Which strategies can companies use to counteract the frustration on the customer side and thus retain their customers? 

Frustration-free shopping - learn from your customers' greatest moments of frustration 

The cookie tracking used so far has had its day, a new tracking method is to take its place instead. 

The future: group instead of personalized advertising - moving away from cookie tracking 

The **B2B Commerce Trends 2026** are not a radical break with the past, but they significantly exacerbate familiar challenges: exploding data volumes, fragmented system landscapes, and rising expectations for digital shopping experiences. At the same time, the pressure is growing on marketing, e-commerce, and IT teams to deliver content faster, more consistently, and with measurable effectiveness.

How AI transforms unstructured data from silos into value-creating web content

Stefanie Parthen

Illustration of a green robot peeking out from behind a large screen. The screen shows a video player window with a play button. The robot is holding an image icon in one hand and a round icon with a video camera symbol in the other. Around him are other graphic symbols such as speech bubbles, a gear, and a film strip.

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Philipp Reichardt

Managing digital assets has become a challenge for modern companies. **Thousands of images, videos, and documents** need to be organized, found, and used in a legally compliant manner. Without intelligent support, this task can quickly get out of hand. 

Illustration of a user interface for a digital asset management (DAM) system. At the top, next to an elongated search field, is the text “DAM.” Below that are three colored tiles: on the left, a label-shaped icon; in the middle, a magnifying glass icon; and on the right, a circle with the letters “AI.” Below each icon are two short bars symbolizing lines of text.

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AI in DAM systems: How artificial intelligence is revolutionizing digital asset management

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Bastian Busche

The market for **digital asset management (DAM)** is at a crucial turning point. What used to be considered a static archive for images, videos, and documents is now evolving into the strategic heart of a future-proof **content supply chain**. 

    
From our daily work at communicode, we can see very clearly that modern, **AI-supported DAM platforms** are becoming **indispensable** for marketing, IT, and communications managers – in terms of technology, organization, and compliance.

Illustration of a laptop and smartphone with user interfaces for digital asset management (DAM). AI elements such as tags, search, and automatic recognition icons can be seen on the laptop. A cloud with a light bulb, representing ideas or intelligent functions, floats on the left. Green color gradient in the background.

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How artificial intelligence is redefining digital asset management and why companies need to act now

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Mischa Wolfframm

**Hybrid sales in B2B** will once again be the focus of many companies in 2026. Most know that they need to integrate **digital sales channels** with **personal sales**. However, the real challenge and work begins after that, especially when **budget, time, and human resources** are scarce.

A [survey by ECC Cologne](https://www.ifhkoeln.de/produkt/b2best-barometer/?attribute_pa_variantname=vol-16-2024-plattformen-digitalisierung-des-aussendienstes) illustrates this dilemma: **84%** of companies consider the **digitization of their field service** to be a high priority, but only **33%** of these companies say they are already very far along in the process.

Two smartphones shake hands, with check marks and documents symbolizing digital consent or contract conclusion.

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2026 – New year, familiar trends!? Hybrid sales in B2B

Many B2B companies sit on a treasure trove of data that has been accumulated over years of **product lifecycle management (PLM)**, yet this data never fully reaches sales, marketing, or e-commerce. While development departments maintain highly accurate technical product information, this data is often missing in **product information management (PIM)** precisely where it is needed. This leads to media breaks, redundancies, and delays along the entire **digital value chain**.

Illustration of data flow from the PLM to the PIM system: on the left, a PLM circle with tables and a tool icon; on the right, a PIM circle with a product data sheet. An arrow connects the two, with symbols for processes, production, and online output in between.

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From PLM to PIM: How product information can be optimally utilized along the digital value chain

B2B companies have been under increasing pressure, and not just since the increased use of artificial intelligence (AI) in everyday business life. Business customers expect consistently available information, individual prices, and smooth ordering processes at all times – regardless of whether they purchase through the sales force, the online store, or integrated interfaces.

Illustration of a laptop with several robotic arms hovering above it, placing symbols and content—including chat bubbles, a heart, a profile picture, a clock, and a search icon. The image visualizes automated digital processes and AI-powered content creation.

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2026 – New year, familiar trends!? Automation with AI in B2B commerce

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Stephanie Ebbert

**User experience** must be smarter, more transparent, and more adaptable in 2026. Customers expect proactive services, visible trust signals, and interfaces that adapt to the situation. AI will become the connecting factor between speed, personalization and compliance. This is important for brands with large product ranges, complex journeys, or strict regulatory frameworks.

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UX trends 2026: The future that clicks

When it comes to personal customer meetings, traditional field sales and distribution remain a key success factor in many companies. However, with the increasing **digitization of B2B**, customers and buyers now expect immediate, cross-device access to relevant product information at any time.
A **digital product catalog** or a **self-service portal in B2B** meets this demand and at the same time reduces the workload for the sales department. Nevertheless, many sales employees are initially skeptical about such solutions.

Two people in a showroom are looking at a tablet with a holographic product display and technical details.

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Digital product catalog and analog sales: It's all in the mix

Digital interactions and targeted information gathering are shaping purchasing behavior in B2B today more than ever before. What has long been standard in B2C – the search for comprehensive, emotionalized, and consistent **product information** – is increasingly finding its way into **B2B commerce**.

A person in a warehouse environment uses a tablet to interact with a holographic product display and technical specifications of the PowerDrive X400.

