The verdict in three sentences
For a spare parts distributor in Berlin with 15,000 SKUs and customer-specific net prices, the real issue is ERP integration, far more than the storefront. Sana Commerce is the safest choice if your ERP is Microsoft Dynamics or SAP Business One, Shopify Plus B2B wins if your catalogue is clean and pricing rules are simple, and a custom build only makes sense above EUR 20M revenue or with complex vehicle/machine compatibility logic. Aim for 40% online orders at 18 months, not 90% in year one.
Why 70% email orders are expensive
An order received by email gets re-keyed into the ERP by an order desk assistant. With 12 lines on average, re-keying takes 8 to 15 minutes and produces 2 to 4% errors (wrong part number, quantity, delivery address). At 120 orders a day, that ties up 3 to 4 FTEs typing, roughly EUR 130,000 to 180,000 a year fully loaded in Berlin.
A well-built B2B portal replaces re-keying with an order that lands directly in the ERP, carrying the customer's net price, free-shipping threshold, payment terms and real stock per warehouse.
| Must-have feature | Shopify Plus B2B | Sana Commerce | Custom |
|---|---|---|---|
| Customer net prices (15,000 SKUs) | B2B catalogues, limits beyond a few hundred price lists | Read live from the ERP | Unlimited |
| Real-time stock per warehouse | Via connector, 5 to 15 min sync | Native ERP | Unlimited |
| Search by OEM part number / cross-reference | Third-party app or development | Configurable | Unlimited |
| Quick order via CSV upload | Native (quick order) | Native | To build |
| Net 30/60 terms, credit limit | Native payment terms | Native ERP | To build |
| Multiple users per customer account | Native (company locations) | Native | To build |
| Time to launch | 4 to 6 months | 4 to 6 months | 6 to 8 months |
Total 3-year cost: the three options priced
Figures below are 2026 estimates for a distributor with EUR 8M to 20M revenue, 15,000 SKUs and an existing ERP.
| Item (excl. VAT) | Shopify Plus B2B | Sana Commerce | Custom |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subscription / licence | ~USD 2,300/month, ~EUR 76,000 over 3 years | EUR 2,000 to 4,000/month, EUR 72,000 to 144,000 | EUR 0 (hosting EUR 600 to 1,500/month, EUR 22,000 to 54,000) |
| Initial integration | EUR 30,000 to 80,000 | EUR 25,000 to 60,000 | EUR 60,000 to 150,000 |
| ERP connector | EUR 8,000 to 25,000 + EUR 300 to 800/month | Included (native) | Included in build |
| Third-party apps (search, PIM) | EUR 300 to 1,200/month | Low | EUR 0 |
| Ongoing development | EUR 1,500 to 3,000/month | EUR 1,500 to 3,000/month | EUR 3,000 to 6,000/month |
| 3-year total (range) | ~EUR 150,000 to 280,000 | ~EUR 150,000 to 310,000 | ~EUR 190,000 to 420,000 |
| Time to launch | 4 to 6 months | 4 to 6 months | 6 to 8 months |
Custom is not necessarily more expensive over 5 years if you have an in-house team, but it carries higher project risk. Sana is often the most predictable when the ERP is compatible, because there is no sync layer to maintain.
The three mistakes that sink B2B projects
First: launching with incomplete product data. A maintenance buyer searches for a manufacturer part number, a dimension or a compatibility; without those attributes, they call their sales rep. Plan 2 to 4 months of data cleansing, often EUR 15,000 to 40,000 of PIM work.
Second: leaving sales reps out. If they see the portal as a threat to their commission, they won't push customers to it. Pay commission on online orders from their accounts.
Third: aiming for 100% adoption. The 20% of customers who make 60% of volume adopt fast; the long tail will stay on the phone. A 40% target at 18 months is realistic and already very profitable.
Mini case study
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Jonas, sales director of an industrial spare parts distributor in Berlin (EUR 12M revenue, 120 orders a day), picks Sana Commerce on Dynamics 365 Business Central. Budget: EUR 45,000 integration, EUR 3,000/month licence and EUR 2,000/month maintenance, about EUR 225,000 over 3 years.
At 18 months, 40% of orders go online, 48 a day. At 12 minutes of re-keying saved per order, the order desk saves 9.6 hours a day, 1.3 FTE (about EUR 60,000 a year). Delivery errors drop from 3% to 0.5% on those orders, roughly EUR 15,000 a year of returns and reshipments avoided. Online basket size rises 8% thanks to related-part suggestions. Estimated payback: 30 to 36 months, faster if basket growth holds.
FAQ
Can Shopify Plus B2B really handle 15,000 SKUs with customer net prices?
Yes for the catalogue, but customer net prices go through B2B catalogues that must be synced from the ERP. Beyond a few hundred distinct price lists, sync gets heavy and a EUR 8,000 to 25,000 connector is essential.
Which ERPs work with Sana Commerce?
Sana runs natively on SAP (ECC, S/4HANA, Business One) and Microsoft Dynamics (Business Central, 365 Finance). If your ERP is Sage, Infor or an industry-specific system, look at Shopify Plus or custom.
How long does it take to launch?
Count 4 to 6 months for Shopify Plus or Sana, 6 to 8 months for custom, including 2 to 4 months of product data cleansing running in parallel.
Should a B2B portal accept card payments?
Yes, alongside net 30 or 60 terms: 10 to 20% of small customers (garages, tradespeople) prefer paying by card, which reduces your receivables. Fees run around 1.5% + EUR 0.25 per transaction.
What share of online orders should we target?
25% at 12 months and 40% at 18 months is realistic for a parts distributor. The best exceed 60% after 3 years.
Let's scope your project. Send us your ERP, SKU count and number of price lists: we will price all three options over 3 years with a 4 to 8 month 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.
