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July 28, 2013

B2B businesses struggling to expand online footprint abroad

The study found that 72% of UK B2B organisations sell internationally, but only 40% were doing so online.

By Amy-Jo Crowley

B2B organisations in the UK are struggling to extend their online footprint abroad, new research commissioned by Stibo Systems and ecommerce digital agency Salmon has revealed.

The study of 100 decision-makers in manufacturing and wholesale found that 72% of UK B2B organisations were selling internationally, but only 40% were doing so online.

Another 67% said they already had online offerings, but had not yet taken the step of extending it overseas.

When asked what the most significant challenges were, 87% listed the cost of trade services as the main problem, with 49% blaming costs arising from logistics and 58% from a lack of market knowledge.

Simon Walker, director of ecommerce innovation at Stibo Systems, said the expansion of British businesses is being stifled by the costs of doing business.

"By channelling the local market and cultural knowledge developed by selling through existing channels into online operations, the cost barriers to international expansion can be significantly reduced," he explained.

"By utilising centralised tools such as Master Data Management as part of a business’s ecommerce infrastructure at home, it can in turn power online offerings abroad, significantly reducing the costs of operating overseas," he explained.

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