No one can deny that Amazon has substantially raised customers’ expectations when it comes to online experiences. And it’s not just consumers who feel this way. After years of exposure to convenient, intuitive shopping on Amazon’s website, we now expect those features in our B2B life, too.

If you have an internal ordering site like a company store or intranet portal on which employees, field agents and/or retail partners access items like signage, corporate identity materials, promotional products and more, this short quiz is for you.

1. How many different vendors are involved? Too many vendors can mean higher supply chain costs because you’re not benefiting from economies of scale. Consolidate with a large national partner who offers products and services in multiple categories.
2. Do users have an individualized experience? Don’t force users to wade through irrelevant products. Instead, serve up exactly what they need, remembering their previous order details for easy replenishment. Where applicable, allow local customization.
3. Is branding consistent across all channels? Rather than rely on blind faith, spot-check the output of your site before you answer this question. One of the key benefits of making an ordering site available to staff and channel partners is the ability to control your brand.

According to Salesforce research, 82% of business buyers want the same experience as when they’re buying for themselves. Nearly 70% expect an Amazon-like buying experience — many of whom report switching vendors to get it.

Look for a web-based solution that’s flexible, scalable and designed to fit your budget. Ensure the products can be customized to meet your needs. Perhaps you’ll pick a secure stand-alone platform or one that can be integrated with your system via Single Sign On. Ideally, the vendor will offer turnkey solutions with the ability to print, warehouse, inventory, kit and ship or mail your products in a timely manner that works with your scheduling cycle.