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PXM in B2B: How better product information increases conversion rates

Jörg Schönenstein Marketing- PR-Referent und Online Marketing Manager communicode AG

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Jörg Schönenstein

In today's digital world, the success of your **product communication** depends on how quickly and efficiently you can respond to change. Traditional **PIM projects**, with their long and inflexible planning phases, can quickly become a burden. They often lead to disappointing results, as the solution no longer meets current requirements by the time it is completed, or may need to be redesigned in the meantime.

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Agile PIM: Best practices for a successful PIM strategy

With the **Digital Product Passport (DPP)**, the EU is sending a clear signal for greater sustainability and transparency in product communication. From 2027, the **Digital Product Passport** will become mandatory for the first product groups. This is a step that will have far-reaching implications for **manufacturers, retailers, and the entire supply chain**.

Several turquoise product boxes with attached labels containing QR codes; in the foreground, a large label with a QR code and a reference to digital product passport information.

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From PIM to circular economy: Your path to the digital product passport

Profile picture Michael Ochtrop from communicode AG

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Michael Ochtrop

When it comes to digital sales channels, it is no longer enough to simply present products in a technically accurate manner. It is crucial that **product information is consistent, contextualized, and tailored to the target audience** in order to inform and convince.
**Product Experience Management (PXM)** helps companies present their products across all digital touchpoints in a way that is understandable, relevant, and emotionally appealing – thus actively contributing to the **customer experience** and purchasing decision.

Illustration with the central term “PXM” connected to four elements: ERP, PIM, DAM, and AI, which are linked together by lines.

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How Companies Use PXM, PIM, and AI to Create High-Converting Product Content

Successful e-commerce is closely linked to a precise digital marketing strategy. The key lies in **individual customer communication**. No one knows your customers as well as you do. We leverage this advantage to efficiently manage personalized campaigns with the help of **marketing automation** and measurably increase the impact of your marketing. With modern tools and systems, marketing activities can be **planned, automated, and analyzed in a targeted manner** to ensure the long-term success of your digital marketing.

Person working on a laptop with a financial dashboard showing real-time data on sales, costs, and profits

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Marketing automation in e-commerce: Target customers and manage processes intelligently

Customer expectations are changing rapidly: customers want consistent, complete, and appealing **product presentations** at all times – whether in B2B or B2C. They gather information online, compare offers, and expect product presentations that are accessible, consistent, and rich in information at all times. Those who fail to deliver will lose out. **Product information** is a central component of the digital **customer experience** and crucial for purchasing decisions.

Illustration with two scenes: It compares stressful manual data maintenance with relaxed, efficient product management using a PIM system.

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Your PIM Path: The safe and fast way to efficient product data management

The new **Product Safety Regulation GPSR 2023/988** came into force on December 13, 2024. It affects all companies that sell products in the European single market – both online and offline. Online retailers in particular should act now, as the obligations in e-commerce are extensive. The Product Safety Regulation requires more transparency, better traceability and the digital provision of safety-relevant information.

Illustration with smartphone, online shop view, and shopping cart full of packages, next to it EU flag with paragraph symbol and checklist; reference to GPSR 2023/988 for product safety regulation.

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GPSR 2023/988: Product safety goes digital – what online retailers need to know

In today's digital world, efficiency in handling image material is crucial – especially for companies, agencies, and photographers who work with a wide variety of media on a daily basis. pixx.io, the smart media management solution from Germany, sets a good example here and offers you a modern feature that saves time and takes your media management to a new level: AI-supported face recognition.

Illustration of facial recognition and AI: portrait with facial recognition markers, computer screen, and symbols for security, search, and AI.

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Facial recognition with AI: Your advantages with pixx.io for efficient digital asset management

Anyone who regularly works with large quantities of images, whether in marketing, editorial, or corporate communications, knows the problem: manually managing and tagging images is time-consuming and drains creative energy. Smart tagging and automatic image tagging by pixx.io now makes this easier than ever.

Illustration of AI-powered smart tagging: Several office and business scenes with labels such as businesspeople, meeting, business call, woman at work, and modern office, connected by a central AI symbol.

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Use Smart Tagging in pixx.io to automatically tag images

Portrait Marketing Director Kerstin Wilke

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Kerstin Wilke

With its congress halls and conference rooms, the Estrel Berlin provided the perfect setting for K5. The catering was superbly delicious and varied – making it even easier to digest the flood of information at this event.

Group photo of trade fair team in front of a booth with banners and displays; people are wearing colored T-shirts with company logos and name tags, with other booths and visitors in the background.

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Recap K5 2025 by communicode

The expectations of B2B customers have changed fundamentally in recent years. In their private lives, users are used to relevant content being shared digitally that corresponds to their interests. This expectation is increasingly being transferred to professional contexts. This presents marketing and sales with new challenges, but at the same time offers enormous potential for more relevance in communication. The key: personalization in B2B.

Person sitting at a desk with a laptop, surrounded by graphic elements such as pie charts, bar charts, and symbols for profiles and data, representing personalization and data analysis.

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Personalization in B2B: More relevance, better customer approach

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Swen Schollenbruch

Your company's own e-commerce system has been established for many years and is closely adapted to your individual business processes. However, functions are gradually being phased out and suddenly the announcement comes that support will be discontinued. This is the opportunity for composable commerce-based systems.

Illustration on a dark blue background with the word “EMPORIX” on the left and a stylized cloud in the center, connected with geometric elements such as cubes, data blocks, and a shopping bag symbol; color accents in yellow and blue.

Insights Author

Stefanie Parthen

Articles to the keywords

How AI transforms unstructured data from silos into value-creating web content

Frustration-free shopping - learn from your customers' greatest moments of frustration

The future: group instead of personalized advertising - moving away from cookie tracking

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