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State of B2B eCommerce 2026

Wholesale Reengineered

Once just another sales channel, wholesale has now become the core engine for sustainable, strategic growth. In the 7th edition of NuORDER’s State of B2B eCommerce Report, we examine why 2026 marks a turning point for the industry—moving away from reactive uncertainty and into operational discipline.

💡See why 78% of leaders are doubling down on wholesale this year.
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What you'll learn from the 2026 State of B2B eCommerce Report

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Growth on your terms

Uncover how the industry’s “growth-at-all-costs” era has been replaced by margin discipline. Learn how leading brands are prioritizing healthy profit over just chasing big numbers by focusing on pricing flexibility and smarter product mixes.

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Data-backed relationships

Explore how sell-through insights have moved from occasional reporting to a core daily input. We look at how high-touch partnerships are being strengthened by real-time store data, allowing brands to make faster, more confident moves.

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Closing the “maturity gap”

Wholesale strategy has evolved faster than the systems built to support it. We dive into the operational reality of 2026: why B2B eCommerce is now foundational infrastructure and how brands are finally tackling the integration gaps that hold back scale.

The data behind the reengineering of wholesale

From margin protection to supply chain resilience, the data tells a clear story: Wholesale is now the most profitable channel in the portfolio.

stat 1-178% of senior leaders now rank B2B wholesale as their #1 investment priority.

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54% of brands are prioritizing cost reduction and margin protection over high-risk bets.

stat 3-167% of leaders now use sell-through data in their daily processes.

stat 4-1Only 9% of brands have achieved seamless ERP integration, revealing a critical gap.

LP_RetailReport_Stat1-1now rely primarily on quantitative data for forecasting, nearly double the figure from last year.

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AI adoption in buying and planning grew from 11% in 2024 to 17% in 2025, marking a fundamental shift in retail decision-making.

LP_RetailReport_Stat3-162% of retailers are investing in personalization and 60% in omnichannel convenience to ensure customer loyalty.

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New store openings dropped to 48% (down from 62% last year), as retailers focus on profitable growth rather than aggressive expansion.

🔎 Inside the 2026 wholesale mindset

This report is built on the collective experience of 200 senior decision-makers from $5M+ brands—40% of whom have over a decade of wholesale-first experience. By downloading the report, you’re gaining access to how these veterans are solving for:

  • The “toggle tax”: A look at the real-world cost of partial ERP integrations and how leaders are manually “stitching” systems together to maintain accuracy.

  • Geographic diversification: Why brands are looking beyond North America and Western Europe to capture new demand in East and Southeast Asia. 

  • Marketplace strategy: How to use third-party platforms for reach and excess inventory without creating a dangerous dependency.

  • Supply chain adaptability: Moving from lean to adaptive models to manage real-time tracking and supplier diversification.

  • The sustainability standard: How brands are shifting sustainability from a marketing headline to a pragmatic operational discipline.

 

Get your copy of the 2026 State of B2B eCommerce Report

This year's report offers a realistic deep-dive into an industry that has grown out of pain and into a new, more strategic era. For the leaders shaping both sides of the wholesale relationship, this is the essential guide to building a more resilient, intentional business.