The verdict in three sentences
For a Manchester wholesaler with 9,000 SKUs and 1,200 trade customers, Shopify Plus costs about 2,300 USD a month plus 18,000 to 35,000 GBP of integration, while a custom portal requires 55,000 to 120,000 GBP of upfront investment. Over 5 years the gap narrows sharply, and the choice comes down to the complexity of negotiated trade pricing and the quality of the ERP connector that syncs prices and stock. With 40% of orders still placed by phone, the real stake is not the storefront but moving tradespeople to online ordering at the counter and on site.
Shopify Plus or custom: the 2026 cost comparison
The figures below are 2026 UK market estimates for a 9,000-SKU catalogue with variants (sizes, pack quantities, finishes).
| Criterion | Shopify Plus | Custom |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront investment | 18,000 to 35,000 GBP of integration | 55,000 to 120,000 GBP |
| Recurring cost | About 2,300 USD a month (around 22,000 GBP a year) + apps 250 to 700 GBP a month | Hosting and maintenance 700 to 1,600 GBP a month |
| Customer-specific pricing | Native via B2B catalogues, limited beyond a few hundred price lists | Unlimited: discounts by product family, customer, volume |
| ERP connector (Sage, Microsoft Dynamics, Epicor) | Third-party app or middleware, 4,500 to 13,000 GBP | Built to spec, included in the budget |
| Time to launch | 3 to 4 months | 5 to 7 months |
| Code ownership | No, rented platform | Yes, code delivered |
| 5-year total cost (estimate) | 145,000 to 205,000 GBP | 100,000 to 215,000 GBP |
The tipping point is clear: if your trade terms fit into 10 to 20 price lists, Shopify Plus is faster. If every contractor has a discount per product family, carriage-paid thresholds and job pricing, custom avoids costly workarounds.
The ERP connector, the heart of the project
A tradesperson who sees a wrong price or a product shown in stock when it is not will call the counter, and the portal loses credibility within a week. The connector must sync at least the following.
| Flow | Recommended frequency | Direction | Impact if it fails |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stock per branch | Every 5 to 15 minutes | ERP to portal | Out-of-stock items sold, counter calls |
| Net prices per customer | Daily + on every change | ERP to portal | Disputes, credit notes |
| Orders | Real time | Portal to ERP | Re-keying, 3 to 5 minutes per order |
| Account balance and credit limits | Hourly | ERP to portal | Orders blocked late |
| Invoices and delivery notes | Daily | ERP to portal | Calls for copies |
| Enriched product data | Weekly | PIM to portal | Missing photos and data sheets |
Allocate 15 to 25% of the project to this connector alone and require a test environment fed by a copy of the ERP.
Moving tradespeople to online ordering
The portal is only worth it if it replaces a share of the 40% of phone orders. Levers that work with construction trades: one-click reorder from history, search by manufacturer part number, barcode scanning from a phone on site, and click-and-collect at the Trafford Park or Salford counter within 2 hours. Aim for 25% of orders online at 12 months and 45% at 24 months, with an inside sales rep dedicated to onboarding the 200 largest accounts during launch.
Mini case study
Tom, managing director of a hardware and tools wholesaler in Manchester (illustrative case), processes 18,000 orders a year, 40% of them by phone, or 7,200 orders. Each phone order takes 8 minutes of call handling and data entry.
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- 24-month target: move 60% of phone orders online, or 4,320 orders
- Time freed: 4,320 × 8 min = 576 hours a year
- Valued at 32 GBP per loaded hour: about 18,400 GBP a year
- Data-entry errors avoided (2% of migrated orders, at 40 GBP average cost): about 3,500 GBP a year
With a custom portal at 80,000 GBP and 14,000 GBP of annual maintenance, the direct gain of 21,900 GBP a year covers maintenance and pays back the project in about 10 years on productivity alone. The real return comes from the online basket, often 10 to 20% higher thanks to accessory suggestions, which can bring payback under 3 years.
FAQ
Does Shopify Plus really handle B2B in 2026?
Yes, with company catalogues, payment terms and net prices. The limit appears beyond a few hundred price lists or with cascading discounts, which require apps at 250 to 700 GBP a month.
How much does a Sage or Dynamics connector cost?
Allow 4,500 to 13,000 GBP for middleware with Shopify Plus, or 9,000 to 18,000 GBP built into a custom project. The price depends mainly on the number of flows and the quality of the ERP's API.
What timeline for a 9,000-SKU portal?
3 to 4 months on Shopify Plus and 5 to 7 months for custom, including product data migration. Product data quality is often the critical path.
Can we start on Shopify Plus and move to custom later?
It is possible, but migration costs 13,000 to 26,000 GBP and integrations must be rebuilt. It is better to decide at scoping by analysing your 50 largest accounts.
How do we convince tradespeople to order online?
Offer what the phone cannot: real-time stock per branch, order history and collection within 2 hours. A realistic target is 25% of orders online at 12 months.
Let's scope your project. Share your SKU count, price lists and ERP: we will compare Shopify Plus and custom on your real case, with an indicative budget and schedule. 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.
