementing these changes on a local machine, website administrators can efficiently update and customize their Spire-powered websites to meet their evolving needs.

In this blog, we will learn below points:

• Understanding 5.x Architecture for Spire CMS
• How to start a Spire project?
• Follow the instructions below for use with Visual Studio Code
• Creating new blueprints in Spire

Understanding 5.x Architecture for Spire CMS

The 4-tier architecture of B2B Commerce (ISC) 5.x is described in this blog.

Architecture Stack:

Image Source by: Optimizely Site

Application Structure:

• Widgets and RESTful APIs have been included into the refactored application framework.
• Additionally, the plugins are now located in separated libraries providing efficient extensibility. For example, custom translation services or payment gateways use interfaces to define contractual requirements in code.

Image Source by: Optimizely Site

Module Structure

The componentized design and flexibility enable B2B with specific extension points.

These components can then be independently updated or allow for seamless updates.

Extension Points:

1. js
2. API
3. Handlers
4. Plugins (such as Shipping, tax, payment etc.)

Image Source by: Optimizely Site

How to start a Spire project?

Setup and configuration

The start of a B2B Commerce in the Cloud project requires several different data elements.

Optimizely deploys B2B Commerce websites to the cloud using infrastructure technologies and Git source control.  SDK also present that don’t require any Git Source Control access.

README file

When you finish your Developer Setup, make sure to read the README.md file.

CMS Access: At access the Spire CMS, you simply append /contentadmin to the end of your site’s URL.

Front end setup (/FrontEnd)-

Install node/npm using Windows PowerShell

Run npm install from /FrontEnd.

Follow the instructions below for use with Visual Studio Code

Visual Studio code

• Open the /FrontEnd directory. A launch configuration is already present, so no additional steps are required to start the application.
• (Recommended) Install the ESLint extension from Microsoftto see ESLint errors in the editor.

Launch Spire

• Run `npm run start` from /FrontEnd. This launches Spire with the default blueprint and port. Note: This step is already setup in Visual Studio Code and Rider as a launch configuration.
• Go to http://localhost:3000.
• By default, API requests are forwarded to http://commerce.local.com. You can change this URL in the /FrontEnd/config/settings.js

Site generation

If no pages are present when a request is made to the server, the pages for the site will automatically create. You can force the regeneration of the site by running the following SQL statement in your B2B Commerce database:

SQL Query:

