The verdict in three sentences
For a London wine and spirits wholesaler serving 1,100 trade customers (independent merchants, restaurants, hotels, corporate buyers), a B2B ordering portal with customer-specific and volume pricing costs GBP 21,000 to 38,000 (about EUR 25,000 to 45,000) and ships in 12 weeks. The realistic target is 70% of orders online within 12 months and a 15% higher average basket thanks to suggestions and one-click reorders. Success depends less on design than on ERP sync (stock, prices, credit) and on helping customers move online.
Why a standard online shop is not enough
A wholesaler does not sell at list price. Every restaurant has a negotiated price list, every merchant has case or pallet discounts, and some customers pay on 30 or 45-day terms. A standard Shopify or WooCommerce store handles these rules poorly without stacking fragile plugins. A B2B portal starts from the opposite end: the customer logs in and sees only their catalogue, their prices, their delivery thresholds and their history.
| B2B feature | Why it matters for a wine wholesaler |
|---|---|
| Customer and group pricing | 1,100 negotiated price lists, no re-keying |
| Volume discounts (case, pallet) | -5% per case of 6, -12% per pallet |
| One-click reorder | 60% of orders are repeat orders |
| Customer-restricted catalogue | Allocations on limited fine wines |
| Balance and invoices online | Fewer calls to accounts |
| Reps ordering on behalf of customers | More productive field visits |
| Excise duty and alcohol legal notices | Compliance on every invoice |
| Delivery thresholds and slots | Minimum order, optimised routes |
Detailed portal budget
| Item | Range | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Scoping and workshops with sales | GBP 2,100 to 3,400 | 2 weeks |
| UX design for fast ordering | GBP 3,000 to 5,100 | 2 weeks |
| Catalogue, product pages, vintages, allocations | GBP 4,200 to 7,600 | 3 weeks |
| Customer and volume pricing engine | GBP 4,200 to 7,600 | 2 weeks |
| ERP connector (stock, prices, orders, invoices) | GBP 5,100 to 10,200 | 3 weeks |
| Customer area, balances, rep app | GBP 2,400 to 4,100 | 2 weeks |
| Total project | GBP 21,000 to 38,000 | 12 weeks |
| Hosting, maintenance, support | GBP 250 to 600/month | ongoing |
The top of the range reflects an older ERP without a clean API, a catalogue of more than 3,000 SKUs with detailed vintage handling, or a mobile app for reps.
What the portal returns in 12 months
| Metric | Before | After 12 months (target) |
|---|---|---|
| Share of orders online | 10% | 70% |
| Average basket | GBP 520 | GBP 600 (+15%) |
| Keying time per order | 12 min | under 2 min |
| Keying errors | 4% | under 0.5% |
| Orders placed outside office hours | marginal | 35% of online orders |
| Calls to check stock or price | 40 a day | 10 a day |
Mini case study
Oliver, managing director of a wine and spirits wholesaler in London, handles 18,000 orders a year for 1,100 customers. If 70% move online, 12,600 orders no longer need manual entry: at 10 minutes saved each, that frees 2,100 hours, about GBP 56,700 at a loaded cost of GBP 27 an hour. A 15% basket lift on online orders (GBP 520 to 600) at a 25% gross margin adds roughly GBP 250,000 of annual margin. With a GBP 32,000 project and GBP 5,000 a year in maintenance, the investment pays back within months, even if only half the 70% target is reached.
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FAQ
How do we get customers to order online?
Reps onboard the first 100 customers during visits, and a launch incentive (for example a delivery threshold lowered by 20%) speeds adoption. Most wholesalers reach 40% of orders online by month six.
Do we need to replace our ERP?
No. The portal connects to your existing ERP (Sage, Microsoft Dynamics, Unleashed or a drinks-trade system), which stays the reference for stock and prices. The connector accounts for GBP 5,100 to 10,200 of the budget.
Are there rules on selling alcohol online B2B?
Yes: excise duty status, AWRS registration for wholesalers and licensing checks on trade customers. The portal restricts access to approved accounts and displays mandatory notices automatically.
Is Shopify Plus B2B an alternative?
For fewer than 300 customers and simple price lists, yes, from about GBP 1,900 a month. Beyond that, with 1,100 price lists and allocations, a custom portal is often cheaper over three years.
How long until we are live?
Twelve weeks of development, then a 4-week pilot with 50 customers before opening to everyone.
Let's scope your project. Share your customer count, SKU count and ERP: we will price a B2B portal between GBP 21,000 and 38,000, delivered in 12 weeks. 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.
