The verdict in three sentences
For a Montreal distributor with 8,000 SKUs serving 1,500 clinics, long-term care homes and medical offices, the hard part is account-specific negotiated pricing and lot traceability, far more than the storefront design. Shopify Plus starts at 2,300 USD per month but quickly becomes restrictive on fine-grained price lists, a specialized B2B platform needs 29,000 to 69,000 USD of setup plus a licence, and a custom build runs 69,000 to 150,000 USD. With a 4 to 8 month timeline, aiming for 25 to 35% of revenue online within 3 years is realistic if field sales reps are involved from day one.
What online ordering really has to handle
A care home buyer does not shop like a consumer. They reorder the same 40 to 120 SKUs every month and expect their negotiated price, their pack sizes (unit, box, case), free shipping thresholds and net 45 terms. On the regulatory side, distributors of medical devices in Canada need a Health Canada Medical Device Establishment Licence (MDEL) and must be able to trace every lot shipped in case of a recall. In Quebec, the Charter of the French Language also requires your commercial website and product information to be available in French, which adds translation and content governance to the scope.
| Feature | Why it matters | Complexity |
|---|---|---|
| Negotiated pricing per account and per GPO | Every clinic or group purchasing organization has its own list | High |
| Multiple pack sizes | Gloves sold by the box of 100 or the case of 1,000 | Medium |
| Lots, expiry dates, FEFO logic | Lot recall in under 48 h, no short-dated shipments | High |
| Quick order and reorder | Entry by SKU or CSV import of 80 lines | Low |
| Multi-level approval | Nurse manager prepares, buyer approves | Medium |
| Credit limit and net 45 terms | Automatic hold above the credit ceiling | Medium |
| French and English content | Mandatory French under Quebec law | Medium |
Three options compared, 2026 figures
The ranges below are 2026 market estimates for North America, excluding your internal team time.
| Criterion | Shopify Plus (B2B) | Specialized B2B platform | Custom build |
|---|---|---|---|
| Setup | 35,000 to 80,000 USD | 29,000 to 69,000 USD | 69,000 to 150,000 USD |
| Subscription or licence | 2,300 USD per month minimum | 1,700 to 4,600 USD per month | Hosting and maintenance 1,150 to 2,900 USD per month |
| Negotiated pricing | Company catalogs, limits on very fine lists | Native, tiered and cascading discounts | Exactly your rules |
| Lots and expiry | Third-party apps | Often through the ERP | Native, tied to the ERP |
| ERP integration | Connector to build | Connectors for SAP, Sage, Dynamics | Custom |
| Timeline | 3 to 5 months | 4 to 6 months | 5 to 8 months |
| Total cost over 3 years | 125,000 to 185,000 USD | 92,000 to 235,000 USD | 110,000 to 255,000 USD |
Shopify Plus fits if your catalog is simple and discounts are standardized by segment. Once you manage hundreds of individual price lists and hospital tenders, a specialized platform or a custom build becomes cheaper over 3 years. Custom makes the most sense when your ERP already holds lots and prices, because the portal becomes a very reliable ordering and visibility layer on top of it.
Mini case study
Julie, sales director of a medical supplies distributor in Montreal, runs 21 M USD of revenue and 1,500 accounts. Her customer service team keys in 320 orders per day received by phone, fax and email, at 6 minutes per order, which means 32 hours per day and 4 FTEs.
- 3-year target: 30% of orders online, or 96 orders per day with no manual entry.
- Time freed: 96 x 6 min = 9.6 h per day, about 1.3 FTE at 48,000 USD fully loaded, or 62,400 USD per year.
- Entry errors: from 2% down to 0.5% on the online share, about 1,500 returns avoided per year.
- Chosen investment: specialized platform at 52,000 USD plus 2,900 USD per month of licence, or 86,800 USD in year one.
On productivity gains alone, payback comes around month 24. Adding a 5% basket increase on the online share thanks to reorder suggestions, Julie estimates break-even within 15 to 18 months.
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FAQ
Is Shopify Plus enough for negotiated pricing?
Yes for a few dozen catalogs by segment, with a subscription starting at 2,300 USD per month. Beyond 300 individual price lists or with cascading discounts, catalog maintenance gets heavy and a dedicated B2B platform fits better.
How long does the ERP connection take?
Plan 6 to 10 weeks to sync products, prices, stock and credit limits both ways. It is often 30 to 40% of the total budget, whatever tool you choose.
Do lots have to be visible to the customer?
Health Canada requires you to trace every lot shipped, not necessarily to display it. Showing lot and expiry on the packing slip and in the order history still lets you handle a recall in under 48 h.
Do we need a French version from day one?
In Quebec, yes: commercial websites and product descriptions must be available in French. Budget 4,000 to 12,000 USD for translating and maintaining an 8,000 SKU catalog, depending on how much content you already have.
What share of revenue should go online?
A 2026 order of magnitude: 10 to 15% in year one, 25 to 35% at 3 years. Care homes and clinics adopt faster than independent medical offices, which stay attached to their sales rep.
Let's scope your project. We frame your B2B portal (catalog, price lists, lots, ERP) with an indicative budget and a realistic go-live plan. 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.
