The verdict in three sentences
A B2B extranet for suppliers and distributors costs between 25,000 and 45,000 EUR for a complete first version, delivered in 12 to 18 weeks. The decisive line item is ERP integration (real-time stock and pricing), not the catalogue itself. Well designed, it cuts roughly 40% of order-taking calls and pays for itself in 8 to 14 months.
Line-by-line estimate
The typical extranet lets each distributor see their negotiated price, place orders, track stock and retrieve product documentation. 2026 order of magnitude for a manufacturer.
| Line item | Scope | Range (EUR) |
|---|---|---|
| Scoping & architecture | Workshops, data model, UX | 3,500 - 5,000 |
| Catalogue + per-client pricing | Product sheets, negotiated prices, discounts | 6,000 |
| Orders & replenishment | B2B cart, purchase orders, reorder | 5,000 |
| ERP integration | Stock, prices, clients (API/EDI) | 4,000 - 8,000 |
| Multi-account roles | Company accounts, sub-users, approval | 3,000 |
| Documentation & downloads | Datasheets, certificates, PDF price lists | 2,000 - 3,000 |
| QA & go-live | Testing, security, deployment | 2,500 - 4,000 |
| Total | 25,000 - 45,000 |
The 20,000 EUR gap between low and high end comes 80% from ERP integration complexity and the number of pricing rules.
Expected gains and ROI
A B2B extranet turns the hidden costs of manual order-taking into measurable gains.
| Indicator | Before extranet | After extranet | Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Order-taking calls | 100% | ~60% | -40% |
| Order-entry time per order | 8 min | 1 min | -7 min |
| Order errors | 4 - 6% | < 1% | -80% |
| Order processing delay | 1 - 2 days | a few hours | -70% |
| After-hours orders | 0% | 15 - 25% | +revenue |
| Recurring cost (hosting + maintenance) | - | 600 - 1,200 EUR/month | expense |
For an order-desk handling 1,500 orders/month, saving 7 min/order is about 175 hours/month, the equivalent of a full-time order-desk role.
Custom build or B2B e-commerce platform
| Criterion | Custom extranet | B2B platform (SaaS) |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | 25,000 - 45,000 EUR | 5,000 - 15,000 EUR (setup) |
| Monthly cost | 600 - 1,200 EUR | 300 - 2,000 EUR + % revenue sometimes |
| Complex per-client pricing | Fully custom | Vendor-dependent |
| Deep ERP integration | Native | Via connectors |
| Timeline | 12 - 18 weeks | 6 - 10 weeks |
| Extensibility | Unlimited | Framed |
If your pricing rules are simple, a B2B platform is enough; if each distributor has their own grid and the ERP is central, custom avoids costly workarounds.
Mini case study
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Marc, sales director of a technical-supplies manufacturer near Nantes (85 distributors, 1,500 orders/month) had 3 people on the order desk just entering orders received by phone and fax. He invested 36,000 EUR in an extranet (catalogue, per-client pricing, orders, ERP integration), plus 950 EUR/month of running costs. Six months later, 55% of orders go through the extranet, calls drop 40%, and one order-desk person is reassigned to sales development. Estimated net gain: ~2,800 EUR/month of order-desk time, i.e. ROI reached in ~11 months.
FAQ
Must the ERP be integrated from the start?
Not fully. You can start with a daily import of stock and prices (cheaper), then move to real-time sync in phase 2. Deep integration is 4,000 to 8,000 EUR depending on the ERP (SAP, Sage, Cegid, etc.).
How do you handle different prices per distributor?
Via a pricing engine that applies each account's negotiated grid. It is the core of the B2B catalogue (included in the 6,000 EUR line) and what distinguishes an extranet from a plain shop.
Will distributors actually use it?
Yes, if ordering is faster than the phone and stock is reliable. Guided onboarding and showing the exact price typically push adoption above 50% within 3 to 6 months.
Can online payment be added?
Yes, but in B2B many stay on invoicing at term. You add payment (card, transfer) when relevant, for an extra 2,000 to 4,000 EUR.
What is the real budget-risk item?
ERP integration and the quality of existing data. A poorly structured catalogue or unreliable stock inflates cost; serious upfront scoping secures the budget.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your ERP, the number of distributors and the complexity of your pricing grids: we scope a B2B extranet between 25,000 and 45,000 EUR. 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.
