The verdict in three sentences
For an industrial spare parts distributor in Berlin, a B2B e-commerce platform costs between EUR 50,000 and 120,000 excl. VAT, depending on ERP integration depth and product data quality. The profit lever is search by OEM part number and exploded views, which lets customers order the right part on their own. With 35% of orders online in year one and processing cost cut from EUR 18 to EUR 4, the project usually pays back in under 30 months.
What a B2B spare parts platform costs in 2026
The budget depends less on design than on three workstreams: migrating 45,000 product records, connecting the ERP for customer-specific pricing, and technical search (cross-references, exploded views, machine compatibility).
| Item | Essential version | Full version | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| B2B e-commerce core (accounts, cart, quotes) | EUR 15,000 | EUR 28,000 | Multi-user accounts, approval workflows |
| Catalogue migration and enrichment (45,000 SKUs) | EUR 8,000 | EUR 22,000 | Attribute normalisation, photos, technical PDFs |
| OEM part number search and equivalents | EUR 7,000 | EUR 15,000 | Algolia or Meilisearch type engine, typo tolerance |
| Clickable exploded views | EUR 5,000 | EUR 18,000 | 50 to 500 interactive machine bills of materials |
| ERP connector (prices, stock, orders) | EUR 10,000 | EUR 25,000 | SAP Business One, Microsoft Dynamics, proALPHA, Sage |
| Payment, credit and invoicing | EUR 3,000 | EUR 7,000 | 30-day terms, card, bank transfer, credit limit |
| Testing, training, go-live | EUR 2,000 | EUR 5,000 | Pilot with 50 customers before general launch |
| Total | EUR 50,000 | EUR 120,000 | 5 to 7 months |
Add hosting and maintenance, roughly EUR 800 to 2,000 per month, plus the search engine licence (EUR 100 to 600 per month depending on query volume).
The features that actually drive online ordering
A maintenance buyer does not browse categories: they have a part number stamped on a worn component, a photo taken in the workshop or a machine serial number. The platform must handle all three entry points.
| Feature | Estimated impact on adoption | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| OEM part number and cross-reference search | 40 to 50% of successful searches | Essential |
| Net prices per customer synced from the ERP | Removes 70% of "what is my price?" calls | Essential |
| Real-time availability and lead time per warehouse | Cuts sales follow-ups by 30% | Essential |
| Exploded view per machine model | +15 to 20% basket size on related wear parts | High |
| Quick order via CSV import or copy-paste | Used by 25% of key accounts | High |
| Order history and one-click reorder | 30% of recurring orders | High |
| Mobile access for field technicians | Useful on the road, 10 to 15% of sessions | Medium |
Data quality remains the top risk: a catalogue with incomplete attributes drops the successful search rate below 60%, and customers go back to the phone. Plan 2 to 3 months of data work alongside development.
Typical 5 to 7 month schedule
| Phase | Duration | Deliverable |
|---|---|---|
| Scoping and data audit | 3 to 4 weeks | Specifications, data model, ERP connector choice |
| UX design and mock-ups | 3 to 4 weeks | Search, cart, quote and account journeys |
| Development and ERP connector | 10 to 14 weeks | Working platform in staging |
| Catalogue enrichment and exploded views | In parallel | 45,000 clean records, first BOMs |
| Customer pilot | 3 to 4 weeks | 50 test accounts, fixes |
| Launch and support | 4 weeks | Activation campaign, sales desk training |
Mini case study
Jonas, sales director of a spare parts distributor in Berlin-Spandau, processes 60,000 orders a year, all keyed in manually from phone, fax or email. Current processing cost: EUR 18 per order, or EUR 1,080,000 a year.
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After launching a EUR 95,000 platform, 35% of orders move online in year one: 21,000 orders at EUR 4 instead of EUR 18. Savings: 21,000 × EUR 14 = EUR 294,000 per year. Minus EUR 20,000 for maintenance and hosting, the net gain is EUR 274,000. At full speed the project pays back in just over 4 months; allowing for gradual ramp-up, count 8 to 10 months. The two freed-up sales desk assistants focus on complex quotes and reactivating dormant accounts.
FAQ
Do we need to replace our ERP to launch B2B e-commerce?
No, in 90% of cases a connector is enough. SAP Business One, Dynamics or proALPHA expose prices, stock and orders; the connector costs EUR 10,000 to 25,000 depending on the available APIs.
How much do interactive exploded views cost?
Count EUR 30 to 60 per bill of materials if OEM drawings exist as PDFs, more if they must be redrawn. Starting with the 50 best-selling machine models often covers 70% of demand.
Will our customers actually order online?
Average adoption reaches 30 to 40% in year one if net prices and stock are reliable. A pilot with 50 customers and a 2% launch discount clearly speeds up the switch.
What timeline for 45,000 SKUs?
The full project takes 5 to 7 months. Data migration is often the critical path: plan one half-time person on the distributor side for 3 months.
Can we handle credit limits and 30-day terms?
Yes, the platform reads the credit limit from the ERP and blocks or routes for approval any order that exceeds it. Card payment stays available for new accounts and small amounts.
Let's scope your project. Send us your SKU count, your ERP and your number of active customers: we will price a scope between EUR 50,000 and 120,000 with a realistic 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.
