How Sonos Elevated Its B2B Dealer Buying Experience

How Sonos Is Redefining the B2B Dealer Buying Experience

In the competitive world of audio technology, Sonos has long been recognized for delivering premium sound experiences to consumers. But behind the scenes, the company also operates a substantial business-to-business (B2B) operation, working closely with a network of dealers who resell and distribute its products. About a year ago, Sonos recognized a critical gap: while its consumer-facing ecommerce experience was polished and intuitive, its dealer-facing buying portal was falling behind. The company made a strategic decision to close that gap — and the results speak for themselves.

The Challenge: A Tale of Two Buying Experiences

Sonos operates simultaneously in both the B2B and business-to-consumer (B2C) spaces, but the ecommerce experiences it offered to each audience were not on equal footing. Consumers enjoyed a seamless, modern shopping journey, while dealers — the partners who are arguably most critical to Sonos's distribution and revenue growth — were navigating a purchasing portal that didn't meet their evolving needs.

For a company ranked No. 244 in the Top 2000 Database of North America's largest online retailers, this disparity wasn't just an inconvenience. It was a strategic liability. Dealers who struggle with complex buying processes or lack self-service ordering capabilities are less likely to increase their order volumes, less likely to grow their own businesses through the brand, and more likely to feel underserved as partners.

Sonos knew it had to do better — and it needed a structured, data-driven plan to get there.

Three Objectives That Transformed the Dealer Portal

James Massey, manager of customer relationship management (CRM) applications at Sonos, shared the company's approach at a roundtable session on elevating the B2B buying experience at Salesforce Connections 2026, held on June 3 in Chicago. He outlined three core objectives that guided the transformation of Sonos's dealer purchasing experience.

1. A Phased Research-to-Implementation Approach

Rather than rushing to deploy a new solution, Sonos adopted a phased approach that moved deliberately from research through to full implementation. This methodology proved essential for managing the complexity inherent in B2B projects, where the stakes are high and the number of stakeholders — from sales teams to IT departments to finance leaders — can be significant.

By aligning stakeholders early and validating each phase before moving to the next, Sonos was able to reduce risk across the project lifecycle. This kind of disciplined, research-first approach ensures that the final solution is grounded in real business needs rather than assumptions, and it helps build organizational buy-in along the way — a factor that is often underestimated in large-scale digital transformation initiatives.

2. Deep Platform Integration Across CRM, ERP, and OMS

One of the most technically significant steps Sonos took was integrating its commerce platform — Salesforce B2B Commerce — with its CRM, enterprise resource planning (ERP) system, and order management system (OMS). This integration was not just a back-end technical upgrade; it was the foundation for creating a truly unified dealer experience.

When a dealer logs into a buying portal that is fully integrated across these systems, they gain access to real-time pricing, accurate inventory data, order history, and account-specific information — all in one place. They don't need to call a sales representative to check stock levels or wait for a manual quote. They can self-serve, which saves time for both the dealer and the Sonos team.

This kind of scalable, unified partner experience is increasingly what B2B buyers expect. In a marketplace where consumer-grade digital experiences are setting the bar for all buying journeys, dealers and business buyers are no longer willing to tolerate clunky, disconnected portals. Integration is not a nice-to-have — it is a competitive differentiator.

3. Using Dealer Feedback and NPS Data to Validate Design Decisions

Perhaps the most telling indicator of Sonos's success is what happened to its dealer Net Promoter Score (NPS). Before the portal improvements, Sonos's dealer NPS sat at 17. After implementing the changes, it climbed to 29 — a meaningful jump that reflects a genuine improvement in how dealers perceive and experience their relationship with the brand.

To get there, Sonos didn't rely on guesswork. The company actively gathered dealer feedback and used NPS data to inform and validate design decisions throughout the project. This approach ensured that every change made to the portal was grounded in what dealers actually needed, not what internal teams assumed they needed.

Using quantitative data like NPS scores alongside qualitative dealer feedback is a powerful combination. NPS tells you the "what" — satisfaction is up or down — while direct feedback tells you the "why," giving teams the insight they need to make smarter, more targeted improvements.

Rethinking the Fundamentals of B2B Commerce

What makes Sonos's approach particularly instructive is the mindset shift that underpins it. As Massey explained, most businesses approach B2B commerce from a baseline perspective: here are the products, here is the pricing, here is the ERP integration, here is the OMS. Those fundamentals are important, but they are table stakes.

Sonos asked a different question: what does a dealer actually need to buy more, grow their business, and increase average order value? This reframing — from "what can we build?" to "what does our partner need?" — is what separates a transactional portal from a genuinely elevated buying experience.

Key Takeaways for B2B Ecommerce Leaders

Sonos's B2B portal transformation offers several lessons that are broadly applicable to any organization looking to improve its dealer or partner buying experience.

Start with research and align stakeholders before committing to implementation. A phased approach reduces risk and increases the likelihood of long-term success.
Invest in platform integration. Connecting your commerce platform to your CRM, ERP, and OMS is what enables a seamless, self-service experience that modern B2B buyers expect.
Let data and dealer feedback drive design decisions. NPS scores and direct input from your buyers are invaluable for validating that your improvements are actually making a difference.
Shift from a product-first to a partner-first mindset. Ask what your dealers need to grow, not just what your platform can display.

The Bigger Picture: B2B Ecommerce Is Evolving Fast

Sonos's story is a timely reminder that the B2B buying experience is no longer an afterthought. As digital-native buyers increasingly occupy purchasing roles at dealerships and businesses of all sizes, the expectations for B2B portals are rising rapidly. Companies that invest in intuitive, integrated, feedback-driven dealer experiences will be better positioned to retain partners, increase order volumes, and build the kind of long-term loyalty that drives sustainable revenue growth.

For Sonos, the journey from an NPS of 17 to 29 is more than a number. It is proof that when you genuinely invest in your dealers' success, they invest back in yours.