SURVEY: BY 2027 ONLINE B2B BUSINESS WILL REPORT GROWTH OF OVER 70%

DHL Express predicts strong growth for the B2B e-commerce market in the coming years in its new report, "The Ultimate B2B E-commerce Guide: Tradition is out. Digital is in”.

Research by Gartner found that 44% of millennials prefer no sales rep interaction at all in a B2B purchase setting, and projects that by 2025, 80% of B2B sales interactions between suppliers and buyers will occur in digital channels. The main force behind this global rise in e-commerce -the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the pace of digitalization, as well as the specific habits of the millennials, who account for 73% of all B2B purchasing decisions.

What is projected for the future of the B2B sector is already evident from the significant growth of e-commerce in B2C in recent years, where DHL Express has high growth rates, especially during the holiday seasons (eg. Easter, Christmas) and the days of mega-promotions (eg. Black Friday, Cyber ​​Monday).

The volumes in the DHL Express network generated by e-B2C commerce increased in 2020 by approximately 40% compared to 2019. This positive development of the business is also visible in the company's financial results for 2020: With total revenue of 19.1 billion (+ 11.9% on an annual basis) and EBIT of 2.7 billion euros (+ 34.9%), Deutsche Post DHL Group's Express division closed 2020 with the best result in its over 50-year history. With its global network and range of serviced industries, DHL Express has been able to absorb the rapidly changing trade flows. Also, the company's presence in more than 220 countries and territories has helped consumers and businesses stay connected by allowing them to trade around the world - including during the Covid-19 pandemic.

"Even during the imposed restrictions around the world, globalization has shown its resilience, fueled by digitalization and the strength of world trade," John Pearson, CEO of DHL Express stated. "These trends have led to an increasing number of consumers turning to online shopping. The pandemic has accelerated this rapid development as never before, with a sharp increase in businesses selling goods on the world market. In this way, e-commerce and global logistics provided the "key" to unlocking closed doors in a lockdown environment. This has helped sustain economies and reduce the impact of Covid-19 on our customers' business. "

Not only e-B2C commerce has grown due to the continuing digitalization and changed consumer shopping behavior. In 2019, before the pandemic, global sales through B2B e-commerce sites and markets had already increased by 18.2% reaching $ 12.2 trillion, outpacing the market share of the B2C sector. Through Covid-19 and the resulting acceleration of digitalization, this total volume of B2B e-commerce is expected to reach $ 20.9 trillion by 2027.

"We've been living in a pandemic for a year now," Michael Griven, vice president of global trade at DHL Express said. "A year that shows us how a decade of digital evolution can only happen in a few months, and online shopping and cross-border shipping is the new norm. This is a fact not only for B2C commerce but also for e-B2B commerce, as companies begin to realize that online commerce platforms are critical to their success. As a result, modern companies will have an additional need for express delivery around the world, and DHL Express is in a good position to support all B2B companies on their path to success. “

The report, compiled by DHL Express, reveals factors driving the growth of the global B2B e-commerce market: in addition to general trends such as globalization and digitalization, the new generation of technology-oriented Millennials is beginning to leave a mark on global commerce. Millennials account for 73% of all professional B2B development solutions. Millennials shop mainly online, and their experience in the B2C sector is being transferred to B2B, encouraging companies to invest in digital solutions, such as sales platforms.

"If B2B businesses want to make the most of new cross-border and e-commerce opportunities, they need to start adapting to changing shopping behavior. Especially with the generation of Millennials as the decision-makers in the B2B sector, which further stimulates its digitalization. The B2B sector must follow the good practices of the B2C sector. As international e-commerce professionals, we have the know-how and the ideas to help businesses adapt to the current change and reach their full potential, ” Landert van Delft, Vice President, Global Sales and E-Commerce explained.

In 2020, DHL Express delivered a total of 484 million shipments to its customers (B2C and B2B) worldwide - about 9% more per day than in 2019. DHL Express continues to invest more than € 1 billion annually in state-of-the-art facilities worldwide to increase shipment sorting capacity (+ 65% from 2013), hires new staff (+ 10,000 on an annual basis), and adds new cargo aircraft to its fleet (+20 on an annual basis). In this context, DHL Express recently announced the purchase of eight more Boeing B777 cargo aircraft and a partnership with Smartlynx Malta to add two Airbus A321s to its fleet. DHL Express ensures that customers around the world can get the most out of the global e-commerce boom.