B2B Platform Free Trial: 6 Things You Must Evaluate

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Do or not do, there is no try.

The world of shopping for a B2B eCommerce platform may be the only universe where Yoda is wrong. A recent TrustRadius survey revealed that 29.6% of B2B customers consider free trials the most influential resource during purchase research. For wholesalers, these aren’t half-hearted attempts. Instead, they’re essential evaluation periods, helping you test a platform before you put your money on the line.

However, not all free trials are created equal, and some B2B platforms quietly limit the features you actually need to evaluate. Depending on the software company, B2B ordering system trials may differ, making it hard to assess if their solution meets your specific needs.

This article explores what you should look for when signing up for a B2B eCommerce platform free trial for your wholesale business.

How long should a B2B eCommerce free trial be for wholesale workflows?

Some wholesale platforms offer a 7-day trial, basically a sprint. Others stretch it to 30 days or more, which can stall your decision-making. The truth? Most B2B scenarios need more than a quick test drive, so trial duration matters. Check if it’s long enough to evaluate the platform within your usual workflow. Specifically:

• Can you run real use cases like importing product data, creating variants, and placing test orders?
• Can you request a short extension if you need more time to explore specific features?

The essential B2B platform free trial checklist

All software trials have an expiration date. Below, we present a practical checklist to help you evaluate any B2B platform free trial effectively and make the most of that limited time.

1. Feature access: The “No Lite version” rule

A free trial should give you a real taste of the platform’s capabilities. Some B2B platforms gate their most powerful features, leaving you with a “lite” version of their product. This makes it hard to know if they will actually work for your wholesale needs. Ensure you get a trial experience that mirrors what paying users get. Look for access to features that matter most, like:

• Customizing your B2B storefront with your branding, tailored product selections, and special pricing
• Managing customers and products with features like privacy groups, product variants, and bulk import/export tools
• Connecting systems you already use, like accounting, payment, inventory, and more

If those doors are closed during the trial, you’re not really test-driving the platform; you’re just peering through the showroom window.

Pro tip! Reach out to the platform’s support team. Many providers temporarily activate advanced features if you explain what you’re trying to test. No harm in shooting your shot.

2. Platform usability and performance testing

Speed, navigation, and ease of use matter for any wholesale ordering experience, so the B2B platform you’re evaluating must deliver on all these fronts. With a free trial, you can get a feel for how intuitive and efficient the solution is. Look for:

• User-friendly admin and customer interface
• Fast-loading B2B storefront that provides a smooth shopping experience
• Quick and simple setup process for your wholesale website
• Effortless management of products, orders, and customers
• System performance that handles high volumes of data without glitches

Pro tip! Test real scenarios. Create a sales rep or customer account and ask a trusted team member or buyer to use the platform as they usually would. Their experience can surface a broader range of perspectives on its usability. Your sales reps should also be able to jump in during the trial and navigate the portal the way they would during real customer interactions.

3. Evaluating customer support during your trial

A free trial is more than just testing. It’s the perfect time to evaluate the platform’s customer service. Excellent support is as critical as the solution to make your final decision. Can you easily contact their team via email, live chat, or even a call when you need help? Also, look into resources like a knowledge base or user guides—are they clear, helpful, and comprehensive? The support you get during your B2B free trial can reveal much about how smooth your experience will be in the long term.

4. Critical system integrations

Your B2B eCommerce platform must play nicely with other systems you rely on to manage your business effectively. A solid free trial lets you check the connection between these tools and the solution you’re assessing. See if you can:

• Test how data flows between systems. Is it real-time, scheduled, or manual?
• Confirm that the integration setup process is straightforward and well-documented
• Check if API access is available for specialized connections

The idea is to see if the B2B platform you’re trying out can really streamline your operations. If integrations fail or require heavy manual workarounds during the trial, that’s usually a red flag.

5. Hidden costs and surprise fees

A free trial should be completely free. Nothing kills a good first impression faster than surprise fees or unknown automatic charges. If you’re not ready to commit, stay away from B2B platforms that require credit card details just to get started. Also, review the solution’s pricing page to see if there are any additional costs for setup, integrations, or onboarding.

Pro tip! Contact the software’s sales team and bring your pricing questions to them. If you have specific requirements, like extra users or custom features, they can clarify costs and even give you a better deal. Plus, you get a platform demo, and you get to double-check if the wholesale ordering solution is right for you.

After the trial: Planning for launch and growth

A free trial is a lot like Jedi training—Luke Skywalker style. You might not become a full-blown master of the Force (or the platform, in this case), but you’ll get a solid feel for how it works, how it weaves into your workflows, and, ultimately, whether it’s worth your investment.

Before you hit “subscribe,” also consider:

• How soon can you start selling? It’s one thing to set up a new B2B portal; it’s another to have it ready to bring in orders. Launch times and onboarding can vary depending on your situation and readiness level. For instance, timelines differ if you’re replatforming, making your first move into B2B eCommerce, or having custom requirements.
• What tools are available for sales reps? If you have a sales team, the chosen solution should give them easy access to customer data, pricing, inventory, and order history, ideally through a dedicated portal or sales rep mobile app.
• Can it scale? Today, you might be managing 50 customers. Tomorrow? Hundreds. Choose a B2B platform that can grow with your business.  Look for flexibility in user roles, product catalog size, and integrations to avoid future headaches.

Final words

When choosing a B2B eCommerce platform, a free trial replaces guesswork and sales pitches with lived experience. It should give you confidence in a platform’s capabilities by exploring its features, support, and resources, testing key integrations, and seeing how it performs.

At B2B Wave, we offer a comprehensive and absolutely free 14-day trial because our simple, powerful platform speaks for itself. Sign up for a free trial with B2B Wave today and see it in action for yourself.