Salesforce B2B Commerce Cloud is built to handle the unique challenges of complex business transactions. But how it's implemented - and especially how users interact with it - determines whether it delivers meaningful outcomes.
Applying the UX Honeycomb to Commerce Cloud can help teams ensure that both interface and experience align with the expectations of modern B2B users.
Usefulness is about solving the right problems. In B2B commerce, buyers are not consumers - they’re roles. Procurement managers, engineers, and finance teams all need different functionalities.
Designing useful experiences means understanding these differences and reflecting them in the interface.
Commerce Cloud supports custom catalogs, account-based pricing, and contract-driven entitlements. But if those capabilities are not surfaced in a way that matches real workflows, they lose impact.
A product grid that supports bulk ordering but fails to allow quick quantity updates is technically functional but not truly useful. Usefulness is measured by how well the design supports daily tasks, not by feature lists.
Desirability is the emotional quality of a product. In consumer apps, this often means delightful animations or creative layouts. In B2B, it’s about clarity, consistency, and predictability.
Salesforce’s Lightning Design System offers a standardized visual language, but Commerce Cloud implementations often vary in quality.
A desirable interface guides the user without getting in the way. Button placement, whitespace, typography, and visual hierarchy all contribute to how users feel when using the system. Enterprise software doesn't need to be fun, but it shouldn't feel like a chore either.
Accessibility ensures that everyone can use the product, regardless of ability. Salesforce has made accessibility a core design principle, embedding WCAG standards into the platform. But real-world implementations often fall short.
Accessible experiences in Commerce Cloud require attention to markup, contrast, labels, keyboard navigation, and error states.
A storefront may meet basic criteria but still create friction for users relying on screen readers or alternative input methods.
Accessibility is a legal obligation, but it’s also a usability multiplier. When done well, it improves the experience for all users.
Credibility in UX is about trust. B2B buyers make high-value decisions, often on behalf of their companies. They need confidence that what they see is accurate and reliable.
An order interface that reflects real-time inventory builds credibility. A product detail page that clearly outlines delivery timelines and configuration options fosters confidence.
When a system shows outdated prices or ambiguous messaging, trust erodes. Design choices - everything from typography to error handling - signal professionalism and operational quality. Credibility must be designed, not assumed.
B2B catalogs often span thousands of products, many with overlapping attributes. If users can't find what they need quickly, they abandon the platform or escalate to support.
Findability in Commerce Cloud involves more than just search bars. It includes category structures, filters, synonyms, breadcrumbs, and the way data is presented.
A well-configured Einstein Search implementation can improve results, but not without structured metadata. Product naming conventions, tagging strategies, and data governance all influence the effectiveness of the UI. Good search starts with good data.
Usability is about efficiency. How quickly can a buyer place an order? How easily can a sales rep check account pricing?
In Commerce Cloud, usability comes down to interaction design. Multi-step checkouts, form design, error recovery, and mobile responsiveness all shape the experience.
Even basic changes - like turning a multi-click reorder process into a one-click flow - can make a measurable difference. Usability testing with real users is essential. Design assumptions rarely survive first contact with actual workflows.
Value is the sum of the parts. It answers the question: does this experience improve outcomes for the user and the business?
A well-designed Commerce Cloud storefront reduces order errors, increases cart completion, and lowers support tickets. But value is contextual. For one company, value might mean speeding up quote approvals.
For another, it might be simplifying product selection for field teams. Aligning UX metrics with business KPIs helps measure success. UI isn’t just the layer people see - it’s a key lever for driving strategic results.
The launch of SoundOff Signal’s new B2B dealer portal provides a compelling example of how UX design principles can drive tangible outcomes in Salesforce Commerce Cloud.
As a manufacturer of vehicle lighting and control systems, their business depends on product accuracy, configuration complexity, and synchronized data between systems.
From a UX perspective, the configurator they implemented does several things right. First, it prioritizes usefulness. The portal is not just an online catalog - it’s a guided configuration experience tailored to how their dealers work.
By allowing admins to define logic-driven questionnaires and dynamically updating the UI based on selections, the system enables fast, relevant product selection without overwhelming the user.
The interface is also desirable by design. Visual cues, such as a real-time light bar visualization and dynamically filled layout elements, turn what could be a tedious configuration process into an intuitive and feedback-rich interaction.
The use of custom JavaScript allows for flexible layouts and smart defaults that minimize input errors and improve decision speed.
Accessibility was improved through a simplified user flow and clear, structured forms. The design decisions around reducing error opportunities and visualizing configurations benefited users with different levels of technical familiarity.
Credibility is enhanced by integration with the company’s ERP system, ensuring accurate pricing, part lists, and build instructions.
The stick figure generation feature communicates manufacturing requirements transparently, reinforcing trust between the user and the system.
Findability plays a role through the structure of the portal, which presents not just SKUs but interactive configuration paths. Instead of forcing users to manually identify all the right components, the system walks them through selections, reducing cognitive load.
Usability is improved across the board. Configuring light bars used to be time-consuming and error-prone. With the new interface, dealers complete configurations faster, with fewer mistakes, and with greater confidence that their order reflects the intended product.
Finally, the value is clear. The portal has reduced quoting efforts, unified product data between Salesforce and the ERP, and improved the dealer experience. The interface serves both business needs and user expectations, illustrating the power of UX principles applied thoughtfully within Salesforce Commerce Cloud.
The UX Honeycomb provides a timeless framework for evaluating and improving digital experiences. When applied to Salesforce B2B Commerce Cloud, it shifts the conversation from configuration to intentional design.
It’s easy to focus on features or integrations, but if the interface doesn’t support user goals clearly and efficiently, it undercuts the platform’s potential.
Whether designing new storefronts or optimizing existing ones, these seven principles are a practical lens for creating interfaces that not only work - but get adopted and embraced.
SoundOff Signal’s dealer portal is one example of how aligning with these principles can improve outcomes at every level - from user satisfaction to operational accuracy to business ROI.
