Punchout catalogs are a great way to keep your online storefront looking sleek, running smooth, and staying up-to-date. These innocuous little programs are just what any business needs to streamline its consumer experience, especially in the B2B space.
What is a Punchout Catalog?
Punchout catalogs are eProcurement programs designed to promote products to buyers directly from the seller’s website. A buyer accesses the punchout catalog through the seller’s B2B website, where they are directed to a page full of goods and services tailored specifically to their needs. Buyers can click on the packages they want, and essentially “punch out” when they are done, and return to the company’s main page, where they can view an updated shopping cart.
How do Punchout Catalogs Work?
Punchouts essentially combine eCommerce platforms with eProcurement platforms and give B2B consumers a similar experience to B2C shoppers. The platform is intended to streamline the buying process, so B2B shoppers can easily view and add the products they want directly from their own application, redirecting them to the supplier’s site. Punchout catalogs are the middleman between a B2B shopper’s experience and the business’ order fulfillment system.
On the shopper’s end, the user will open their eProcurement software and see your business’ catalog. From there, they can view and add products they want to their cart and then “punch out,” essentially ordering any goods without having to leave their own programs. When a business adds punchout compatibility to its product catalog, they also register with various eProcurement programs as trusted sellers– this removes an extra step from the procurement process: purchase approval.
Punchout Catalogs and ERP
When used in conjunction with ERP software, punchouts give B2B consumers the same level of control B2C consumers have. The process allows shoppers to view products and purchases, as well as see the status of an order. The best part about using the two together is that punchout catalogs can sync directly with your ERP software, so all your business information is in one place and up-to-date.
How Punchout Catalogs can Help Your Business
There are quite a few ways punchout catalogs can help your business:
Streamline the B2B Shopping Experience
A punchout catalog program’s first and most important goal is to streamline your customer’s shopping experience. These days, businesses are looking for a consumer experience similar to the average shopper. They want something that gives them a complete view of the product and what it includes, with options to buy and compare different products. Punchout catalogs are an easy way for businesses to set up a beautiful, accessible online storefront for their customers without having to leave their own procurement programs.
Keep Pricing Transparent and Up-to-Date
As a communications resource between your business and consumers’ procurement software, punchout catalogs eliminate the need for extensive communication between the buyer and the seller; there’s no need to negotiate prices with everything recorded accurately on both ends 24/7.
Automatically Manage Finances and Purchases
For frequent customers, punchout catalogs are the best way to keep giving a favorite B2B business. Through the catalog, buyers can schedule repeat purchases and track them as needed. Expenses for frequent purchases are also recorded and shared with the buyer’s ERP software.
In addition to repeat purchases, punchout catalogs can also prevent unintentional purchases–consumers must register users in the software in order for them to make a purchase. With everything all in one place and with permissions granted to specific users, punchout catalogs eliminate the need for approval through the eProcurement software– you’re already buying from a trusted source!
Eliminate Space for Human Error
The point of all this automation is to ultimately eliminate human error. Repetitive typing and logging information can slow any business down, and employees shouldn’t have to spend all day putting the same information into multiple systems. Since punchouts directly connect to a system’s enterprise resource planning program, buyers and sellers can focus on running their business to the best of their ability without taking extra time and energy to log information.
Integrating Punchout Catalogs on Your Digital Storefront
So, how do businesses integrate punchouts into the selling process? Unfortunately, incorporating punchout catalogs into your ERP software is incredibly difficult to do alone– that’s why you have us– give us a call or shoot us a message anytime, and we’ll help you get started.
