Operate > WebSphere Commerce Accelerator > Order management > Order flow process
B2B order flow process
The order process, from a merchant's perspective, is composed of various steps. The following steps outline the life cycle of an order from placing an order to shipping it to the customer. The order flow process varies depending on whether the store is a B2B direct store, B2B indirect store or a B2B indirect supplier store.
- Order flow process - B2B indirect (demand) model
The order flow process in the B2B indirect demand business model is similar to that of the direct sales business model, in that an order is placed, payment is approved, and the order is released to fulfillment.
- Order flow process - extended site store
The order flow process in the extended sites business model is similar to that of the direct sales business model, in that an order is placed, payment is approved, and the order is released to fulfillment. The primary difference is the type of catalog that is used in the extended site business model. For example, partitioned catalogs are used by independent stores. In contrast, stores can also use a shared catalog that is loaded as a master catalog by the site administrator. Merchants can select the products from the shared catalog and optionally create store-specific products for sale in their own stores.
- Order flow process - B2B indirect supply model, supplier store
The order flow process in the B2B indirect supply business model is similar to that of the direct sales business model, in that an order is placed, payment is approved, and the order is released to fulfillment.