The verdict in three sentences
A wholesaler still receiving 70% of its orders by phone pays inside sales staff to do data entry, with a 3 to 5% error rate on SKUs and prices. A B2B e-commerce platform showing each customer its own price list, credit balance and payment terms costs between EUR 35,000 and 80,000 excluding VAT and ships in 4 to 6 months. The realistic goal is 40% of orders online within 12 months, freeing the sales team to prospect.
What a wholesaler really needs from a B2B platform
A B2C store is not enough. With 1,400 trade customers in London and the South East and 6,000 SKUs, the core issue is pricing logic: discounts by product family, negotiated net prices, quantity breaks, free delivery thresholds, 30 or 45-day payment terms. Customers log in and see only their prices. They must also reorder in 2 clicks from their history, upload an order file and access their invoices.
ERP synchronization is non-negotiable: stock, prices, credit balance and order status must be current, otherwise the phone starts ringing again.
Shopify Plus B2B versus custom build
| Criterion | Shopify Plus B2B | Custom (Next.js + ERP API) |
|---|---|---|
| Setup cost | EUR 35,000 to 55,000 | EUR 55,000 to 80,000 |
| Platform subscription | about USD 2,300 per month | EUR 400 to 1,200 per month (hosting, maintenance) |
| Customer price lists | Native B2B catalogs, limits on complex rules | Unlimited, free business logic |
| Credit and payment terms | Native payment terms, credit via third-party app | Read directly from the ERP |
| ERP synchronization | Third-party connector (EUR 5,000 to 15,000) | Custom-built |
| Time to launch | 3 to 4 months | 5 to 6 months |
| 5-year cost (order of magnitude) | EUR 175,000 to 200,000 | EUR 85,000 to 150,000 |
Shopify Plus makes sense if your pricing rules are simple and you want to launch fast. Beyond 3 or 4 combined discount levels, custom often becomes cheaper over 5 years.
Detailed budget and expected return
| Item | Range (EUR excl. VAT) | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Scoping, journeys and pricing rules | 4,000 to 8,000 | Workshops with sales, order desk, finance |
| 6,000-SKU catalog and product pages | 5,000 to 12,000 | Import, photos, technical attributes |
| Customer pricing engine and quantity breaks | 8,000 to 18,000 | The most critical part |
| Customer area (credit, invoices, quick reorder) | 6,000 to 14,000 | CSV order upload included |
| Two-way ERP synchronization | 8,000 to 20,000 | Stock, prices, orders, invoices |
| Payments (card, bank transfer, direct debit) | 2,000 to 5,000 | Depending on provider |
| Testing, training, customer rollout | 2,000 to 3,000 | Support for the first 100 customers |
| Total | 35,000 to 80,000 | 4 to 6 months |
Mini case study
Thomas, sales director of an industrial supplies wholesaler in Greater London, has 1,400 customers and about 4,200 orders per month, 70% by phone. Each phone order takes 9 minutes to key in, about 440 hours per month. With 40% of orders placed online, he saves nearly 250 hours monthly, equivalent to 1.5 roles at EUR 3,200 loaded cost, or about EUR 4,800 per month. For a EUR 60,000 platform, payback comes in roughly 13 months, before counting fewer entry errors and higher basket value from product suggestions.
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FAQ
Will trade customers really order online?
Yes, if the platform is faster than the phone: 2-click reorder, exact prices, reliable stock. We typically see 15 to 25% online orders at 3 months and 35 to 45% at 12 months with active onboarding.
Can we show different prices to 1,400 customers?
Yes, the pricing engine reads each customer's terms from the ERP. We routinely handle 50 to 200 combined price lists with individual net prices.
How do you handle credit limits and 30-day terms?
The platform checks the approved credit before confirming and blocks or flags orders above the limit. The customer then pays by bank transfer or direct debit under their usual terms.
Which ERPs are compatible?
Sage, Cegid, Odoo, SAP Business One, Microsoft Dynamics and most ERPs with an API or scheduled exports. An ERP without an API adds EUR 3,000 to 8,000 for a file-based connector.
Should we keep inside sales staff?
Yes, but their role changes: less data entry, more follow-up and upselling. The time freed handles the remaining 60% of orders and grows key accounts.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your number of customers, SKUs and your ERP: we will recommend Shopify Plus or custom with an indicative budget and a 4 to 6-month plan. 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.
