B2B eCommerce UX: Quoting vs. Direct Checkout for Manufacturers

How to Build a Flexible UX That Supports Every Buyer

When you’re selling in the B2B manufacturing world, no two buyers behave exactly the same. Some know exactly what they want and just need a fast, seamless checkout. Others are dealing with high-volume quotes, complex configurations, or layered approvals that need more time and flexibility.

The problem? Most eCommerce sites force everyone down a single path—either quoting or checkout—and it rarely works for both. Buyers may be looking to:

• Purchase a small quantity of stock items using a company card
• Submit a quote request for a configurable or project-specific product
• Build a mixed order across categories with different purchase methods
• Compare price breakdowns across SKUs or approval tiers

If your site only supports direct checkout or only offers quote requests, you are actively creating friction for half of your audience. Manufacturers are increasingly adopting flexible UX strategies that recognize the complexity of B2B buying and respond to it, rather than forcing buyers into rigid pathways designed for simpler retail transactions.

In this article, we’ll break down:

• The real differences between quoting and direct checkout in B2B
• Why a single approach can backfire in manufacturing eCommerce
• How to design a flexible, intelligent UX that supports both
• Ways to reduce friction, increase conversion, and improve the buyer experience

This is for manufacturers who want their site to reflect how their customers actually buy, and who are ready to scale quoting and checkout in a way that works.

How to Design a Flexible UX That Supports Quoting and Direct Checkout

The key isn’t choosing one path—it’s designing your site to recognize which experience is appropriate for each product, buyer role, or order type, and making the switch seamless.

Here’s what a flexible, quote-and-checkout-ready experience looks like in practice.

1. Segment Products by Purchase Path

Your site should help buyers make the right choice early based on what they are trying to purchase.

• For standard, in-stock products, your PDP should emphasize an "Add to Cart" option with clear pricing.
• For configurable or custom products, the primary call to action should be "Request a Quote" or "Configure and Request Quote."
• If the quantity or order value crosses a certain threshold, trigger a prompt offering bulk pricing or a quote request option.
• For logged-in accounts with user roles, default to quoting or checkout based on the buyer's behavior or permissions.

This makes it easy for buyers to follow the right path without extra steps. If a product can support both paths, offer a toggle or smart prompt based on quantity, configuration, or buyer behavior.

2. Create a Dedicated Configurable Products UX

Buyers configuring complex products should never feel trapped by a rigid flow. This is where many manufacturers lose buyers. If someone needs to build out a product with multiple variables, they need:

• A guided interface or configurator
• Real-time price estimation (if possible)
• Visual feedback or validation of options
• The ability to save, edit, and share their build
• A clear next step: “Request a Quote” or “Save for Approval”

Let buyers send a finished configuration directly to your team as a quote request. If the configuration is simple, allow buyers to move it straight into checkout with the correct specs and pricing. If a quote is created, give the buyer a way to turn that quote into an order without re-entering details.

This minimizes errors and keeps the process smooth, even for complex builds. This is especially powerful for build-to-order SKUs, engineered components, or project-based purchases.

3. Provide a Transparent Quote Management Experience

Once a quote is requested, the buyer should always know where it stands. Make the next steps feel just as seamless as checkout:

• Offer a dashboard with active and past quotes.
• Show quote status and expiration dates.
• Let buyers ask questions or request revisions directly inside the portal.
• Make it easy to approve and convert a quote to an order when ready.

Transparency builds trust and eliminates the need for back-and-forth emails.

4. Handle Mixed Carts Without Confusion

Some B2B buyers will place orders that include both stock items and configurable products.

• Separate quote-required items from direct-purchase items in the cart.
• Allow buyers to check out part of the order now and request a quote for the rest.
• Clearly explain what will happen next for each type of item.

Split the cart visually. Let buyers check out now for what’s ready, and generate a quote for the rest. This avoids confusion and gives them the flexibility they actually need.

Platforms like BigCommerce and Adobe Commerce can support this with custom logic or third-party extensions.

5. Make Direct Checkout Fast, Flexible, and B2B-Friendly

Don’t forget your transactional buyers. Give them the B2B eCommerce checkout they actually want:

• Guest checkout or account-based pricing
• PO or credit options at checkout
• Pre-filled addresses and approval workflows
• Accurate shipping and lead time estimates
• Mobile-friendly design for in-the-field purchases

Checkout doesn’t need to be complicated. It just needs to match how your buyers work.

Why Flexible Checkout UX Increases Conversions in B2B

Most B2B buyers want self-service, but not at the expense of accuracy.
When your site makes it easy for them to buy or request a quote without starting over, you cut down the sales cycle and build trust.

When your site supports both quoting and direct checkout, you’ll notice the difference right away:

• More conversions from buyers who would have bounced
• Shorter sales cycles on large, complex deals
• Fewer manual emails and miscommunications
• Higher buyer satisfaction and repeat business
• Stronger alignment between sales, ops, and digital teams

If your quoting flow feels outdated or your buyers are dropping out before they can complete their order, it’s worth revisiting the UX. With a better design and the right platform functionality, you can support more paths to purchase without complicating the experience.