<br />```sql

DELETE FROM content.Node

```

Then loading the site again.

Creating new blueprints in Spire

This starts the Spire site at localhost:3000 and defaults to connecting to a B2B Commerce instance that is running at http://commerce.local.com.

There is a file at \FrontEnd\Config\settings.js that controls the apiUrl. Changes to this file require re-running npm run start.

The npm run start command has two optional parameters. For example,

if you wanted to run the example Blueprint on port 4000, npm run start example 4000.

To run the base content-library on another port, npm run start content-library 4000.

To begin creating your own Blueprint, take the following actions:

• Use a terminal and go to \FrontEnd.
• Run npm run create-blueprint myCustomBlueprint.
• Verify your new Blueprint was created at \modules\blueprints\myCustomBlueprint.

Verify your new Blueprint was created at \modules\blueprints\myCustomBlueprint

Conclusion:

This is a summary of how to learn the Spire version in Optimizely Configured Commerce cloud. It is easy to understand the above points. You can easily set up the Spire project with a new blueprint.

For more information, contact our commerce experts today.

Ecommerce Growth in the B2B Space

We partnered with Adobe in a Digital Commerce 360 survey of 150 B2B commerce business leaders to find out what the top growth priorities are. The survey explored and revealed the B2B commerce priorities and challenges that stood out most —expanding into new markets, commerce personalization, and dissecting ecommerce platforms. From this survey the 2023 B2B Commerce Growth Strategies Report was born.

B2B ecommerce has seen a monumental uptick since the 2020 pandemic. While this may have been the catalyst that propelled the purchasing of goods and services online forward, this trend only makes sense- who doesn’t want a seamless process that requires minimal human interaction? Today’s consumer is all about efficiency and effectiveness and when those things come with reduced costs- it seems everyone wins.

66% of the companies surveyed in the report said they already capture half or more of their sales from their own ecommerce sites. And 74% expect their websites to generate more than 50% of sales in 2023.

This shift in purchasing processes has come with strategic rethinking, accelerated technology investments, and its fair share of nuances for many manufacturers, distributors, and wholesalers especially in the B2B landscape.

Expanding into New Markets

Expanding into new markets is a priority for B2B sellers as they take advantage of the global reach afforded by ecommerce. While this is true, in the 2023 B2B Commerce Growth Strategies Report we learn that with new markets comes laws, regulations, and culture of a different country. While many large corporations such as Amazon, can more quickly scale and manage these waters, it is taking longer for small and mid-size businesses to swim with the sharks.

Commerce Personalization

A B2B site can help automate patterns or repeated customer choices, such as enabling the customer to reorder products. On the other hand, personalization can be challenging as customizing content and purchasing options is a complex game. Personalization in B2B means enabling each business buyer to do their job more efficiently. When it comes to complex products or orders, customers often need the help of a salesperson and the website should facilitate that interaction, says Justine Racine, Lead Commerce Strategist at Perficient, in the 2023 B2B Commerce Growth Strategies Report.

“Websites should enable the buyer and the rep to build orders together and then send them to the buyer’s boss for approval,” Racine says. “That used to be done by email, but now it should be done on the site.”

Tools such as configure, price, quote (CPQ) software application are proving to be helpful on B2B ecommerce sites. Justin also notes that information a rep gathers from speaking to a customer can be fed into the website’s personalization engine. “If the customer has inquired about a new product or project, is that reflected in what they see when they come to the website?”

B2B buyers are no different than consumers, in that, we all desire experiences that have been tailored to us by previous actions we have taken when shopping. It’s important for B2B organizations to invest in personalized digital commerce to help remove time in that B2B buyers’ day through personalization. Nuances like showing a buyer a product they have previously purchased within the on-site search and offering them education and training that aligns to categories of products that they recently browsed come together to create a cohesive personalized experience that sticks.

The power of customization at its finest offers a very personal experience- making the user feel understood, building loyalty amongst brands.

In Review- Your Ecommerce Platform

The shift to digital has fundamentally changed how customers interact with the companies they buy from. Completing transactions online requires sophisticated digital capabilities to replace the give and take of human interactions. Selling organizations must ask themselves what their business customers want today, what pain points they encounter as they seek to buy online, and what processes should be modified to serve customers more effectively. Once each B2B company can answer those questions, it can make technology investments that meet its needs. Making the right choices will be even more important if an economic downturn creates more competition among B2B sellers for fewer buyer dollars.

Attend the Adobe Digital Leaders Webinar Series to Learn More

On Thursday, January 26 at 10:00am PT | 1:00pm ET Adobe is hosting a webinar to further break down the findings of the Digital Commerce 360 survey. We are excited that our very own Karie Daudt, Perficient Director of Commerce Strategy, will be a featured speaker on this webinar.

Please register to join us!

Additionally, you can download the report for more from our strategist Karie Daudt and Justin Racine.

Delivery dates play a vital role in any type of eCommerce store for customer satisfaction and retention. The Optimizely B2B Commerce Cloud delivery date feature will allow customers to choose a delivery date during checkout and review on the website. The customer can select any delivery date, even the current date. The site administrator can enable or disable the delivery date capture on the frontend checkout and review page.

This request delivery date feature allows businesses to improve their customer service by delivering the product on the customer’s chosen date.

Benefit for Request Delivery Date Selector

Customer-selected request delivery date is important for  ecommerce industries below:

1. Food and cold drinks orders
2. Grocery orders
3. Flowers and plants orders
4. Gift -Birthday, anniversary, etc. orders
5. Gold and diamond jewelry orders

In the Food industry – Required Request Delivery Date

Customers who purchase these products frequently need them for barbecues, parties, or other activities by a certain date. Additionally, they might want everything to be delivered the day before the gathering. The fact that most consumers don’t have a second freezer to stock with enough steaks and ice cream for a party only serves to complicate matters further.

In the Gold and Diamond Industry- Required Request Delivery Date

A ring, necklace, or other precious pieces of jewelry purchased online is unlikely to be left unattended on the recipient’s doorstep for more than a few minutes. Customers are able to prepare for and anticipate receiving their expensive purchases thanks to the delivery date selection tool.

In the Gift Industry- Required Request Delivery Date

The gift sector of ecommerce is expanding quickly. There are numerous methods for consumers to benefit from online gifting. The same is true whether they decide to buy their friend or loved one an interest-based box, a gift card, or that piece of clothing they have been coveting all year.

Both sides in the exchange feel that the online gifting experience was more like receiving a gift in person than ever before because we let the gift-giver choose the date using the delivery request date picker.

How to Enable the Request Delivery Date in Optimizely B2B Commerce Cloud?

Please follow the steps below:

• Go to Admin Console > Administration > System > Settings.

• Find the setting in the search textbox, “Enable Request Delivery Date,” and change the setting “No” to “Yes.” By default, it is “No.”

• Set Maximum Delivery period in numeric format. By default, it is 90 days.
• (The maximum number of days ahead that a customer can request a delivery. Default value: 90)
• Click on to save button
• Go to frontend site and add some products
• Go to the checkout page, and you can see the “Request Delivery Date” option on this page.

• Select “Request Delivery Date” and place the order.

• On the order confirmation page, you can see the selected Request Delivery Date.

• You can see the selected requested delivery date in the order confirmation email.

Conclusion:

We can use this request delivery date in many products such as gift to special dates, one-day delivery for food, restaurant orders, etc. Optimizely B2B Commerce Cloud has given this feature by default and allows users to customize their delivery date.

For more information, contact our commerce experts today.