The verdict in three sentences
For an electrical wholesaler with 25,000 SKUs selling to contractors on customer-specific negotiated prices, the real issue is not the storefront but ERP synchronisation of prices and stock. A B2B SaaS platform (EUR 1,000 to 3,000 per month) gets you live faster, while a custom platform (EUR 50,000 to 120,000) becomes cheaper once pricing rules, product-group discounts and revenue-based fees pile up. Over 5 years, the total cost gap is often under 15%, and the complexity of your price list is what decides.
What a contractor expects from a B2B webshop in 2026
An electrician ordering at 7 am before heading to site wants to see their net price, know whether the item is in stock at the Dublin branch or the regional warehouse, reorder their usual list in two clicks and download invoices. If any of these is missing, they call the trade counter, and the webshop has achieved nothing.
| Expected feature | Why it matters | Technical difficulty |
|---|---|---|
| Net price per customer (group discounts, special prices) | 80 to 90% of accounts have specific terms | high, depends on the ERP |
| Stock per branch in near real time | counter pickup within the hour | medium, feeds every 5 to 15 min |
| Search by manufacturer part number and EAN | 25,000 SKUs, several brands per category | medium |
| Order lists and quick reorder | 60% of orders are repeats | low |
| Multiple users per account with limits | owner, site foreman, accountant | medium |
| Online invoices, credit notes and statements | fewer calls to customer service | low if the ERP exposes them |
| Target average order value | EUR 400 to 1,200 | management KPI |
B2B SaaS or custom build: a 5-year comparison
The amounts below are 2026 ballpark figures (excluding VAT) for a regional wholesaler with about EUR 12 million in revenue, aiming for EUR 4 million online after three years.
| Cost line (excl. VAT) | B2B SaaS platform | Custom platform |
|---|---|---|
| Setup and ERP integration | EUR 25,000 to 45,000 | EUR 50,000 to 120,000 |
| Subscription or hosting | EUR 1,000 to 3,000 per month | EUR 300 to 800 per month |
| Fee on online sales | 0 to 0.5% depending on vendor | none |
| Maintenance and enhancements | partly included, paid options | EUR 1,200 to 2,500 per month |
| Time to go live | 3 to 5 months | 6 to 9 months |
| 5-year total cost (median scenario) | EUR 160,000 to 230,000 | EUR 175,000 to 260,000 |
| Ownership of code and data | no, data exportable | yes |
SaaS wins when your pricing rules fit its boxes: group discounts, a few special prices, one standard ERP. Custom takes the lead when you manage net prices indexed to copper, per-project terms, 30-day project quotes or several ERPs after an acquisition. In those cases, SaaS forces costly workarounds and every change depends on the vendor's roadmap.
Three things that blow up a budget
Product data quality first: 25,000 SKUs with incomplete manufacturer data means 2 to 4 months of clean-up. ETIM feeds or supplier catalogues shorten this work, but rarely to zero.
Price synchronisation next: computing the net price live in the ERP on every page view is reliable but slow. The common approach is to precompute prices per customer every night, with a live call when the basket is confirmed.
Finally, V1 scope: launching with search, net price, stock and reorder, then adding project quotes and punch-out in V2, often cuts the first budget by a factor of 1.5.
Mini case study
Claire, sales director of an electrical wholesaler in Dublin (illustrative scenario), handles 3,000 orders a month by phone and email, at 6 minutes of entry each for customer service. Goal: 40% of orders online within 18 months, that is 1,200 orders.
Need a professional website?
Kolonell builds websites that attract clients, optimized for the Sénégalese market. Free quote in 2 minutes.
Customer service gain: 1,200 × 6 minutes = 120 hours a month, about 0.8 of a role moved to quote follow-up, worth EUR 33,600 a year (EUR 42,000 loaded cost). Commercial gain: targeting a 2% revenue uplift from reorders and suggestions, on EUR 12 million at a 22% gross margin, gives EUR 52,800 of extra margin a year.
Total: about EUR 86,400 a year. With a EUR 90,000 custom platform and EUR 2,000 a month for maintenance and hosting, break-even arrives in 15 to 16 months.
FAQ
Can we keep our current ERP?
Yes, that is the rule. The platform reads products, prices and stock from the ERP and sends orders back; integration often represents 30 to 40% of the total budget.
How long does it take to put 25,000 SKUs online?
Allow 6 to 12 weeks if you have structured supplier feeds, and up to 4 months if product pages must be enriched by hand.
Should prices be shown to logged-out visitors?
Most wholesalers show a list price or "log in for price", and the net price only after authentication. This protects your terms and generates 10 to 20% more account requests.
Where will the site be hosted?
For a custom platform, in the EU: hosting with OVHcloud, Scaleway or an AWS Ireland region costs EUR 300 to 800 a month for this volume and simplifies GDPR compliance.
Is public funding available?
Depending on your size, schemes such as Enterprise Ireland or Local Enterprise Office digital grants may co-fund part of the project; check eligibility before signing the quote.
Let's scope your project. Send us your SKU count, your ERP and two examples of pricing terms: we will cost a V1 with an 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.
