The verdict in three sentences
A custom B2B e-commerce platform costs between 40,000 and 120,000 EUR (excl. tax) in 2026, depending on the number of accounts, pricing complexity and ERP integration depth. The value isn't the storefront but order-taking automation: every order placed online replaces an email or phone exchange worth 8-15 EUR of sales time. Break-even usually lands under 18 months once 200+ pro accounts order self-service.
Why B2B isn't B2C
A consumer store shows one price and charges a card. In B2B, every client has their own terms: a negotiated price grid, volume discounts, credit limits and 30- or 60-day payment, a catalog restricted to their SKUs. The platform must handle multi-user accounts (buyer, approver, accountant), carts turned into quotes, and recurring orders in one click. That business logic — not the design — drives the budget.
| B2B feature | Complexity | Budget impact (EUR excl. tax) |
|---|---|---|
| Per-client / negotiated pricing | High | 6,000 - 14,000 |
| Multi-user accounts & roles | Medium | 4,000 - 9,000 |
| Online quotes + approval | Medium | 5,000 - 12,000 |
| Recurring / re-order | Medium | 3,000 - 8,000 |
| ERP / real-time stock sync | High | 10,000 - 30,000 |
| Credit lines & deferred payment | High | 5,000 - 12,000 |
What each budget tier covers
Scope drives the range. An entry-level platform is a catalog with per-account pricing; the top tier is a true portal wired into the information system.
| Budget (EUR excl. tax) | Scope | Target clients | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| 40,000 - 60,000 | Catalog + per-client pricing + cart/quote | < 100 accounts | 3 - 4 months |
| 60,000 - 90,000 | + ERP stock/price sync + recurring orders | 100 - 500 accounts | 4 - 6 months |
| 90,000 - 120,000 | + credit lines, multi-warehouse, full portal | > 500 accounts | 6 - 9 months |
| Annual recurring | Hosting, maintenance, evolutions | all | 8,000 - 20,000/yr |
Mini case study
Marc runs an industrial supplies distributor in Lyon: 420 pro clients, 6 reps keying in orders received by email and phone. Each order takes about 12 minutes of sales time, roughly 9 EUR internal cost. Volume: 3,100 orders/year, i.e. 27,900 EUR in processing cost.
With a 72,000 EUR platform, 60% of orders shift to self-service in year one. Savings: 0.6 x 27,900 = 16,740 EUR/year, plus an 8% higher average order thanks to one-click reordering. Build payback lands in about 20 months, before counting sales time redeployed to prospecting.
FAQ
Need a professional website?
Kolonell builds websites that attract clients, optimized for the Sénégalese market. Free quote in 2 minutes.
Can we start with Shopify B2B instead of custom?
Yes for a simple catalog under 100 accounts: Shopify Plus B2B runs around 2,300 EUR/month. Once price grids, ERP and credit lines become central, custom wins on 3-year TCO.
How long to connect our ERP?
Expect 4 to 10 weeks depending on the ERP (SAP, Sage, Cegid) and API quality. Real-time stock and price sync costs 10,000-30,000 EUR based on the number of flows.
Do we need online payment in B2B?
Often payment is on terms (30/60-day transfer), but offering card or direct debit for small accounts cuts unpaid invoices. B2B card fees hover around 1.2-1.8%.
How do we keep the project from drifting?
Scope a 3-month MVP (catalog + pricing + quotes), then iterate. 70% of overruns come from a vague ERP scope upfront: lock the data flows before writing code.
What ROI should we really expect?
The main gain is order-processing cost (8-15 EUR each) plus higher reorder frequency. A distributor with 300+ accounts typically recovers the investment in 15-24 months.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your account count, ERP and pricing rules, and we'll frame an MVP scope and a realistic budget range. 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.
