Lori McDonald

Articles by: Lori McDonald

Lori McDonald

Lori McDonald is a business-to-business ecommerce authority and founder and CEO of Brilliance Business Solutions, a developer of digital commerce solutions for manufacturers and distributors. She has contributed to Practical Ecommerce since 2015.

With a background in computer and electrical engineering, Lori is passionate about helping companies succeed on the web.

Before Brilliance, Lori was a Space Shuttle Flight Controller for NASA. She holds a B.S. in Computer and Electrical Engineering from Purdue University.

Connect with Lori on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Design & Development
The Trade-offs of Third-party Add-ons

October 26, 2021 • Lori McDonald

Third-party apps and add-ons can enhance an ecommerce platform. Examples include exit popups, customer reviews, product recommendations, and marketing automation. But third-party add-ons can create more problems than benefits.
B2B
The Overlooked Benefit of B2B Ecommerce

July 21, 2021 • Lori McDonald

An oft-overlooked benefit of B2B ecommerce tools is the value to internal sales and customer service teams. Both gain efficiencies from digital tools, resulting in happier customers that spend more money. Ecommerce gives users — internal and external — the ability to help themselves.
B2B
Checklist for a Post-pandemic B2B Surge

May 10, 2021 • Lori McDonald

Many B2B businesses are already experiencing a post-pandemic surge. Certainly the revenue growth is welcome, but it can bring challenges as well. Here is a checklist to prepare for pent-up demand.
B2B
B2B Lessons from 2020

January 24, 2021 • Lori McDonald

Covid-19 forced all of us to change. Companies and employees who had resisted digital innovation suddenly had no choice. Some of the changes have created value and are worth keeping. Others not so much. What follows are pandemic-induced B2B changes that will likely become permanent.
B2B
B2B Merchants: Harness Data to Pivot, Adapt

November 19, 2020 • Lori McDonald

I'm hearing the word "pivot" from B2B merchants. Manufacturers and distributors are pivoting to keep up with the pace of change. The pandemic-induced change is especially challenging because of the unknown afterward, post-Covid.
B2B
Getting Your B2B Team on the Digital Train

September 16, 2020 • Lori McDonald

The pandemic has accelerated the digital transformation of many B2B companies. Implementing ecommerce and other digital tools requires rethinking how your organization operates and how it interacts with customers. It's an opportunity to improve sales and back-office efficiencies.
B2B
B2B Ecommerce That Doesn’t Break the Bank

May 26, 2020 • Lori McDonald

Covid-19 is forcing a dilemma on many B2B merchants. They realize a robust ecommerce presence is critical to long-term viability. But they are understandably hesitant to spend money amidst the pandemic on meaningful digital upgrades. It doesn't have to be one or the other, however.
B2B
Covid-19 Accelerates Change for B2B Distributors

April 15, 2020 • Lori McDonald

Last year, in "How to Prosper as a B2B Distributor," I addressed the urgent need for wholesale distributors to evolve. I explained the necessity of migrating to a self-serve digital shopping experience. Covid-19 has accelerated that need.
B2B
The Benefits of Subscriptions for B2B Ecommerce

January 29, 2020 • Lori McDonald

Subscription-based ecommerce is increasingly popular for consumer goods. Examples include grocery products, pet supplies, and beauty items. But B2B merchants can offer subscriptions, too.
B2B
B2B Ecommerce: Walk First, Then Run

November 19, 2019 • Lori McDonald

B2B ecommerce is expanding rapidly with innovative new services and marketing strategies. Much of the innovation focuses on improving personalization. However, that is typically the last step. There are prerequisites to address first.
B2B
How to Prosper as a B2B Distributor

September 26, 2019 • Lori McDonald

Distributors are easily replaced in the digital landscape. But many are prospering by emphasizing their expertise and by offering unique, value-add services. Here are a few ideas and examples.
B2B
Amazon Business Is Winning. Here’s Why

March 7, 2019 • Lori McDonald

After only four years, Amazon Business hit $10 billion in sales in 2018. If you sell to companies, Amazon Business should get your attention. In this article, I will address what B2B sellers can learn from Amazon Business — and how Amazon Business impacts them.
B2B
B2B Ecommerce Helps Sales Teams (and Customers)

January 9, 2019 • Lori McDonald

Many B2B executives believe that ecommerce cannot fit their business. But B2B companies that don’t embrace digital will lose opportunities. A digitally-savvy competitor could disrupt the market and cause large sales decreases for legacy companies, those that do not evolve.
B2B
Skeptical about B2B Ecommerce? Try a Proof of Concept

October 25, 2018 • Lori McDonald

Your B2B company leadership is skeptical about changing business and sales methods. How can you make a case for ecommerce? A proof of concept is a good way to test the digital commerce waters, to learn. Ideally, the project can be completed quickly and has a quick return on investment.
B2B
B2B Ecommerce: Managing Product Data Sheets

