The verdict in three sentences
For an office supplies wholesaler in Dublin with 15,000 SKUs and 1,200 business accounts, a B2B ordering platform costs roughly EUR 25,000 to EUR 60,000 excluding VAT in 2026, depending on how deep the ERP integration goes. The budget depends less on the catalog than on three business features: customer-specific negotiated pricing, an order approval workflow on the buyer side and 30-day end-of-month payment terms. A realistic goal is to move 40% of orders online within the first year, which frees a large share of the order desk's time.
What the platform must do for a wholesaler
A business customer does not order like a consumer. The office manager of an accounting firm wants to find her usual list of 40 items, see her contract prices, and send the basket to the purchasing manager, who approves anything above EUR 500. The wholesaler wants the order to land directly in the ERP without re-keying, with the right pack sizes and the right payment terms.
The must-have features are: account login with several users per company, price lists per customer and per quantity break, reorder lists, quick order by SKU or CSV import, one or two-level approval workflow, visible outstanding balance and credit limit, invoicing at 30 days end of month, and downloadable invoice history.
| Feature block | Complexity | Estimated share of budget | 2026 comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15,000 SKU catalog, search, product pages | Medium | 15% | Imported from the ERP or a PIM, filters by family |
| Multi-user accounts and roles | Medium | 10% | Buyer, approver, accountant per client company |
| Pricing per customer and quantity | High | 20% | Contract price lists, family discounts, breaks |
| Order approval workflow | Medium | 10% | Configurable threshold, email alerts, reminders |
| 30-day terms and card payment | Medium | 10% | Outstanding balance, limit, card for small accounts |
| Two-way ERP integration | High | 25% | Stock, prices, orders, invoices, statuses |
| Back office, reporting, basic SEO | Low | 10% | Online sales dashboards per sales rep |
What each approach costs in 2026
A wholesaler of this size has three options. The figures below are market estimates for Ireland and Western Europe, not Kolonell rates.
| Option | Estimated upfront cost | Estimated annual cost | Timeline | Main limitation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ERP vendor B2B module | EUR 15,000-30,000 | EUR 6,000-15,000 | 3-5 months | Rigid interface, weak buyer experience |
| B2B SaaS (license + integration) | EUR 20,000-40,000 | EUR 12,000-30,000 | 3-6 months | Subscription tied to volume or users |
| Custom platform | EUR 35,000-60,000 | EUR 5,000-10,000 | 5-8 months | Higher upfront investment |
| Simple ERP integration (scheduled files) | EUR 5,000-10,000 | In maintenance | 4-6 weeks | Stock refreshed every 15 to 60 minutes |
| Real-time ERP integration (API) | EUR 12,000-25,000 | In maintenance | 2-3 months | Depends on the API the ERP exposes |
| Price list migration | EUR 3,000-8,000 | One-off | 3-6 weeks | Quality of existing data |
Custom development makes sense when pricing rules are numerous (several hundred specific contracts) or when the wholesaler wants a very simple journey for buyers who are not tech-savvy. A SaaS remains a sound choice if the ERP already has a native connector.
For a custom project built by Kolonell, the 2026 grid for complex applications starts at 7,000,000 FCFA, about EUR 10,670, with Premium maintenance at 120,000 FCFA per month (EUR 180). The exact scope is set after a scoping workshop.
Mini case study
Ciaran, sales director of an office supplies wholesaler in Dublin, handles 2,600 orders a month, 85% of which arrive by email or phone. Each entry takes the order desk about 6 minutes, around 220 hours a month.
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With 40% of orders online in year one, he saves 1,040 orders x 6 minutes = 104 hours a month, roughly 1,250 hours a year. At EUR 35 fully loaded per hour, that is EUR 43,750 a year. For a EUR 45,000 project plus EUR 8,000 in annual running costs, payback comes in roughly 14 to 15 months, before counting fewer keying errors and a higher average basket from reorder suggestions.
FAQ
How long does it take to launch the platform?
Allow 4 to 8 months depending on the option, including 6 to 10 weeks for ERP integration and price list migration. A one-month pilot with 50 to 100 customers greatly reduces risk.
Can we keep 30-day end-of-month terms?
Yes, it is standard B2B practice, and the EU Late Payment Directive generally caps business terms at 60 days unless agreed otherwise. The platform shows the outstanding balance and blocks orders above each customer's credit limit.
How do we get 40% of customers ordering online?
Wholesalers who succeed combine sales-led onboarding, a 1 to 2% discount on web orders and pre-filled reorder lists. Sales reps keep their commission on online orders from their accounts.
Do we need to change ERP first?
Rarely. Most ERPs on the market expose an API or accept scheduled file exchanges, which is enough to sync stock and orders every 15 minutes.
What budget should we plan after go-live?
Plan an estimated 10 to 20% of the upfront cost per year for maintenance, hosting and improvements, so EUR 5,000 to EUR 12,000 for a EUR 45,000 project.
Let's scope your project. Send us your SKU count, number of customer accounts and current ERP, and we will price the scope, indicative budget and go-live timeline. 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.
