The verdict in three sentences
For a cosmetics manufacturer selling to 600 beauty salons and pharmacies, a B2B ordering portal costs 25,000 to 60,000 EUR excluding VAT in 2026, the spread coming mostly from the ERP connection and the complexity of customer-specific pricing. Manufacturers who have deployed one typically see about 40 % of orders placed without a sales rep and average order value up around 12 %, driven by one-click reorders and suggestions. The real groundwork is cleaning up commercial terms before coding them: a portal only automates the price list you give it.
What the portal must handle, module by module
We use a natural skincare manufacturer in Marseille, France, as the reference, but the figures hold for most mid-sized European brands. A consumer storefront is not enough. A salon owner and a pharmacy do not see the same prices, have different minimums and pay differently. The portal must recognise the account at login and apply its terms automatically.
| Module | Function | Indicative 2026 cost (EUR excl. VAT) |
|---|---|---|
| Catalogue and technical sheets | Ranges, INCI lists, downloadable regulatory files | 4,000 to 8,000 |
| Customer pricing | Negotiated prices, range discounts, net prices per chain | 5,000 to 12,000 |
| Minimums and pack sizes | Minimum amount, cases of 6 or 12, free shipping threshold | 2,000 to 4,000 |
| One-click reorder | History, usual list, recurring orders | 3,000 to 6,000 |
| 30-day terms and credit limits | Limit per account, block on overdue, card as option | 3,000 to 7,000 |
| ERP connection | Customers, stock, prices, orders, invoices | 6,000 to 18,000 |
| Multi-user accounts | Several buyers per chain, manager approval | 2,000 to 5,000 |
Added up, the ranges give 25,000 to 60,000 EUR. The ERP line can triple the budget: a file-based link to Sage costs far less than a real-time integration with an industry ERP.
Which approach for which manufacturer
| Approach | Setup cost | Annual cost | Good fit if |
|---|---|---|---|
| B2B plugin on PrestaShop or WooCommerce | 15,000 to 30,000 EUR | 2,000 to 5,000 EUR | Under 300 accounts, simple pricing |
| Shopify Plus with B2B features | 20,000 to 45,000 EUR | 27,000 EUR and up (licence from 2,300 USD a month) | B2C and B2B on one store |
| ERP-integrated B2B suite | 30,000 to 60,000 EUR | 20,000 to 50,000 EUR | Microsoft Dynamics or SAP Business One |
| Custom build with a local European agency | 40,000 to 90,000 EUR | 5,000 to 12,000 EUR | Highly specific pricing rules |
| Kolonell custom application | 6,100 to 10,670 EUR (medium) or 10,670 to 22,870+ EUR (complex) | Maintenance 53 to 183 EUR a month | Controlled budget, remote team accepted |
These are 2026 market ranges. The choice depends less on the number of SKUs than on the number of pricing rules: beyond about fifty account-specific conditions, off-the-shelf plugins become unmanageable.
Structure customer pricing before coding
Most manufacturers discover during the project that they have 600 customers and almost as many exceptions. Grouping terms into segments lowers development cost and makes the portal readable.
| Segment | Discount off list price | Minimum order | Payment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Independent salon | 40 % | 250 EUR | Card, or 30 days after 3 orders |
| Hotel spa | 42 % | 400 EUR | 30 days end of month |
| Independent pharmacy | 35 % | 300 EUR | 30 days |
| Pharmacy buying group | Negotiated net prices | 1,500 EUR per delivery | 45 days end of month |
| Concept store | 45 % | 200 EUR | Card at checkout |
| Export distributor | Contract net prices | 5,000 EUR | Transfer or letter of credit |
Check your local payment-term law: in France it caps terms at 60 days from invoice or 45 days end of month, and the EU Late Payment Directive sets 60 days as the default ceiling between businesses. In France the portal must also prepare for mandatory e-invoicing: every company must be able to receive e-invoices from September 2026, with issuing mandatory for SMEs from September 2027.
Mini case study
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Sophie, sales director of a natural skincare manufacturer in Marseille. The company serves 600 professional accounts, averaging one order a month at 600 EUR: 360,000 EUR of monthly revenue, about 4.3 million EUR a year. Each order keyed in by sales administration takes 20 minutes.
With the portal, 40 % of orders, 240 a month, flow straight into the ERP: 80 hours of data entry saved, about 2,800 EUR a month at 35 EUR per loaded hour. On those online orders the basket rises from 600 to 672 EUR (+12 %): 240 x 72 EUR = 17,280 EUR of extra monthly revenue, about 10,400 EUR of gross margin at 60 %. Total monthly gain: around 13,200 EUR. For a 45,000 EUR project with 6,000 EUR of yearly running costs, payback comes in under 4 months.
FAQ
How long does launching the portal take?
Allow 12 to 20 weeks for a 600-account manufacturer, including 3 to 4 weeks spent cleaning up pricing terms. A gradual opening to 50 pilot accounts for one month limits pricing errors.
Is the ERP connection mandatory?
Above 200 accounts, yes: without it, sales administration retypes orders and most of the gain disappears. File-based sync every 15 minutes is often enough and costs 6,000 to 8,000 EUR instead of 15,000 EUR for real time.
How do we stop customers seeing each other's prices?
Each account is tied to a segment or a net price list, and the catalogue shows only that account's prices. Testing should cover at least 20 representative accounts before launch.
Will sales reps lose their commission?
Good practice is to link every account to its rep and also pay commission on online orders, often 1 to 2 points lower. Reps then move from order entry to advice and new business.
Can regulatory cosmetics documents be included?
Yes, INCI lists, safety data sheets and organic certificates can be downloaded from each product page. Pharmacies ask for them constantly, which saves 5 to 10 email exchanges a week.
Let's scope your project. We map your catalogue, account-specific terms and ERP connection for a portal delivered in 12 to 20 weeks. 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.
