The verdict in three sentences
For a Miami building materials dealer with 4 yards and 2,000 contractor accounts, a custom B2B ordering site costs, as a 2026 order of magnitude, USD 40,000 to 80,000 and ships in 4 months. The payoff comes first from scheduled pickup: an order placed at 9 pm is picked overnight and collected at 7 am, cutting trade counter wait time by 50 %. The trap is copying a consumer store when the contractor wants his negotiated price, his yard's stock and on-account billing.
What the store must do, module by module
A dealer's trade counter is jammed between 6:30 and 8:30 am, when contractors stop by before heading to the job site. Every minute in line pushes the plumber or the framer to the competitor across the street. The store must replicate the counter's commercial rules, not just display a catalog.
| Module | Core version | Full version |
|---|---|---|
| 15,000 SKU catalog, spec sheets, units of sale (pallet, sq ft, linear ft) | USD 7,000 | USD 12,500 |
| Account-specific pricing (negotiated discounts, terms by product family) | USD 6,000 | USD 11,500 |
| Real-time stock by yard, connected to the dealer ERP | USD 7,000 | USD 13,500 |
| Scheduled pickup by time slot and overnight picking | USD 4,500 | USD 9,000 |
| On-account billing, credit limit, card for new customers | USD 4,500 | USD 10,000 |
| Multi-user accounts (owner, foremen, spending caps) | USD 3,500 | USD 7,000 |
| Lightweight job-site mobile app (PWA) | USD 3,500 | USD 8,500 |
| Testing, yard staff training, go-live | USD 4,000 | USD 8,000 |
| Total | USD 40,000 | USD 80,000 |
The ERP connection is what moves the budget. A recent lumber and building materials ERP exposes an API; an older system forces file exchanges every 10 minutes, which works for stock but complicates net pricing.
Custom build, B2B platform or ERP add-on: compare before signing
| Option | 2026 upfront cost (order of magnitude) | Annual cost | Account pricing | Stock by yard | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Web module from the ERP vendor | USD 15,000 to 35,000 | USD 9,000 to 18,000 | Yes | Yes | 3 months |
| B2B SaaS platform (subscription) | USD 5,000 to 15,000 | USD 14,000 to 36,000 | Yes, depending on plan | Partial | 2 months |
| Adapted consumer store | USD 8,000 to 16,000 | USD 3,000 to 7,000 | No, workarounds | No | 2 months |
| Custom B2B store | USD 40,000 to 80,000 | USD 6,000 to 12,000 | Yes, full rules | Yes | 4 months |
The ERP vendor's module feels safe, but its mobile experience is often designed for the office. SaaS moves fast, then the annual bill climbs with the number of accounts. Custom makes sense when the dealer wants an app contractors actually use from the job site.
At Kolonell, a custom web application ranges from 4,000,000 to 7,000,000 FCFA (EUR 6,100 to 10,670) for a medium-complexity project, and from 7,000,000 to 15,000,000 FCFA (EUR 10,670 to 22,870) and up for a complex project connected to an ERP. Monthly maintenance runs from 35,000 to 120,000 FCFA (EUR 50 to 180).
The 4-month schedule
| Month | Deliverable | Checkpoint |
|---|---|---|
| Month 1 | Map of pricing rules, accounts and ERP flows | Discount rules approved by sales leadership |
| Month 2 | Catalog, account pricing, stock by yard | Test with 30 pilot contractors |
| Month 3 | Scheduled pickup, on-account billing, PWA | Overnight picking tested in one yard |
| Month 4 | Rollout to 4 yards, counter staff training | Target 15 % of orders online at 6 months |
Counter staff must be involved from month 1. If they see the store as a threat, they will not recommend it. If they earn their commission on their accounts' online orders, they become its best ambassadors.
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Mike, general manager of a hypothetical building materials dealer in Miami, counts 400 counter visits each morning across his 4 yards, with an average wait of 14 minutes. If 25 % of orders move online with scheduled pickup, 100 visits drop to 3 minutes: 100 × 11 minutes, about 18 contractor hours saved every morning. On the dealer side, one counter rep per yard is freed for 2 hours a day, that is 4 × 2 × 250 days = 2,000 hours a year, about USD 56,000 at a loaded cost of USD 28 per hour. On a USD 60,000 budget, payback comes in just over a year, not counting the online average order, which is often higher.
FAQ
How much does a B2B store for a building materials dealer cost in 2026?
As a 2026 order of magnitude, plan USD 40,000 to 80,000 for a custom store with account pricing, stock by yard and scheduled pickup. A SaaS platform starts lower, around USD 5,000, but costs USD 14,000 to 36,000 a year.
Can each contractor see his negotiated price?
Yes, and it is the condition for the store to be used. Account and product-family discounts are read from the ERP and refreshed at least every 10 minutes.
How does on-account billing work?
The contractor orders against his approved credit line, and the order is invoiced at month end just like at the counter. New customers pay by card until their account is opened, which limits bad debt.
How long until go-live?
Plan 4 months for 4 yards, including one month of pilot with 30 contractors. An ERP without an API can add 3 to 6 weeks.
What share of orders moves online?
Successful dealers target 15 to 25 % of orders online at 12 months, as an estimate. Pickup ready at 7 am is the service that wins contractors over.
Let's scope your project. Send us your number of yards, accounts and your ERP: we will price the scope, give an indicative budget and a 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.
