The verdict in three sentences
A wholesaler serving hundreds of retailers wastes huge time on WhatsApp orders, phone calls and paper pads, with entry errors and poorly tracked credit. A custom B2B e-commerce platform applies the right price per client automatically, manages credit and outstanding balances, and connects to stock to prevent overselling. In 2026 Dakar, budget 10,000,000 to 22,000,000 FCFA and 4 to 6 months for a tool that absorbs up to +30% of orders without deploying a single sales rep.
Why B2B is not a regular e-commerce site
A retailer ordering from its wholesaler does not buy like a consumer: it has a negotiated price, a credit ceiling, payment terms and usually reorders the same references in bulk. A public site cannot handle this. The B2B platform must show each client THEIR prices, offer quick ordering by reference or standard list, and block or alert when the balance exceeds the limit.
| B2B function | Consumer store | B2B wholesaler platform |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Single public price | Grid per client / segment |
| Payment | Cash only | Cash, mobile money OR credit |
| Credit balance | Absent | Ceiling + automatic block |
| Ordering | Item-by-item cart | Quick order + standard lists |
| Stock | Simple | Linked to ERP / warehouse |
| Sales rep | No role | Follows clients, orders for them |
2026 budget and timeline in Dakar
Price depends on client count, pricing-grid complexity and integrations (stock, accounting). Here are the 2026 orders of magnitude observed in the Senegalese market.
| Line item | 2026 range (FCFA) | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Scoping + mockups | 1,500,000 - 3,000,000 | 3-4 wks |
| Catalog + per-client pricing | 3,000,000 - 6,000,000 | 5-7 wks |
| Quick order + credit | 2,500,000 - 5,000,000 | 4-6 wks |
| Mobile payment (Wave/OM) | 1,500,000 - 3,500,000 | 2-4 wks |
| Stock / ERP integration | 2,000,000 - 5,000,000 | 4-8 wks |
| Project total | 10,000,000 - 22,000,000 | 4-6 months |
Add maintenance of 150,000 to 350,000 FCFA/month (hosting, fixes, upgrades), to budget from the start.
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Mini case study
Mamadou runs a food wholesaler in Dakar with 420 active retailers and 6 reps. Each rep spends about 2 h/day re-keying phone orders. At a loaded cost of 4,000 FCFA/h, that is 6 x 2 x 22 x 4,000 = 1,056,000 FCFA/month of admin time. After the platform (15,000,000 FCFA investment), 60% of orders go self-service: time savings reach ~630,000 FCFA/month, i.e. 7.6M FCFA/year, not counting the +30% volume from clients now ordering evenings and weekends. Estimated payback in about 22 months, excluding revenue gains.
FAQ
Can negotiated prices stay confidential per client? Yes. Each client account sees only its own grid; two retailers logged in at once see different prices for the same reference. That is the heart of B2B.
How do you handle clients paying on credit? The platform tracks outstanding balances in real time, shows available credit and can block an order exceeding the ceiling, with an alert to the rep. You stay in control of who gets credit.
Is Wave and Orange Money mobile payment integrated? Yes, natively, with automatic webhook confirmation. A retailer can pay cash by mobile money or choose credit based on their status.
Will our reps lose their role? No: they place orders for clients from the app, monitor balances and focus on growth rather than data entry. The platform is a tool, not a replacement.
How long until launch? Count 4 to 6 months depending on integrations. A first release (catalog + ordering + mobile payment) can ship in 3 months, then credit and ERP are added.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your retailer count, your pricing and credit rules, and your current stock tool: we scope the perimeter and an indicative budget. 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.
