The verdict in three sentences
A manufacturer selling to distributors needs a portal with a technical catalog, quote requests, order tracking, roles and credit terms, all wired to the ERP. Custom builds cost 40,000 to 100,000 EUR excl. tax (12 to 20 weeks); a B2B SaaS brick starts cheaper but caps out on industrial workflows. The decisive lever: -40% on order processing time and a cost per active distributor that collapses as the base grows.
SaaS brick vs custom: deciding by complexity
An industrial catalog is not a fashion catalog: technical SKUs, variants, sales units, minimum order quantities, volume discounts. These rules decide the right foundation.
| Criterion | B2B SaaS brick | Custom portal |
|---|---|---|
| Initial cost | 8,000-25,000 EUR + sub | 40,000-100,000 EUR excl. tax |
| Monthly subscription | 500-2,500 EUR/mo | Hosting only |
| Technical catalog / variants | Standard | Fully custom |
| Quote → order workflow | Basic | Multi-level, approval |
| Roles (buyer, approver, admin) | Limited | Fine, per distributor |
| ERP connection | Generic connectors | Dedicated real-time API |
| Credit & payment terms | Add-on | Native per account |
Below 30 distributors and a simple catalog, the SaaS brick is enough. Beyond that, custom regains the edge.
Cost per active distributor: the metric that matters
The right indicator isn't the project price but the amortized cost per distributor that actually orders. 2026 order of magnitude, a 70,000 EUR excl. tax build amortized over 3 years.
| Active distributors | Amortized cost/year | Cost per distributor/year |
|---|---|---|
| 20 | 23,300 EUR | 1,165 EUR |
| 50 | 23,300 EUR | 466 EUR |
| 100 | 23,300 EUR | 233 EUR |
| 200 | 23,300 EUR | 117 EUR |
| 400 | 23,300 EUR | 58 EUR |
Custom becomes unbeatable once the base exceeds 80-100 active distributors: fixed cost dilutes and each self-service order replaces a manual one.
Mini case study
Take Claire, CFO of an industrial SME in Lyon making components for 130 distributors. Previously, each order went by email then ERP re-keying: 12 minutes of processing, 900 orders/month. The custom portal (72,000 EUR excl. tax) automated entry and tracking. Processing time falls to 7 minutes (-40%), i.e. 75 hours saved/month, or ~1.7 FTE freed over the year. At 32 EUR/h fully loaded, that's 28,800 EUR/year, before counting fewer entry errors (estimated at 1.5% of lines). Payback in 2.5 years on admin savings alone, faster with added revenue.
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FAQ
How long for a complete industrial portal?
Expect 12 to 20 weeks. A catalog and quote workflow ship in 8-10 weeks; advanced roles, credit terms and deep ERP integration add 4 to 10 weeks.
Must I connect the ERP from the start?
No, but that's where 60% of the value sits. You can ship a catalog/quote core in phase 1, then wire stock, prices and orders in phase 2 (12,000-40,000 EUR excl. tax depending on APIs).
Wouldn't a SaaS brick be faster?
Faster at launch, yes. But industrial workflows (multi-level approval, minimums, volume discounts) quickly overflow the standard, and the workaround development erases the initial savings.
How are roles and credit handled per distributor?
The portal assigns roles (buyer, approver, admin) and credit caps per account, with automatic blocking on overrun. That's native in custom, often a paid add-on in SaaS.
What annual evolution budget should I plan?
2026 order of magnitude: 10% to 20% of the initial build per year for evolutions and maintenance, i.e. 7,000 to 20,000 EUR excl. tax/year on a mid-size project.
Let's scope your project. Describe your catalog, distributor base and ERP: we'll frame a B2B ordering portal (40,000-100,000 EUR excl. tax, 12-20 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.