September 12, 2018 • Lori McDonald

B2B merchants know that producing product literature can be a lot of work. Examples include specification sheets and safety data sheets. Both take time to create and keep current. In this post, I'll address how to streamline the process.
B2B
3 Reasons Why B2B Ecommerce Projects Fail

July 16, 2018 • Lori McDonald

Business-to-business ecommerce projects range from changing an entire platform to adding features and improvements to the current one. Unfortunately, failed B2B ecommerce projects are common. In this post, I'll address three reasons for the failures and how to avoid them.
B2B
8 Approaches to B2B Dealer Locators

June 7, 2018 • Lori McDonald

Business-to-business companies frequently sell products through dealers. But it’s not always obvious to would-be customers how to locate a dealer, to inquire. In this post, I’ll review eight examples of ...
B2B
Does WooCommerce Fit B2B Companies?

April 24, 2018 • Lori McDonald

WooCommerce is among the fastest growing platforms. We've addressed it many times. B2C merchants, especially, value WooCommerce's flexibility and plugin options. My expertise, however, is with B2B companies. In my experience, companies with meaningful B2B sales should not choose WooCommerce.
B2B
6 Impressive B2B Ecommerce Sites

March 14, 2018 • Lori McDonald

Offering a compelling ecommerce experience to B2B buyers requires a process of continuous improvement. It can be helpful to examine other B2B ecommerce sites, to learn. Grainger and Amazon Business are often cited as leading examples. But there is also value in learning from smaller, innovative B2B companies. In this post, I'll address six impressive, independent B2B sites.
B2B
Driving B2B Revenue through Personalization

February 5, 2018 • Lori McDonald

Shoppers want a personalized experience. It used to be that ecommerce sites offered what shoppers asked for. Now, thanks to personalization, ecommerce sites do that, and more. They know what shoppers want or need even before they ask. Personalization adds value. It builds a relationship.
B2B
How to Set Ecommerce Goals for 2018

December 31, 2017 • Lori McDonald

Now is the time to set ecommerce performance goals for 2018. To do this, know where your business stands now. Be clear on past performance before you set goals for the new year. Create a spreadsheet with the key metrics to track for 2018. Fill in those metrics from 2017. You may even want to insert 2016 as well. This scorecard creates good visibility and accountability for you and your team.
B2B
B2B: How Manufacturers with Distributors Use Ecommerce

November 24, 2017 • Lori McDonald

I often speak with manufacturers that want to sell their products online directly to retailers or even end users. But they have an established distribution channel that they don’t want ...
B2B
Using Ecommerce to Attract B2B Customers

October 17, 2017 • Lori McDonald

B2B merchants often consider ecommerce as a tool for existing clients. Acquiring new customers is expected to happen through the sales team, not the Internet. The website becomes a way ...
B2B
9 Critical Skills to Build a Robust B2B Ecommerce Site

September 5, 2017 • Lori McDonald

Building a B2B ecommerce site requires a breadth of skills. It’s important to look not just at people or roles, but the expertise to accomplish the job. In this post, I’ll ...
B2B
3 Ways to Simplify B2B Ecommerce

August 3, 2017 • Lori McDonald

Business-to-business ecommerce can be complex. There are often restrictions on who can purchase products. Frequently buyers need assistance in finding the right item. But a key to success in B2B ecommerce ...
B2B
Pros and Cons of Selling on Amazon Business

June 21, 2017 • Lori McDonald

Amazon Business, the B2B marketplace, has more than 45,000 active sellers and more than 10 million products with bulk purchase options or business discounts. Many B2B merchants aren’t sure whether ...
B2B
5 Payment Options in B2B Ecommerce

May 8, 2017 • Lori McDonald

Many B2B merchants have avoided ecommerce because they believe their customers will not do business in that manner. Merchants often have concerns about payments, as B2B customers pay in different ...
B2B
Tips for Migrating B2B Ecommerce Platforms

April 10, 2017 • Lori McDonald

I recently presented “How to Change Ecommerce Platforms,” an Essential Skills online seminar for Practical Ecommerce. I kept the content relatively general for all merchants — B2C and B2B. I didn’t ...
Email Marketing
Using Triggered Emails for B2B Ecommerce

February 14, 2017 • Lori McDonald

Email marketing is a powerful tool, one that many B2B companies do not take advantage of. Triggered emails are a good way to get started. They are event-driven, based on a customer’s ...
B2B
How to Integrate B2B Ecommerce with ERP Systems

January 4, 2017 • Lori McDonald

Integrating a B2B company’s ecommerce site with internal systems can streamline operations and simplify customers’ buying experiences. Integrations offer significant benefits, but they are often difficult to get right. One of ...