Why manual B2B orders are slowing down wholesale growth, and what modern brands are doing to fix it

Despite the wide availability of digital tools, manual B2B ordering remains surprisingly common and costly.

 

While B2C commerce has embraced automation, many wholesale businesses are stuck using outdated workflows. What once worked at lower volumes now creates friction at scale. Common examples of manual B2B order handling include:

 

• Phone and email orders: Sales reps take orders in person or over the phone, then re-enter them into ERP or back-office systems

• Showroom and tradeshow sales: Orders are written by hand or saved in spreadsheets, later inputted manually often with errors or delays

• Dropshipping requests: Retailers send forms, PDFs, or Excel files that require duplicate data entry

• Reorders and backorders: Managed through long email threads, scanned documents, or even faxes

• Cash-and-carry transactions: Often lack product-level tracking and proper inventory reporting

These methods may be the status quo, but they come at a high cost in both time and accuracy. The result is slower operations, reduced customer satisfaction, and limited ability to scale.

 

 

Why manual B2B ordering still exists

Why do so many brands still rely on manual processes if automation tools are available?

Here are some common reasons:

 

• High cost of traditional platforms: Many digital B2B tools are built for large enterprises, with long onboarding cycles and expensive licenses

• Low retailer adoption: If the platform doesn’t match how buyers prefer to order, they often default to email or spreadsheets

• Fragmented systems: Juggling sales reps, marketplaces, and direct orders without a centralized backend can stall digital adoption

• Fear of change: For smaller teams, switching to a new system can feel risky or overwhelming, especially during peak seasons

But the reality is that the cost of keeping processes manual is starting to outweigh the perceived complexity of going digital.

 

 

Manual B2B workflows do more than slow you down - they quietly erode your bottom line. Here’s how:

 

• Slower fulfillment caused by duplicate data entry and frequent communication lags

• Increased order errors due to manual data input

• Limited scalability as teams struggle to keep up with growing demand

• Poor data visibility, making it harder to track performance, customer behavior, or inventory

• Frustrated retail buyers who expect a streamlined, self-service experience

In a world where speed and customer experience matter more than ever, brands that continue relying on manual processes risk falling behind.

 

 

Digitizing B2B orders does not have to be complex. The right wholesale platform can streamline operations without disrupting existing relationships.

 

A modern B2B order management solution should offer:

 

• Simple and intuitive ordering for retailers across devices

• Elimination of manual data entry across all sales channels

• Real-time inventory visibility and order tracking

• Native support for dropshipping, pre-orders, and reorders

• Seamless integration with your ERP, CRM, or marketplace systems

Automation does not mean sacrificing the human touch. Instead, it gives your team more time to build relationships, develop products, and grow strategically.

 

 

 

Manual order processing may have worked in the past, but it is no longer a viable strategy for scalable growth. With rising expectations around speed, accuracy, and service, brands must evolve to stay competitive.

 

By investing in digital tools designed for wholesale, you can:

 

• Accelerate your order-to-fulfillment cycle

• Reduce costly errors and operational drag

• Provide a more professional experience to your retail partners

• Access meaningful insights into performance and customer trends

Orderchamp Cloud is a modern B2B platform built to eliminate friction from wholesale ordering. Whether you manage sales via marketplace, dropshipping, or your own branded portal, our platform helps you:

 

• Automate order intake and reduce manual admin

• Keep inventory synced and updated in real time

• Offer a seamless ordering experience for retailers

• Connect easily with your existing systems without disruption

No more retyping spreadsheets or chasing down order details. Just clean, connected, and scalable wholesale operations.