The verdict in three sentences
A B2C store sells one price to a consumer; a B2B platform reproduces your entire commercial model: negotiated prices, multi-buyer accounts, quotes, approval and ERP. In 2026, a polished B2C costs 8,000 to 30,000 EUR while a custom B2B ranges from 40,000 to 120,000 EUR. The price gap isn't agency margin: it reflects genuinely different features invisible on the B2C side.
B2B vs B2C: where the budget gap comes from
In B2C, the challenge is converting a single buyer. In B2B, each customer has terms, several buyers and a purchasing process. That changes everything in the design.
| Dimension | B2C | B2B |
|---|---|---|
| Displayed price | Single, public | Per account, negotiated, hidden |
| Customer account | Simple | Multi-buyer, roles, budgets |
| Cart | Instant purchase | Quote, approval, purchase order |
| Payment | Instant card | Account, credit, transfer, terms |
| Catalog | Standard | Personalized per customer |
| ERP/stock | Optional | Often essential |
| 2026 budget | 8,000 - 30,000 EUR | 40,000 - 120,000 EUR |
The B2B-specific extra-cost items
The B2B premium concentrates on a handful of modules absent from B2C. Pricing them helps decide what's essential at launch.
| B2B item | 2026 range (EUR) | Why it costs more |
|---|---|---|
| Per-account pricing and discounts | 6,000 - 14,000 | Multi-grid pricing engine |
| Multi-buyer accounts + approval | 5,000 - 12,000 | Workflows and roles |
| Online quoting and negotiation | 5,000 - 11,000 | Modeled sales cycle |
| Payment on terms / credit | 3,000 - 8,000 | Customer risk management |
| Real-time ERP integration | 10,000 - 30,000 | Critical sync |
| Quick order / EDI | 4,000 - 12,000 | Recurring professional buying |
Mini case study
Marc, owner of an electrical-equipment SME near Nantes, hesitates between reusing his B2C logic (12,000 EUR) and going custom B2B. His 220 professional customers demand their negotiated prices and 30-day payment, impossible in B2C.
He chooses a B2B platform at 62,000 EUR. The 50,000 EUR gap over B2C is quickly justified: by removing manual quotes (≈ 12 min each, 900/month), he saves the equivalent of 0.9 FTE (≈ 34,000 EUR/year) and secures his margin via per-account pricing. The extra investment pays back in about 18 months.
FAQ
Need a professional website?
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Why not just adapt a B2C store?
Because the B2B building blocks (per-account pricing engine, quotes, credit, ERP) aren't cosmetic options: they touch the core of the app. Bolting them on afterward often costs more than starting B2B.
Can I run B2B and B2C on the same platform?
Yes, in hybrid mode: public price for consumers, logged-in price for pros. Expect 10 to 25% more budget than a pure B2B.
What's the heaviest B2B item?
ERP integration (10,000-30,000 EUR) and the per-account pricing engine. They're also the two that generate the most ROI.
Does an SME really need all this?
Not necessarily at the start. We often launch a B2B core (catalog + per-account pricing) around 35,000 EUR, then add quoting and ERP in phase 2.
How do I justify the budget gap internally?
By comparing it to sales and order-desk time saved and margin protected: an 8-12% gain on those items pays back the B2B/B2C gap in 15-20 months.
Let's scope your project. Tell us whether you target pure or hybrid B2B, your customer count and payment terms, and we'll price the right scope. 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.
