The verdict in three sentences
A B2B pricing engine able to handle per-customer tiers, volume discounts and contract pricing costs between EUR 10,000 and 35,000 depending on rule complexity. It isn't the customer count that drives price but the number of rule types and their priorities (who wins between a contract price and a promo?). Well built, it eliminates manual quotes and protects margin across thousands of lines.
Pricing rule types and their cost
In B2B, "the price" doesn't exist: there's list price, segment price, customer price, contract price and volume discounts, all combining. Here are the common rules and their 2026 development weight.
| Pricing rule | Description | Implementation cost |
|---|---|---|
| Segment price | Tier A/B/C by category | EUR 2,000-4,000 |
| Per-customer negotiated price | Dedicated grid per account | EUR 4,000-8,000 |
| Tiered volume discount | -5% from 100 u., -10% from 500 u. | EUR 3,000-6,000 |
| Dated contract price | Fixed price over period/tender | EUR 3,000-7,000 |
| Per-SKU exceptions | Override on specific SKU | EUR 2,000-5,000 |
| Currency and sales unit | EUR/USD, case vs unit | EUR 2,000-5,000 |
| Full engine | Priority engine + admin | EUR 10,000-35,000 |
Cost explodes when rules contradict each other: you then need a clear priority engine and an admin interface for the sales team.
What the pricing engine changes day to day
Compare pricing management before/after for a B2B e-commerce team. Implementation timeline: 6-12 weeks.
| Criterion | Without engine | With pricing engine |
|---|---|---|
| Building a customer quote | 30-90 min | Instant |
| Web / ERP price consistency | Low | Synced |
| Margin errors | Frequent | Rare |
| Updating a grid | Manual, by email | Centralised, immediate |
| Price shown after login | No | Yes, personalised |
| Volume discount simulation | None | Real-time at cart |
The most visible gain: the logged-in customer sees their price, with volume discount calculated at the cart, no sales intervention.
Need a professional website?
Kolonell builds websites that attract clients, optimized for the Sénégalese market. Free quote in 2 minutes.
Mini case study
Bram, e-commerce lead at an electrical-supplies distributor in Amsterdam, manages 240 customers with negotiated grids. His reps produce 320 quotes/month at 40 minutes average, i.e. 213 hours/month. A pricing engine at EUR 28,000 automates 80% of those quotes, freeing ~170 hours/month, about 1 FTE at a loaded EUR 2,600 plus margin preserved on errors. Estimated saving EUR 31,000/year, payback in ~11 months.
FAQ
Why does a pricing engine cost as much as a small site? Because value is in the rules, not the display. An engine that correctly arbitrates between contract price, volume discount and promo is most of the development.
Can we reuse ERP prices? Often yes: the ERP stays the source of the grids and the web engine applies them. That requires a separately-priced integration (per-customer pricing), EUR 4,000-10,000.
How do we manage rule priorities? You define an explicit order (e.g. contract price > customer price > volume discount > list). This specification work matters as much as the code.
Are volume discounts calculated at the cart? Yes, in real time: the customer sees the price drop when reaching a tier. It's a strong upsell lever, budget EUR 3,000-6,000.
How long to deliver? A pricing engine ships in 6-12 weeks depending on the number of rule types and the quality of incoming ERP data.
Let's scope your project. Send us your grid types and an example rule conflict and we'll price a pricing engine with its priority logic. 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.
