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As more B2B companies shift to online transactions, the need for Ecommerce capabilities has become more important. And HubSpot supports Ecommerce operations in multiple ways. In this blog, we'll look at the different approaches you can take, exploring the advantages and drawbacks of each method.
There are three main approaches you can take to use HubSpot for your Ecommerce operations:
HubSpot's Commerce Hub is a lightweight Ecommerce solution that's integrated into their CRM platform. It consolidates all the essential tools B2B businesses need to manage web payments, invoices, quotes, subscriptions, and payment schedules – removing the need to juggle multiple systems.
HubSpot Commerce Hub can help businesses meet their Ecommerce requirements in several ways.
You can combine HubSpot Content Hub and Commerce Hub to build a simple Ecommerce website.
Create your store website using HubSpot Content Hub, setting up all of the relevant product and website pages you need (a HubSpot website developer may be required to help you build this in the most scalable and efficient way).
You can then use the Product Library and Payment Links features within HubSpot Commerce Hub for the transactions. Simply create the required payment links and link them to the desired location on your website. Customers can then browse your product offerings, follow these links, and securely complete their purchases through your chosen payment processor, either HubSpot Payments (in North America only) or Stripe.
C.H.I's website is a great example of using HubDB to create product pages in HubSpot
Example of the payment experience in Commerce Hub.
If you have a subscription-based product, you can use Commerce Hub to set up recurring payments. This works similarly to a simple Ecommerce store, but you'll need to add recurring line items to the payment links.
After the customer's initial checkout, HubSpot will automatically collect future payments on the set schedule. There are several options available to customers for managing their payments.
Suppose you want to create an Ecommerce store with quoting and enquiring options instead of direct checkouts. In that case, HubSpot payment documents can help you with the quote-to-cash process by consolidating all payment-related documents in one place.
One of the key advantages of HubSpot Commerce Hub is its native integration with HubSpot's suite of products. Being built into the same platform means you can access all your data and tools in one centralised location. You won't have to manage separate integrations or juggle multiple platforms, as everything is readily available and connected out of the box.
As expected with all HubSpot products, Commerce Hub has an intuitive user interface, designed to minimise complexity and simplify your Ecommerce operations. This user-friendly approach ensures that you can navigate and utilise the platform's features efficiently, without getting bogged down by overcomplicated tools.
Unlike traditional Ecommerce platforms that charge a fixed platform fee, HubSpot Commerce Hub has a consumption-based pricing model. This means you only pay for the payments you make, allowing you to scale your Ecommerce operations without incurring unnecessary costs.
The integration with QuickBooks is a valuable asset for businesses using both platforms. It ensures that your contact and product data remain consistently synced across HubSpot and QuickBooks, eliminating the need for manual data entry and reducing the risk of errors. Additionally, this integration allows you to sync invoices from QuickBooks into HubSpot, further streamlining your operations.
HubSpot Commerce Hub comes equipped with built-in revenue and payment reporting features. This gives valuable insights into your Ecommerce performance, tracks key metrics, and makes data-driven decisions to optimise your store.
While HubSpot's Commerce Hub is suitable for basic Ecommerce needs, it may not be sufficient for businesses requiring a full-fledged online store with extensive product catalogues, product variants, promotions, reviews, and typical online shopping experiences. The platform has great features, but it's not designed to be a comprehensive Ecommerce solution with multiple categories and advanced features.
For businesses that need to handle physical goods shipments with location-based pricing, HubSpot's Commerce Hub may not be the ideal choice. The platform doesn't have advanced shipping matrix capabilities that can dynamically update costs based on the customer's location. Instead, it only allows for flat fees to be added to invoices and payment links, which may not be suitable for businesses that need to ship physical products in large quantities or over long distances.
HubSpot's Commerce Hub is designed for basic B2B Ecommerce needs and does not include built-in ERP capabilities for managing inventory and advanced administration functions. Businesses requiring comprehensive inventory management and extensive administration features may need to explore specialised ERP software or more advanced Ecommerce platforms beyond what Commerce Hub offers.
While offering credit terms is a common practice in B2B Ecommerce, allowing customers to receive products before making payment, HubSpot's Commerce Hub currently lacks the ability to facilitate credit-based transactions natively or through third-party integrations. Businesses that require this capability may need to explore alternative Ecommerce platforms or solutions that support credit order management and delayed payment options.
If you want to use HubSpot products but also require a more advanced Ecommerce platform, you can use apps to connect HubSpot to dedicated Ecommerce platforms, like:
HubSpot's App Marketplace has many Ecommerce apps available, so if you wanted to use a different Ecommerce platform, it's likely there's already an app available. If you want to use a platform that doesn't have a marketplace app, you may have to create a custom integration to manage the data sync.
By using a two-way integration, you can sync data between your Ecommerce platform and HubSpot objects such as:
For advanced Ecommerce stores, this gives you the best of both worlds - you have the data available in HubSpot to handle your CRM, marketing automation, customer information, and analytics, while the Ecommerce platform powers your online store.
In this scenario, while your Ecommerce platform handles the shopping experience, HubSpot can be used to:
HubSpot CMS can be extended and customised to create an Ecommerce website experience. This setup is possible and beneficial for businesses that want to use their own custom Ecommerce platform while using HubSpot CMS for the web front-end. You will need the help of a HubSpot CMS developer to build this in the most effective, scalable way.
How it works:
This approach allows you to combine the strengths of a bespoke Ecommerce platform with HubSpot's content management and marketing capabilities.
But, as with any customised solution, there are a number of downsides, such as:
Managing financial transactions through an online Ecommerce platform is a significant responsibility. Sometimes seeking the guidance of experts can be crucial in overcoming specific obstacles or positioning your business for long-term success. A well-chosen HubSpot partner has the potential to set you up for long-term success, allowing you to maximise the potential of this platform.
