B2B Ecommerce Platform: Custom vs Shopify Plus in Berlin 2026

The verdict in three sentences

For a wholesaler with 2,000 to 20,000 SKUs and 500 to 3,000 business customers, Shopify Plus pays off when pricing rules stay simple and the ERP is standard. Once every customer has its own price list, family-level discounts and delivery terms, a custom B2B platform costs more upfront but less to run over three years. Either way, plan 4 to 7 months and a data migration budget that most quotes underestimate.

The real three-year cost: Shopify Plus vs custom

Shopify Plus's entry price is less striking than its cumulative cost. The subscription runs around USD 2,300 per month (about EUR 2,150) on an annual commitment, plus B2B apps, the ERP connector and initial integration. Custom development reverses the curve: heavy investment in year one, then maintenance and hosting.

The tipping point usually sits around 1,500 active customers with custom pricing: beyond that, app workarounds on Shopify cost more than clean code.

The B2B features that make the difference

A professional buyer does not browse like a consumer. They know their part numbers, order in batches and want to see their net price, not a struck-through retail price.

Quick order is the feature that moves customers from the phone to the web. Without it, adoption often stalls below 25% after six months.

A realistic 4 to 7 month plan

The longest phase is rarely development. It is cleaning product data and pricing conditions: incomplete product sheets, inconsistent sales units, negotiated discounts kept in spreadsheets. Allow 4 to 6 weeks for this, then a pilot with 30 to 50 customers before general launch. Require a dedicated data migration work package in the quote, plus training for the sales team, who must push the tool rather than compete with it.

Mini case study

Sarah, sales director of a hospitality supplies wholesaler in Berlin, manages 8,500 SKUs and 1,200 customers. Her four assistants key in about 180 orders per day, at 7 minutes each, or 21 hours daily. Targeting 60% online orders within 18 months frees 12.6 hours per day, about 2.8 FTEs. At EUR 42,000 fully loaded per position, savings reach EUR 117,000 per year, redeployed to reactivating dormant accounts. With a custom platform at EUR 85,000, payback comes in under 11 months, not counting fewer keying errors, estimated at 2% of order lines.

FAQ

Is Shopify Plus enough for a wholesaler with customer-specific prices?

Yes, up to a few hundred simple price lists, thanks to native B2B catalogs. Beyond 1,500 customers with combined family and volume discounts, limits appear and third-party apps add EUR 3,000 to 9,000 per year.

How much does a custom B2B platform cost in Berlin in 2026?

Allow EUR 40,000 for a tight scope and up to EUR 120,000 with full ERP integration, multiple warehouses and a sales rep app. Maintenance then runs 10 to 15% of the initial budget per year.

How long before customers order online?

A pilot with 30 to 50 customers usually starts in month 4 or 5. Reaching 50 to 60% of orders online is a realistic goal at 12 to 18 months if sales reps are also paid commission on web orders.

Should we change ERP before the project?

Rarely. SAP Business One, DATEV-linked systems or Odoo expose usable APIs or exports, and a connector costs EUR 8,000 to 20,000. Switching ERP in parallel extends the project by 6 to 9 months.

Can we migrate from Shopify Plus to custom later?

Yes, product and customer data can be exported, but specific developments are lost. Budget 30 to 50% of the initial cost for a migration after three years.

Let's scope your project. Send us your SKU count, customer count and ERP: we will price both options over three years with a 4 to 7 month plan. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.