The verdict in three sentences
For a Berlin bearings and power transmission distributor with 35,000 SKUs, a serious B2B e-commerce site costs EUR 40,000 to 80,000 (excl. VAT) and ships in 4 to 6 months. The value does not come from design but from the cross-reference search engine and the real-time ERP connection (customer net prices, stock per warehouse). A realistic goal is to move 25% of orders online in year one, which frees several hours a day at the counter and on the phone.
What maintenance teams actually expect
A maintenance technician at a Brandenburg paper mill or a Berlin food plant does not search for "bearing". They type 6205-2RS, an SKF, FAG, NSK or NTN number read off the broken part, or even a cross-reference noted on an old delivery slip. If the site does not instantly return the available part, with its net price and delivery time, they pick up the phone. The core of the project is therefore the cross-reference table: each internal item linked to 3 to 12 OEM and equivalent numbers, cleaned once and then maintained by the product team.
| Feature | Required in V1 | Indicative 2026 cost (EUR, excl. VAT) |
|---|---|---|
| Search by OEM number and equivalent | Yes | 8,000 to 15,000 |
| Technical filters (bore, outer diameter, width, sealing) | Yes | 5,000 to 9,000 |
| Customer net prices and family discounts from ERP | Yes | 7,000 to 14,000 |
| Real-time stock per warehouse (Berlin, branch depots) | Yes | 4,000 to 8,000 |
| Online quote request for large quantities | Yes | 3,000 to 6,000 |
| Multi-user accounts with spending limits | Recommended | 3,000 to 6,000 |
| Quick order via CSV import or copy-paste | Recommended | 2,000 to 4,000 |
| Downloadable PDF datasheets and CAD drawings | Optional | 2,000 to 5,000 |
Overall budget and technical options
Three architectures dominate in 2026 for this type of catalogue. The choice depends mostly on the existing ERP (SAP Business One, Microsoft Dynamics, Sage, proALPHA) and on the number of SKUs to index.
| Option | Build budget (EUR, excl. VAT) | Annual costs (EUR) | Timeline | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B2B module on a SaaS platform (e.g. Shopify Plus B2B) | 35,000 to 50,000 | 25,000 to 35,000 (licence + apps) | 3 to 4 months | Simple catalogue, few pricing rules |
| Sylius or Shopware B2B + Algolia or Meilisearch | 40,000 to 65,000 | 8,000 to 15,000 | 4 to 5 months | Most common case for 35,000 SKUs |
| Custom build (Next.js + ERP API + dedicated search) | 60,000 to 80,000 | 10,000 to 18,000 | 5 to 6 months | Complex rules, several warehouses, in-house PIM |
| ERP connector only (if already supplied by vendor) | 5,000 to 12,000 | 2,000 to 4,000 | Included | Check before any quote |
| Product data migration and cleansing | 6,000 to 15,000 | In-house | 6 to 10 weeks | Always underestimated |
| Maintenance and enhancements | Not applicable | 6,000 to 12,000 | Ongoing | Monthly retainer advised |
The most frequently forgotten item is data cleansing: duplicates, abbreviated descriptions, equivalents never entered. Plan 6 to 10 weeks alongside development, with a half-time product owner.
Typical 4 to 6 month plan
Month 1 covers scoping (pricing rules, ERP flows, search journey mock-ups). Months 2 to 4 cover development, ERP sync and loading the cross-references. Month 5 is reserved for a pilot with 20 to 30 maintenance customers placing real orders. General launch happens in month 5 or 6, backed by a targeted sales push and a 2-minute video tutorial.
Mini case study
Jonas, managing director of a bearings and power transmission distributor in Berlin, handles 180 orders a day, 90% of them by phone and email. Each manual order takes an average of 9 minutes to enter and check. With 25% of orders moved online in year one, i.e. 45 orders a day, the team saves around 6.75 hours a day, close to 1,500 hours over 220 working days. At EUR 42 per hour fully loaded for an inside sales rep, the gain reaches EUR 63,000 a year, before any effect on average basket size. For a EUR 65,000 project, payback comes in just over 12 months, 2026 estimate.
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FAQ
How much does B2B e-commerce for 35,000 industrial SKUs cost in Berlin?
A 2026 ballpark is EUR 40,000 to 80,000 excl. VAT, depending on pricing complexity and the ERP connection. Add EUR 8,000 to 18,000 a year for hosting, licences and maintenance.
How do you handle SKF, FAG, NSK or NTN cross-references?
You build a cross-reference table linking each internal item to 3 to 12 external numbers, indexed by an engine such as Algolia or Meilisearch. Search responds in under 100 milliseconds, even with typos.
Can customer net prices come straight from the ERP?
Yes, through a connector that syncs family discounts every 5 to 15 minutes or queries the ERP live at cart stage. Development usually costs EUR 7,000 to 14,000.
What share of online orders should we target in year one?
A 25% goal is realistic if the first 50 customers are onboarded one by one. The most advanced distributors pass 50% after 3 years.
Should we offer card payment in B2B?
Payment on account at 30 days remains the norm for 85 to 90% of industrial buyers. Cards are useful for new accounts and small orders under EUR 300.
Let's scope your project. Send us your SKU count, your ERP and your pricing rules: we will quote a V1 scope between EUR 40,000 and 80,000 with 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.