The verdict in three sentences
For a food packaging manufacturer that already books 30% of revenue online, a replatforming project is won on three building blocks: a custom print configurator, online quoting that takes over above set thresholds, and a customer account migration that keeps every negotiated price. A medium-complexity Kolonell custom build sits between 4,000,000 and 7,000,000 FCFA (EUR 6,100 to 10,670), and moves into the complex bracket, 7,000,000 to 15,000,000+ FCFA (EUR 10,670 to 22,870+), once the ERP computes print prices in real time. Payback shows up in sales admin hours saved and in baskets recovered below minimum order quantities.
What the current platform really costs
The pattern is common across German food packaging: a 180-employee manufacturer near Berlin, roughly EUR 35M in revenue, with EUR 10.5M flowing through a B2B shop launched eight years ago. The catalogue holds 1,200 SKUs: trays, kraft bags, deli boxes, cups, films and labels. Buyers are bakeries, caterers, quick-service chains and food processors.
The platform works, but it slows the business down. Custom print requests arrive by email with a logo attached, minimum order quantities (MOQ) block the cart without suggesting an alternative, and negotiated prices are keyed in by hand from the ERP.
| Symptom | 2026 finding | Estimated impact |
|---|---|---|
| No print configurator | 40% of requests come in by email | 2 to 3 days to issue a price |
| Poor MOQ handling | Cart blocked below MOQ, no tier suggested | 8 to 12% abandonment on those products |
| Customer prices not synced with ERP | Manual re-entry of price lists | 1.5 FTE in sales admin |
| Slow mobile experience | 4 to 6 seconds load time | Reorders pushed to the next day |
| Weak product search | No filter by size, material or food contact | 25 to 30 support calls per day |
| Customer accounts | 2,600 active accounts, 5 years of history | Data loss risk during migration |
This table becomes the backbone of the specification: each row turns into a measurable acceptance criterion after go-live.
Configurator and online quoting, the core of the project
The configurator walks the buyer through five steps: format, material (kraft, solid board, recycled PET, compostable PLA), number of print colours, quantity tier and logo upload. The price updates live, using the rules the sales team already applies: plate cost, cost per colour, volume breaks at 5,000, 10,000 and 50,000 units.
Two rules prevent bad surprises. Below a EUR 6,000 basket with no special technical constraint, the order is confirmed directly with a digital proof. Above that, or for four-colour printing on a sensitive substrate, the configurator generates a pre-filled quote request that a sales rep approves within 24 hours. Product pages also show food contact declarations under EU Regulation 1935/2004, and the shop flags the customer's own obligations under the German Packaging Act (VerpackG) and the LUCID register, which German buyers increasingly ask about.
| Platform option | Initial cost, 2026 ballpark | Recurring cost | Print configurator |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shopify Plus B2B | EUR 15,000 to 40,000 integration | About USD 2,300 per month licence | Third-party app, limited |
| Adobe Commerce | EUR 60,000 to 150,000 | EUR 30,000+ per year | Custom development |
| Shopware with a German agency | EUR 40,000 to 120,000 | EUR 10,000 to 25,000 per year | Custom development |
| Kolonell custom build, medium | 4,000,000 to 7,000,000 FCFA (EUR 6,100 to 10,670) | Maintenance 35,000 / 75,000 / 120,000 FCFA per month (EUR 53 / 114 / 183) | Native, internal pricing rules |
| Kolonell custom build, complex | 7,000,000 to 15,000,000+ FCFA (EUR 10,670 to 22,870+) | Same maintenance grid | Native, ERP-driven prices |
Third-party costs are 2026 ballpark figures seen on the German market and should be checked with each vendor. Hosting, specific ERP connectors and anything outside the grid are priced in the quote.
Migrating accounts without damaging the relationship
Migration is where B2B replatforming most often fails. A buyer who cannot find their negotiated price or delivery addresses calls their rep, and trust drops. The work is prepared upfront, with a test import on a sample of 100 accounts.
| Migration batch | Typical volume | Method | Watch point |
|---|---|---|---|
| Customer accounts | 2,600 | Import with secure reactivation link | Notice 15 days ahead |
| Negotiated prices | 380 price lists | Sync from ERP | Cross-check on 50 customers |
| Delivery addresses | 7,400 | Import and de-duplication | Multiple sites per customer |
| Order history | 5 years, about 18,000 orders | Read-only import | Reorder button active |
| Product pages | 1,200 | Migration and enrichment | 301 redirect for every URL |
| Customer logo files | 1,900 | Transfer to secure storage | Per-account access rights |
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Mini case study
Katrin, marketing director at a packaging manufacturer in Berlin, receives about 1,400 custom print requests a year. Each one takes 45 minutes of re-entry and back-and-forth in sales admin, or 1,050 hours. If the configurator automates 60% of these requests, the company frees 630 hours, worth EUR 26,460 a year at a loaded cost of EUR 42 per hour.
On the sales side, recovering 2% of the EUR 10.5M handled online through tiers suggested below the MOQ means EUR 210,000 in revenue, or EUR 52,500 in gross margin at 25%. The estimated annual gain reaches EUR 78,960. Taking the top of the medium bracket, EUR 10,670, plus Premium maintenance at EUR 183 per month, the investment is covered in under two months. These figures are an estimate to refine with the company's real data.
FAQ
How long does a B2B replatforming project like this take?
Typically 10 to 16 weeks from scoping workshop to go-live, including 3 to 4 weeks for the configurator. The migration of 2,600 accounts is tested over a full week before cutover.
Should the ERP be connected in the first release?
For negotiated prices, yes, otherwise manual re-entry continues. Real-time print pricing from the ERP can wait for phase two, which keeps the project in the 4,000,000 to 7,000,000 FCFA (EUR 6,100 to 10,670) bracket.
How do you handle minimum order quantities without losing the sale?
The cart suggests the next tier with its lower unit price, or an unprinted standard item available from 500 units. On this type of catalogue, those suggestions commonly recover 1 to 3% of online revenue.
Will customers lose their passwords?
Depending on the original technology, hashed passwords are carried over or replaced by a reactivation link valid for 7 days. Either way, 100% of accounts, prices and addresses are kept.
What does post-launch maintenance cover?
Three plans: 35,000, 75,000 or 120,000 FCFA per month (EUR 53, 114 or 183). They cover security updates, monitoring and a growing volume of improvements depending on the plan.
Let's scope your project. Send us your catalogue, your print pricing rules and your account export, and we will scope the configurator, the migration and a realistic go-live 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.
