The verdict in three sentences
A custom B2B e-commerce platform for a wholesaler costs EUR 30,000 to 90,000 excl. VAT in 2026, depending on the complexity of customer-specific pricing and the depth of the ERP integration. The main gain comes from processing cost: EUR 8 to 12 per phone order versus EUR 1 to 2 online. If 70% of your orders still come by phone, moving half of them online is often enough to fund the project in 18 to 24 months.
The features that make a real B2B portal
A food, hygiene or hardware wholesaler does not need a consumer shop. Its customers (restaurants, public bodies, tradespeople, resellers) know their SKUs, reorder the same products every week and pay at 30 or 60 days. The portal must reflect these habits, otherwise sales reps will keep taking orders over the phone.
| Feature | 2026 range (EUR excl. VAT) | Priority | Expected impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| B2B catalogue, product sheets, pack sizes (unit, case, pallet) | 6,000 to 15,000 | Essential | Project foundation |
| Prices and discounts per customer or customer group | 5,000 to 14,000 | Essential | Correct prices without a call |
| Quick order by SKU, CSV import, usual order list | 3,000 to 8,000 | Essential | Order in under 3 min |
| Outstanding balance, credit limit, payment on terms | 4,000 to 10,000 | High | Fewer reminders |
| ERP integration (stock, prices, orders, invoices) | 8,000 to 30,000 | High | Zero re-keying |
| Customer area: invoices, delivery notes, history | 2,500 to 6,000 | Medium | Fewer customer service calls |
| Multi-user accounts with approval | 2,000 to 5,000 | Medium | Suits public buyers |
| Total by scope | 30,000 to 90,000 | 3 to 5 months |
The line that can triple the budget is ERP integration. A recent ERP with a documented API (SAP Business One, TeamSystem, Odoo, Microsoft Dynamics) connects for EUR 8,000 to 15,000 excl. VAT. An old or heavily customised ERP without an API requires file exchanges or a custom connector that can reach EUR 30,000 excl. VAT.
Phone order versus online order: the math
The cost of a phone order includes inside sales time, re-keying into the ERP, SKU errors and check-back calls. The 2026 orders of magnitude observed at regional wholesalers are as follows.
| Item | Phone order | Online order |
|---|---|---|
| Order-taking time | 8 to 12 min | 0 min on the wholesaler side |
| Re-keying into the ERP | 3 to 5 min | Automatic |
| SKU or quantity error rate | 2 to 4% | 0.3 to 0.8% |
| Full cost per order | EUR 8 to 12 | EUR 1 to 2 |
| Ordering hours | 8 am to 5 pm | 24/7 |
| Average basket | Base 100 | 105 to 115 (suggestions, lists) |
Hosting, maintenance and 3-year cost
Beyond development, budget for hosting (EUR 150 to 600 per month), corrective and evolutionary maintenance (EUR 800 to 2,500 per month) and customer change management, which is often forgotten: follow-ups, video tutorials, a 1 to 2% price incentive on online orders for 6 months.
| 3-year item | Low case | High case |
|---|---|---|
| Initial development | EUR 30,000 | EUR 90,000 |
| Hosting | EUR 5,400 | EUR 21,600 |
| Maintenance and enhancements | EUR 28,800 | EUR 90,000 |
| Customer onboarding | EUR 3,000 | EUR 10,000 |
| Total 3-year cost | EUR 67,200 | EUR 211,600 |
Mini case study
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Giulia, sales director of a hygiene products wholesaler in Milan, handles 2,200 orders per month, 70% by phone, or 1,540 orders. She invests EUR 55,000 excl. VAT in a B2B portal connected to her ERP. Twelve-month goal: move 60% of phone orders online, or 924 orders per month. At EUR 10 saved minus EUR 1.50 online cost, the gain is 924 × 8.5 = EUR 7,854 per month, about EUR 94,000 per year. After deducting EUR 18,000 per year for hosting and maintenance, the portal pays back in under 9 months, before counting the higher average basket.
FAQ
Shopify or a custom build for a wholesaler?
Shopify Plus now handles customer-specific pricing through its B2B features, for about USD 2,300 per month. Custom becomes relevant above 5,000 SKUs with multiple pack sizes, credit limits and complex ERP logic.
Will my sales reps lose their role?
No, they move from data entry to advice and prospecting. Wholesalers that migrated report that 20 to 30% of freed sales time is reinvested in new accounts.
How do we show the right price to each customer?
Pricing conditions are read from the ERP (base list, discount by product family, negotiated net prices) and recalculated at login. A wholesaler commonly manages 50 to 300 different price lists.
How long until customers adopt the portal?
Expect 6 to 12 months to reach 50 to 60% of orders online, with a 1 to 2% incentive and hands-on onboarding of the first 50 customers.
Does mandatory e-invoicing change the project?
In Italy, B2B e-invoicing through the SdI system has been mandatory since 2019, so the portal must rely on the ERP for compliant invoices. Plan EUR 2,000 to 5,000 excl. VAT to expose those invoices in the customer area.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your ERP, number of SKUs and active customers: we price your B2B portal between EUR 30,000 and 90,000 excl. VAT, delivered in 3 to 5 months. 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.
