Empowering B2B buyers with digital transformation

[WORLD] The expectations of B2B buyers are changing rapidly. Today’s buyers prefer to conduct independent research, compare options, and make well-informed decisions through streamlined, intuitive digital platforms. According to Bain & Company, 80% of B2B purchasers establish their product specifications using a manufacturer's website before buying. McKinsey adds that 70% are comfortable spending up to $500,000 in a single transaction.

At Zebra Technologies, we recognized the need to better serve this new generation of buyers—particularly small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs). We often joked that it might have been easier to buy an actual zebra online than to navigate zebra.com to purchase our products through trusted partners.

This became the impetus for our newly launched "How to Buy" experience—an initiative that goes beyond a routine website refresh. It’s a strategic transformation aimed at empowering customers, strengthening our partner ecosystem, and enabling a faster, more transparent path to purchase.

A Shifting B2B Landscape

The broader context for this shift is the evolution of B2B commerce itself. The rise of digital platforms and sophisticated e-commerce tools has transformed how businesses interact with their customers. Today’s B2B buyers demand the same level of convenience, clarity, and user experience they enjoy when shopping as consumers.

This evolution has driven companies to rethink their digital strategies—placing greater emphasis on platforms that cater to the distinct needs of B2B buyers.

Strategic Design for a New Buyer Journey

At Zebra, we see ourselves as an “ecosystem enabler,” carefully balancing three core priorities:

Customer Autonomy: Enabling buyers to research and purchase on their terms.

Partner Centricity: Keeping our partners central to our sales strategy.

Information Transparency: Offering clear product details and pricing guidance.

Extensive market research, particularly focused on SMBs, revealed frustration around opaque pricing and a complicated purchase process. Addressing these challenges became our blueprint for a better experience—one that benefits both customers and our channel partners.

The “How to Buy” interface now features upgraded product pages with detailed specifications, configuration options, complementary product recommendations, and indicative starting prices. Buyers can also view practical information, such as what’s included in the box.

With this data at their fingertips, visitors can:

Request a Quote: Submit specific inquiries for volume pricing, integration, or services. Most requests are routed to a suitable partner within 48 hours—generating high-quality leads in return.

Buy Online: Seamlessly finalize purchases on partner websites in as few as two clicks, if they already know what they need.

Building Partner Buy-In

Introducing this new experience required strong collaboration with our partners. Early in the process, we hosted workshops and training sessions to explain how the platform would benefit their sales efforts. By involving partners from the outset, we addressed concerns and secured broad support.

Success depended on making it clear: this experience would not compete with our partners—it would enable them.

Lessons from Launch

Tracking customer and partner feedback has been essential to refining our digital journey. Key insights include:

Digital change starts with cultural change. We had to revisit assumptions about how B2B customers buy and rethink our own role in that journey.

Transparency earns trust. Providing early access to pricing and product information gives customers confidence and accelerates decision-making.

Partner enablement is non-negotiable. Their involvement in design decisions helped align goals and ensure adoption.

The result? Partners are seeing higher-quality leads and reduced sales costs, while customers enjoy a smoother, more informative purchase experience.

Recommendations for Other B2B Organizations

Start with the right products: Begin your transformation with items that require minimal configuration. For us, this included top-selling printers, scanners, and select mobile devices—commonly purchased by SMBs and generating fewer post-sale support needs.

Roll out in phases: A staged launch allowed us to gather feedback and improve incrementally. From the outset, we had a roadmap for expanding into multiple languages and additional product lines.

Design for omnichannel flexibility: Your strategy must accommodate both self-service buyers and those who require guidance. Our system doesn’t replace account managers or resellers; it enhances their value.

Preserve partner value: We explicitly designed the platform to strengthen—not sideline—partners. By segmenting our partner ecosystem and customer journeys, we ensure the right buyers are matched with the right partners, improving conversion and lowering sales costs.

Looking Ahead: The Future of B2B Commerce

As digital expectations rise, B2B marketers must provide seamless experiences that respect buyer autonomy and streamline the path to purchase. The winners will be those who balance digital self-service with the human expertise of partners.

Ultimately, digital transformation in B2B is not just about upgrading technology—it’s about building trust, fostering collaboration, and driving shared success across the entire ecosystem.