"Only by going deep into the front-line market, listening to the opinions and suggestions of front-line users, can we truly understand user needs"...... Currently, there are 15 B2B platforms covering the Beijing market, namely: Zhongshang Huimin-Huipeitong, Lianshang Yougong, JD-Zhangguibao, Zhongyan Xin Shangmeng, Best Dianjia, Yijiupi, Shangdaoxing, Xiaozhi Guanjia, Meicai, Bingtuan E-Gou, Jingpi Wang, RT-Mart E-Lufa, Dingding Xianshi, Jiuxian.com, and 1919. Among them, Zhongshang Huimin-Huipeitong has the highest share, followed by Lianshang Yougong and JD-Zhangguibao. Compared with 2017, 8 B2B platforms have closed down, while 7 new B2B platforms emerged in 2019. This indicates that in the FMCG B2B e-commerce industry, the closure of platforms inevitably means the emergence of a new batch of platforms. Competition among B2B platform companies in Beijing is becoming increasingly fierce, and it is increasingly concentrated on leading platforms. Differentiated products are becoming more important, and there are higher requirements for refined operations. Most small stores have generally accepted the B2B platform ordering model. The density of B2B platform coverage of retail small stores is still rapidly increasing. Currently, retail small stores have a high participation rate in ordering from B2B platforms, and the channels and methods for small stores to purchase goods are gradually becoming informatized. During visits to retail small stores in Beijing, New Distribution collected and organized some suggestions and opinions from retail small stores regarding B2B platforms: Price With the development of the industry, more and more small store owners have accepted the online procurement ordering method. Most small store owners have multiple platform apps installed on their phones, and they often compare prices to choose the products they want to order. A convenience store owner in Beijing Tiantongyuan revealed to New Distribution: "Food and beverage prices are very transparent; we have to compare. Saving one or two yuan per item is profit. Now there are many B2B platforms, and the products are similar. We order from whichever is cheaper." It can be seen that price remains the main factor determining retail store owners' ordering decisions. To attract mom-and-pop stores to place orders, platform salespeople constantly promote activities such as "30 yuan red packet for new users," "spend more to get more," and "cashback." Some store owners said that the platform's "promotional activities are relatively complex." Sometimes the platform bundles hard-to-sell goods or goods with less fresh dates into promotional activities, and after calculation, the price is similar to that of distributors. Moreover, distributors provide display fees, so overall, the price of B2B platforms is not cost-effective. Convenient ordering, but service still needs improvement Compared with price, another factor that retail store owners value when ordering is "delivery speed." During the summer when sales turnover is fast, the importance of delivery speed becomes more prominent. The store owners' demand is: have goods to sell. "Convenient ordering" is the main evaluation of B2B platforms by retail small stores. Many retail store owners said that they can order on B2B platforms 24 hours a day. When the store is not busy, they log into the app to order some goods, and before going to bed at night, they also log in to order. Goods ordered today are delivered tomorrow, which is very convenient. Before the existence of B2B platforms, ordering required going to the wholesale market or calling nearby distributors. With platforms, stores keep less inventory, and they can order 24 hours a day, saving a lot of time. Some retail small stores said that "B2B platforms often do not have salespeople." Salespeople are only seen during initial visits, when there are promotional activities, or when salespeople are transferred. At ordinary times, they are hardly seen. Retail small store owners said that B2B platform sales personnel turnover is too frequent; if there is a salesperson, they use it; if not, they don't. When asked whether B2B platforms have complete supply, retail store owners said that "the platform's goods are not complete" and often out of stock. Sometimes when they need a certain product, it is out of stock. Retail store owners said that when ordering from B2B platforms, sometimes the delivered goods have "unfresh dates, and even if the goods are about to expire, they are not exchanged." In contrast, nearby wholesale departments or distributors will exchange them for better-selling goods, but "online platforms do not exchange," which reduces store owners' trust in the platform. "Online payment is not safe and not easy to use," said a mom-and-pop store owner. Previously, when ordering on the platform, they received goods that were about to expire, and the platform did not exchange or refund them. If they couldn't sell them, they would all be stuck in their hands. The store owner also said that cash on delivery can avoid worrying about product quality issues; if there are quality problems, they can be returned directly. During the visits, New Distribution found that retail store owners order from B2B platforms once a week, and some store owners said they order three to four times a week. However, most store owners order less than 1,000 yuan from B2B platforms. The most ordered products are alcoholic beverages and drinks, followed by leisure cooked food and instant food. Currently, retail store owners are increasingly ordering from B2B platforms, and some small stores have developed a dependency on B2B platforms. Summary From the perspective of brand owners, on the one hand, they need to use B2B platforms to achieve better distribution, drive sales, and increase deep penetration; on the other hand, they are afraid that B2B platforms will engage in cross-channel selling and disrupt market prices. Many retail store owners said that when salespeople do not visit, they order some goods from B2B platforms. Most store owners said that brand salespeople come every week, and brands provide display fees, timely delivery, and convenient returns and exchanges. If they do not purchase from salespeople, they do not get display fees. For brand owners, B2B platforms are just one sales channel. B2B platforms can help brand owners simplify distribution processes, improve channel efficiency, and obtain inventory and sales data that were previously invisible. The greatest value of B2B platforms to brand owners is rapidly expanding their channel coverage. Currently, most brand owners have fully accepted and recognized the value of B2B and are strengthening cooperation. For B2B platforms, to truly realize the digitalization of distribution channels and open up the entire FMCG distribution chain, there is still a long way to go. If the tip is adopted, a reward of 400-2000 yuan will be paid. China FMCG + Internet Professional New Media Dedicated to FMCG manufacturers' transformation and upgrading and channel digital solutions