The verdict in three sentences
For an electrical wholesaler with 15,000 SKUs and 2,500 contractor accounts, a serious B2B platform costs 40,000 to 100,000 EUR (roughly 45,000 to 110,000 USD) at launch, then 500 to 2,000 EUR a month. The line that moves the budget is not design but ERP synchronisation of stock, net prices and credit limits. With 30 to 45% of orders online and handling cost cut from 12 EUR to 3 EUR, payback usually lands between 14 and 24 months.
What you actually pay: the 2026 breakdown
An electrical contractor often orders early in the morning, from the van, using exact part numbers (breakers, conduit, cable by the metre or foot). The platform must show their negotiated net price, real stock at the nearest branch, and allow quick order by SKU or list upload. The figures below apply to wholesalers in the UK, Ireland and the US alike.
| Item | 2026 range (excl. VAT/sales tax) | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Discovery and business workshops | 4,000 to 9,000 EUR | Pricing rules, account terms, order flow |
| B2B platform (catalogue, accounts, quick order) | 18,000 to 45,000 EUR | Multi-user accounts, saved lists, reorder |
| Customer net pricing and terms | 6,000 to 15,000 EUR | 2,500 price lists, family discounts, carriage-paid thresholds |
| ERP sync (stock, prices, orders, invoices) | 10,000 to 25,000 EUR | The most variable line, depends on ERP |
| Enriched product data (ETIM, datasheets) | 2,000 to 6,000 EUR | Manufacturer data import |
| Testing, training, go-live | 3,000 to 6,000 EUR | Pilot with 50 contractors |
| Total project | 40,000 to 100,000 EUR | 2026 order of magnitude |
Recurring costs come on top: hosting and licences 500 to 2,000 EUR a month, corrective and evolutive maintenance 10 to 15% of the initial cost per year. A 15,000 EUR website exists, but it handles neither net prices nor credit limits, so inside sales keep re-keying everything.
The gain: from 12 EUR to 3 EUR per order
An order taken by phone or email goes through an inside sales rep, ERP entry, a stock check and sometimes a call-back. Fully loaded cost is around 12 EUR. Online, the order arrives already structured.
| Metric | Before (phone, email) | After B2B platform |
|---|---|---|
| Share of orders online | 0 to 5% | 30 to 45% at 18 months |
| Handling cost per order | 12 EUR | 3 EUR |
| SKU or quantity errors | 3 to 5% | under 1% |
| Average keying time | 6 to 8 minutes | 0 (direct integration) |
| Orders outside branch hours | marginal | 20 to 25% of web orders |
| Sales time freed | 0 | 1 to 2 FTE moved to prospecting |
The real gain is commercial: freed inside sales reps call dormant contractors instead of keying order forms.
Three decisions to make before requesting a quote
Pricing model. Net prices calculated live by the ERP or copied every night? Live is more reliable but requires a stable API. Catalogue scope. Publish all 15,000 SKUs at once, or start with the 3,000 that make 80% of revenue. Payment. Most contractors stay on account with net-30 or net-45 terms: the platform must show available credit and block orders above it, with card payment as an option for new customers.
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Claire, sales director of an electrical wholesaler, processes 90,000 orders a year. She targets 35% online after 18 months, i.e. 31,500 orders. Handling saving: 31,500 × (12 EUR − 3 EUR) = 283,500 EUR a year. The project costs 75,000 EUR, plus 1,500 EUR a month, i.e. 18,000 EUR a year. Even assuming a gradual ramp-up (half the gain in year one), the investment is covered in under 12 months, before counting extra revenue from evening orders.
FAQ
How long does it take to launch the platform?
Allow 4 to 7 months from discovery to go-live, including 6 to 10 weeks for ERP sync. A one-month pilot with 50 contractors prevents surprises at full launch.
SaaS or custom build?
Below 10,000 SKUs and with simple pricing, a B2B SaaS at 500 to 1,000 EUR a month is often enough. Beyond 2,000 net price lists, a custom layer connected to the ERP becomes cheaper over 5 years.
Will contractors really order online?
Yes, if quick order works on mobile and the displayed price is right. Wholesalers who train their reps to push the tool reach 30% web orders within 12 months, versus 10 to 15% without support.
What budget for product data?
If your suppliers deliver ETIM-formatted data, import costs 2,000 to 6,000 EUR. Without structured data, manual enrichment can exceed 1 EUR per SKU.
Can we handle several branches and their stock?
Yes, showing stock per branch and counter pickup within 2 hours adds about 5,000 to 10,000 EUR to the project.
Let's scope your project. Send us your SKU count, your ERP and your order volume: we will scope the perimeter, budget and timeline of your B2B platform. 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.
