The verdict in three sentences
A B2B spare parts marketplace wins on part-number search, quotes and factory buyer accounts, far more than on catalog design. A SaaS such as Sharetribe or Mirakl lets you test quickly, and a multi-vendor CMS (150,000 to 300,000 MAD, about 15,000 to 30,000 USD) suits a first scope, but beyond 50 suppliers and thousands of SKUs, custom development (600,000 to 1,200,000 MAD, about 60,000 to 120,000 USD) is the only model that holds. Plan 5 to 8 months and 5 to 12% commissions to reach profitability.
Figures below use the Casablanca market as the reference case, a common entry point for investors based in Dubai or London targeting North African industry.
Why industrial parts are a special case
A maintenance buyer at a factory in Bouskoura, Ain Sebaâ or the Tanger Med zone is not looking for "a bearing": they want part number SKF 6205-2RS, its FAG or NSK equivalents, 24-hour availability and a negotiated price for their account. The platform must therefore handle technical sheets, cross-brand equivalences, per-customer pricing and approval workflows (requester, buyer, plant manager). Consumer marketplaces cannot do this without development.
Comparing the three build options
| Criterion | Marketplace SaaS (Sharetribe, Mirakl) | E-commerce CMS + multi-vendor module | Custom platform |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial cost | 20,000 to 150,000 MAD setup | 150,000 to 300,000 MAD | 600,000 to 1,200,000 MAD |
| Recurring cost | 300 USD to several thousand USD per month | 3,000 to 8,000 MAD per month (hosting, licenses) | 8,000 to 20,000 MAD per month (hosting, maintenance) |
| Part-number search and equivalences | Limited | Possible with extensions | Native, tailored |
| Quotes and per-account pricing | Mirakl yes, Sharetribe limited | Partial | Complete |
| Commissions configurable by category | Yes | Yes, usually basic | Yes, by supplier and category |
| Supplier ERP integration | API, costly | Weak | Designed in from the start |
| Time to launch | 1 to 3 months | 3 to 4 months | 5 to 8 months |
These ranges are 2026 orders of magnitude for the Moroccan market (1 MAD is roughly 0.10 USD or 0.09 EUR). Mirakl targets large accounts with high annual contracts; Sharetribe is affordable but built for simple transactions, a poor fit for industrial quotes.
What a custom platform costs, line by line
| Module | Indicative 2026 budget (MAD) | Scope |
|---|---|---|
| Technical catalog and search | 120,000 to 220,000 | Product sheets, attributes, part-number equivalences, typo-tolerant search |
| Supplier portals | 90,000 to 170,000 | Onboarding, CSV or API import, stock and price management |
| B2B buyer accounts | 80,000 to 160,000 | Multi-user, spending limits, approval workflows |
| Quotes and negotiation | 70,000 to 150,000 | Request for quote, counter-offer, conversion to order |
| Orders, commissions and payouts | 90,000 to 180,000 | Supplier/platform split, invoices, monthly statements |
| Payment and credit terms | 60,000 to 120,000 | Card via CMI, bank transfer, 30 or 60-day terms |
| Dashboards and back office | 60,000 to 120,000 | Tracking volume, margins and disputes |
| Total | 600,000 to 1,200,000 | Excluding marketing and supplier recruitment |
The business model: commissions and break-even
In industrial parts, distributor margins often sit between 15 and 30%. A 5 to 12% commission remains acceptable for a supplier if the platform brings new accounts. Low commissions (5%) apply to fast-moving SKUs (standard bearings), high ones (10 to 12%) to specific or urgent parts.
| Monthly gross merchandise value (MAD) | Average 8% commission (MAD) | Covers 15,000 MAD recurring costs |
|---|---|---|
| 200,000 | 16,000 | Barely |
| 500,000 | 40,000 | Yes, 25,000 MAD margin |
| 1,000,000 | 80,000 | Yes, 65,000 MAD margin |
| 2,500,000 | 200,000 | Yes, 185,000 MAD margin |
| 5,000,000 | 400,000 | Yes, 385,000 MAD margin |
A supplier subscription (for example 1,500 to 4,000 MAD per month for featured placement) can complement the commission and secure the first months.
Mini case study
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Karim, managing director of a bearings and hydraulic components distributor in Casablanca, backed by a Dubai-based investor, wants to aggregate 40 suppliers for 120 factory customers. He chooses a custom platform at 850,000 MAD (about 85,000 USD), delivered in 7 months, with 12,000 MAD in monthly costs.
Target at 18 months: 1,800,000 MAD monthly GMV at an 8% average commission, i.e. 144,000 MAD in commissions per month. After deducting the 12,000 MAD in costs and a 45,000 MAD sales team, net monthly margin reaches 87,000 MAD. The initial investment is covered in under 10 months once this run rate is reached. The scenario depends mostly on how fast suppliers are onboarded, which drives volume.
FAQ
Can we start on SaaS and migrate to custom later?
Yes, it is a common path to validate demand in 2 to 3 months. Set aside 15 to 25% of the custom budget to migrate supplier data and buyer accounts.
How are payments collected in Morocco?
CMI remains the reference for card payments; factories mostly pay by bank transfer on 30 or 60-day terms. The platform must therefore handle invoices, due dates and supplier payouts after collection.
How many suppliers are needed at launch?
As an order of magnitude, 15 to 25 suppliers covering 70% of common SKUs are enough to attract the first factories. Below that, the share of searches with no result often exceeds 40% and drives buyers away.
What timeline should we plan for a custom project?
Allow 5 to 8 months: 4 to 6 weeks of scoping, 3 to 5 months of development, then 4 to 6 weeks of pilot with 5 to 10 factories before opening.
Who owns the code and the data?
On a custom project, the source code and database belong to the client, which helps when raising funds. On SaaS, you rent the technology and data portability depends on the contract.
Let's scope your project. Send us your target number of suppliers, SKU volume and payment constraints: we will price a custom B2B marketplace or a phased launch, with a budget in MAD, USD or EUR and a 5 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.
