The verdict in three sentences
For an agricultural machinery manufacturer with 200 dealers in Europe and 12,000 part numbers, an ordering extranet should be budgeted at 50,000 to 120,000 EUR, delivered in 4 to 6 months. The complexity lies not in the catalogue but in net prices per dealer, the warranty and returns workflow, multilingual content and the ERP connector. A well-scoped project pays back in 12 to 24 months by removing re-keying and order errors.
Why email ordering costs more than it seems
At a 300-employee manufacturer near Berlin, the sales administration team receives 110 to 150 parts orders a day by email, fax and phone from dealers in Germany, Poland, Austria and the Nordics. Each order is re-keyed into the ERP in 6 to 10 minutes, with a 3 to 5 % part number error rate. During harvest, a wrong part for a combine immobilises a farmer's machine and costs an express reshipment of 90 to 180 EUR across borders.
The extranet gives each dealer direct access: search by part number, exploded view or machine serial number, real-time stock availability, negotiated net price, order and shipment tracking, in the dealer's language. The manufacturer receives a structured order that lands in the ERP with no re-keying.
Modules and their budget
| Module (2026) | Indicative budget | Complexity points |
|---|---|---|
| Discovery, dealer workshops, wireframes | 6,000 to 11,000 EUR | 3 to 5 pilot dealers in 2 countries |
| 12,000 part catalogue and search | 10,000 to 20,000 EUR | Exploded views, compatibility by model and serial number |
| Net prices and terms per dealer | 7,000 to 15,000 EUR | Discounts by family, freight terms, seasonal promotions, multi-currency |
| Cart, order, tracking and invoices | 8,000 to 17,000 EUR | Rush orders, back orders, invoice PDFs |
| Warranty and returns | 7,000 to 17,000 EUR | Photos, serial number, technical approval, credit notes |
| ERP connector | 8,000 to 25,000 EUR | Stock, prices, orders, statuses, depending on the API |
| Multilingual, multi-user accounts, security, hosting | 4,000 to 15,000 EUR | 5 languages, roles for parts clerk, workshop manager, owner |
| Indicative total | 50,000 to 120,000 EUR | 4 to 6 months |
The ERP connector is often the biggest source of uncertainty. An ERP with a documented API (REST or web services) keeps that line at the low end. A legacy ERP without an API forces scheduled file exchanges and longer testing. These amounts are 2026 orders of magnitude for the German market.
Custom extranet, B2B e-commerce platform or ERP portal
| Option | Entry cost | Recurring | Suitable if |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portal module from the ERP vendor | 15,000 to 40,000 EUR | Licences 500 to 2,000 EUR/month | Standard needs, no complex warranty flow |
| SaaS B2B e-commerce platform | 25,000 to 60,000 EUR integration | 1,500 to 4,000 EUR/month | Simple catalogue, few pricing rules |
| Custom extranet | 50,000 to 120,000 EUR | Maintenance and hosting 800 to 2,000 EUR/month | Exploded views, serial numbers, warranties, per-dealer rules |
| Status quo email and fax | 0 EUR | 2.5 to 3 FTE of sales administration | Fewer than 20 orders a day |
The choice depends on how many business rules fall outside the standard. If dealers mostly order by serial number and warranties account for more than 10 % of exchanges, custom avoids bending a generic tool.
Mini case study
Thomas, sales director of an agricultural machinery manufacturer near Berlin, counts 130 parts orders a day over 220 days, or 28,600 orders a year. At 8 minutes of re-keying, that is about 3,800 hours, roughly 2.4 FTE at 55,000 EUR loaded cost, or 132,000 EUR a year. Part number errors (4 %) cause 1,144 reshipments at 130 EUR, or 148,700 EUR a year.
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The extranet is priced at 95,000 EUR plus 1,500 EUR a month. With a target of 70 % of orders placed online in year one, it saves about 92,400 EUR of re-keying and halves errors on that volume, or 52,000 EUR. The 144,400 EUR annual gain covers the first-year investment (113,000 EUR) in about 9 to 10 months. This case is an illustrative example.
FAQ
How much does a dealer extranet cost in 2026?
Expect 50,000 to 120,000 EUR for a custom extranet with catalogue, net prices, warranties, multilingual content and ERP connector. Maintenance and hosting add 800 to 2,000 EUR a month.
How long does the project take?
Usually 4 to 6 months, including 3 to 5 weeks of discovery and a 4 to 6 week pilot with a few dealers. Plan go-live outside the peak farming season.
How do we get dealers to use it?
Make online ordering faster than email: serial number search, visible stock, shipment tracking. A 1 to 2 % discount on online orders in year one often speeds up adoption.
Do we need to digitise every exploded view?
Start with the 20 % of models that generate 80 % of parts orders. Converting existing PDF or CAD drawings costs a few thousand euros depending on volume.
What if our ERP has no API?
A scheduled file exchange every 15 to 30 minutes remains viable for stock and orders. It adds 5,000 to 10,000 EUR of development and testing compared with an API.
Let's scope your project. Describe your dealer network, catalogue and ERP: we scope a dealer extranet with an indicative budget per module 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.
