If your B2B business isn’t on the Internet yet, you’ve probably run out of excuses not to be by now. It’s no longer a novelty for businesses — including B2B businesses — to have an e-commerce presence, and those that don’t are missing out on some significant opportunities. More than half of all Internet users have reported making a purchase online in 2016, and that includes your B2B customers.

As important as expanding into e-commerce can be for your B2B business, the process needs to be handled with care. It isn’t enough to simply slap together a website just for the sake of being on the Internet. An e-commerce site needs to be built to make the process of purchasing your products or services online as convenient as possible for customers. That means being knowledgeable of the best practices in terms of implementing technology, designing the site and optimizing the customer experience to achieve the best results.

For example, your e-commerce site’s technology needs to incorporate scalability so that the site is easy to navigate — no matter what type of device your customers use to access it. A strong web analytics platform built into your site also will give you a good source of actionable data you can use to track conversions and optimize your site. Your site’s design must conform to best practices for e-commerce, featuring professionally sourced content such as photos and copy, as well as a thoroughly organized structure that is easily searchable.

Making a user-friendly e-commerce site also means building in protections for your customers to keep their sensitive data safe. This includes the use of security certificates, data backup systems and security software to prevent cyber attacks. These and other tips can help you build an e-commerce presence that will likely enhance your business and help you better serve your customers. It’s time for your B2B business to make the leap into the digital world: The guide below contains these and many other tips to help bring your B2B business into the world of e-commerce without making some of the most common mistakes that can trip up companies making the conversion.

Check out the infographic from CDI Technology below:

Checklist provided by: CDI Technology