The verdict in three sentences
Custom B2B wholesale and distribution software costs between 40,000 and 100,000 € in 2026, where a generic ERP forces its own processes on you and bills 500 to 2,500 €/month. A wholesaler's core challenge is differentiated per-customer pricing and real-time multi-warehouse stock — two things standard tools handle poorly. Custom becomes profitable as soon as manual order entry exceeds 15 hours per week, with typical payback in 16 to 26 months.
The budget for distribution software in 2026
The scope ranges from a simple digital order book to a self-service reseller portal connected to accounting. Here are the 2026 ranges for a Hamburg wholesaler.
| Scope | Included modules | 2026 budget (€ excl. VAT) | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orders + stock | Order entry, single-warehouse stock, catalogue | 40,000 – 55,000 | 4 – 5 months |
| Multi-warehouse + pricing | + per-customer pricing, multi-warehouse stock | 60,000 – 80,000 | 6 – 7 months |
| Reseller portal | + self-service B2B portal, accounting, EDI | 85,000 – 100,000 | 7 – 8 months |
| Annual maintenance | Support, upgrades, hosting | 8,000 – 16,000/yr | recurring |
Add hosting (120 to 500 €/month) and catalogue/customer data migration (3,000 to 12,000 € depending on how clean the existing data is).
The modules that save time
In wholesale, every minute of re-entry is lost margin. Here is the impact of the key modules seen at wholesalers of 8 to 40 staff.
| Module | Function | Typical 2026 gain |
|---|---|---|
| Per-customer pricing | Grids, discounts, negotiated terms | 0 pricing errors, +2 pts margin |
| Multi-warehouse stock | Real-time availability per site | -80% surprise stockouts |
| B2B reseller portal | 24/7 ordering, history, reorders | -20 h/week data entry |
| Accounting integration | Automatic entries and invoices | -4 days month-end close |
| Reorder suggestions | Threshold alerts, simple forecast | -25% dead stock |
| Enriched product catalogue | Sheets, variants, sales units | +15% average order value |
A wholesaler processing 400 orders/week and automating 60% of entry via the portal easily frees up 20 hours weekly, close to a half-time role.
Mini case study
Markus, owner of an electrical supplies wholesaler in Hamburg (22 staff, 380 reseller customers), takes 70% of orders by phone and fax. Two people enter orders full-time, with regular pricing errors. He invests 78,000 € in custom software with a reseller portal and per-customer pricing, delivered in 6.5 months.
Within 12 months, 65% of orders move to the self-service portal. Manual entry drops by 22 hours per week, roughly 34,000 €/year in salary cost redeployed. Pricing errors disappear, recovering nearly 2 margin points on affected lines. With 12,000 € of maintenance, payback is reached in 22 months.
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FAQ
Can we keep our current accounting software?
Yes. The custom solution integrates with your accounting system (DATEV, SAP, Lexware, etc.) via API or exchange files. Integration costs 5,000 to 15,000 € but eliminates double entry of invoices and ledger entries.
How do we handle hundreds of pricing grids?
A dedicated pricing engine automatically applies the right grid based on customer, volume and negotiated terms. This is exactly what standard ERPs do poorly and what justifies going custom.
Does the reseller portal replace my sales reps?
No, it frees them. Resellers place routine reorders on their own; your reps focus on value-added selling and new accounts. Teams often see +15% orders without new hires.
How long to migrate our catalogue?
Allow 3 to 6 weeks for a catalogue of 5,000 to 30,000 SKUs, depending on data quality. A prior cleanup (duplicates, units, families) significantly speeds go-live.
Do we have to deploy everything at once?
No, the recommended approach is phased: orders + stock first (55,000 €, 4 months), then per-customer pricing and portal in phase 2. You validate adoption before investing in self-service.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your order volume, number of warehouses and pricing grids: we'll frame the scope, an indicative 40,000–100,000 € budget and a timeline. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
