Katech Inc drives e-commerce in push for digital transformation. Source: Shutterstock
Katech Inc prepares for the digital era with new B2B e-commerce platform
EVERYONE buys online because it’s easier — even for companies.
According to recent studies and subject matter experts, B2C e-commerce has been big for a while now and will continue to grow as the digital economy in the APAC begins another cycle of upward growth — but B2B e-commerce isn’t far behind.
In the digital era, B2B e-commerce has loads of potential. It’s why Katech Inc, an auto parts store with a significant fan following among enthusiasts and garage owners, has decided to take its business online with a new e-commerce store.
“As our aftermarket sales grew, we knew we couldn’t continue to take orders by phone. We needed an e-commerce store that provided a competitive edge,” Katech Director of Aftermarket Operations Jason Harding told Digital Commerce 360.
The company, which builds premium performance engines and automobile parts wanted to scale its growth and leverage technology to do it — so they partnered with a vendor to quickly develop an e-commerce platform.
Hosted on the company’s own domain, the website now sells crate engines, vehicle packages, parts, and merchandise.
Having been in the market for more than four decades, the move is seen as a way to accelerate the company’s journey to digital and an important step to servicing the needs of customers in the digital age.
While setting up the platform itself has been accomplished fairly quickly and is reason enough to celebrate, the Katech team says it is most proud of the fact that it is able to offer same-day shipping via its e-commerce platform.
“Most companies in the performance parts industry don’t have the ability to ship products so quickly and efficiently. That means our buyers can receive our products faster and start selling them faster.”
Further, through integrations with Katech’s shipping partner UPS, the company’s e-commerce platform is also able to help customers gain visibility into the associated shipping costs for a particular order — something that was previously impossible.
The integration not only makes life easy for customers but also ensures Katech’s staff isn’t fielding phonecalls about shipping costs when customers place orders.
Going through the e-commerce platform, what’s interesting is that the company also allows customers to purchase online and pick up from the store itself — a practice that many of today’s leading e-commerce sites are following.
What Katech is doing is simple but has the potential to help customers see the company in a new light. Its new B2B e-commerce platform definitely puts the company in a strong position, compared to customers, when acquiring new customers or dealing with existing clients.
Other companies, irrespective of industry or size, must consider developing their own e-commerce platform and strategy if they want to stay relevant in the digital era.
Soumik Roy is a business and technology specialist. He helps small and medium enterprise owners understand what's most important to their company's growth and success.
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