From B2B to D2C: How PIM helps manufacturers scale e-commerce
October 9, 2025Build a stronger foundation for your manufacturing business. See how PIM helps you bridge B2B and D2C to grow faster in e-commerce.
Manufacturers are redefining how they grow. Selling through distributors or wholesalers no longer guarantees competitiveness, as buyers now expect convenience, transparency, and direct engagement.
Many are expanding into hybrid and direct-to-consumer (D2C) e-commerce models—and rightly so, as McKinsey reports that companies with D2C capabilities outperform others by up to 30 percent in year-over-year share price growth.
This shift brings opportunity but also complexity. Managing product data for both B2B and D2C channels demands agility that legacy systems often can’t deliver. Each audience expects different content and experiences, yet all depend on accurate, connected product information, the kind of structured metadata manufacturers need to manage effectively across every channel.
A product information management (PIM) system, like Inriver, keeps product data structured and in sync, enabling you to grow without sacrificing speed or consistency.
In this article, we’ll explore how manufacturers are adapting to new digital buying habits and the role that PIM plays in enabling this change, from digitizing product content to delivering consistent data to all platforms. You’ll learn:
- Why are manufacturers shifting from B2B to hybrid/D2C models?
- Understanding the differences between B2B and D2C e-commerce
- What challenges do B2B manufacturers face when transitioning to D2C?
- What systems power scalable e-commerce for manufacturers?
- How can manufacturers utilize PIM to bridge the gap between B2B and D2C?
- B2B to D2C growth starts with the right foundation
Why are manufacturers shifting from B2B to hybrid/D2C models?
Manufacturers have long depended on distributors and retail partners to reach their customers. Those channels still drive revenue, but digital buyers now expect more—real-time information, transparent pricing, and seamless ordering.
To meet these expectations, many manufacturers are building D2C or hybrid e-commerce models that bring them closer to the people who use their products. This shift in manufacturer e-commerce reflects how digital channels are reshaping customer relationships and redefining how manufacturers compete. It’s also transforming traditional B2B multichannel marketing strategies, as businesses combine distributor networks with their own D2C platforms to deliver a more connected buyer experience.
With data supporting this growth, the D2C market is projected to grow globally at a rate of about 15.7 percent annually through 2031. In the U.S., D2C sales reached approximately $213 billion in 2024—an increase of 178 percent since 2019. These e-commerce trends show how quickly manufacturers are adapting, as direct channels become a crucial part of their long-term growth strategy.
As channels multiply, you need a data foundation that scales with them. PIM gives that structure, keeping product information accurate and ready for every channel. It’s a central part of any modern e-commerce strategy built for sustainable growth.
Understanding the differences between B2B and D2C e-commerce
Transitioning from B2B to D2C doesn’t replace your core business; it transforms how you manage and present product information. Each model operates differently, and understanding those differences helps you prepare your data for both.
| Aspect | B2B e-commerce | D2C e-commerce |
|---|---|---|
| Buying model | Contract-based relationships with negotiated pricing and terms | Individual, one-time purchases with dynamic pricing or promotions |
| Customer expectations | Accuracy, technical documentation, compliance details, and bulk ordering capabilities | Seamless experiences, fast delivery, and personalized engagement |
| Content focus | Detailed product specs, certifications, and compatibility data | Rich visuals, storytelling, reviews, and lifestyle context |
| Catalog management | Stable catalogs with infrequent changes tied to long-term agreements | Frequent updates to reflect launches, variants, and seasonal campaigns |
| Decision-making process | Committee or procurement-driven, with multiple approval layers | Emotion and convenience-driven, often completed in a single session |
| Sales cycle | Longer, with emphasis on reliability and post-sale support | Shorter, driven by immediacy and ease of checkout |
| Primary goal | Operational efficiency and partnership continuity | Customer engagement, loyalty, and brand differentiation |
While B2B and D2C models diverge in how they sell, both depend on complete, reliable product data. PIM tailors the same information to each audience without duplication, keeping content in sync across systems and channels.
What challenges do B2B manufacturers face when transitioning to D2C?
Expanding from B2B into D2C exposes gaps in how you manage your product data. A 2024 Review of Managerial Science study found that manufacturers still face fragmented approaches to online channel management, struggling to coordinate pricing, content, and system interactions across channels.
Top challenges include:
1. Fragmented systems: Product data often resides across ERPs, CMS platforms, and marketplaces that don’t sync automatically, resulting in increased errors and manual work. Research on cross-channel integration in manufacturing confirms that most digital infrastructures remain siloed, which limits collaboration and slows time-to-market.
2. Inconsistent product attributes: B2B data covers specs and compliance, while D2C requires visuals and enriched descriptions. Many data models can’t support both.
3. Duplicate SKUs: Channel-specific formatting leads to duplication and outdated listings.
4. Manual updates: Small product changes ripple across multiple systems, delaying launches.
5. Compliance and localization: Selling directly introduces more regulations and language requirements, adding to the workload.
As noted in E-commerce Channel Management on the Manufacturers’ Side, adapting to diverse regional requirements remains one of the biggest barriers to scaling D2C effectively.
These challenges multiply as your product mix and markets grow. Without connected systems, your team could spend more time fixing data than using it to drive sales.
What systems power scalable e-commerce for manufacturers?
Scaling ecommerce requires flexible, connected systems. In modern e-commerce manufacturing, success depends on how seamlessly product data flows across ERP, PIM, and online platforms.
A composable commerce is also the foundation of any modern B2B e-commerce strategy, allowing you to expand or replace components without disruptions.
Each system plays a distinct role:
- ERP manages inventory, pricing, and logistics data to ensure your supply chain operates smoothly.
- E-commerce platforms handle storefronts and transactions across your webstore or marketplaces.
- PIM acts as the data bridge between them, structuring and distributing product data to every channel.
When connected, product data becomes the engine of digital commerce, powering every listing and marketplace with trusted, up-to-date information.
How can manufacturers utilize PIM to bridge the gap between B2B and D2C?
Managing B2B e-commerce for manufacturers alongside growing D2C channels reveals how difficult it can be to keep product information aligned. Each channel has distinct requirements, but both rely on trustworthy data that moves quickly across systems.
PIM centralizes product information and connects it with ERP, e-commerce, and marketing systems. Updates made once are reflected everywhere, keeping content synchronized and reducing manual work. It also streamlines e-commerce content workflows by enabling teams to manage images, descriptions, and localized assets from a single location.
For B2B manufacturing sales, PIM ensures every buyer—from procurement specialists to distributors—has access to accurate, up-to-date product details that simplify purchasing decisions. With a single source of truth, your team can tailor content per channel without rebuilding it.
The result is greater e-commerce productivity powered by PIM: faster product launches through automated syndication, complete and compliant data across markets, less manual rework, and stronger buyer trust.
B2B to D2C growth starts with the right foundation
Expanding into new channels always comes with challenges, from managing new systems to meeting ever-changing customer expectations. But with a strong product data foundation, those challenges become manageable.
PIM keeps data connected, processes streamlined, and every channel aligned, so your business can grow at the pace you set.
See how Inriver PIM supports your next stage of growth. Book a personalized demo or explore PIM for E-commerce to get started.
Want to see the Inriver PIM in action?
Schedule a personalized, guided demo with an Inriver expert today to see how the Inriver PIM can get more value from your product information.
