The verdict in three sentences
A custom distributor extranet costs 6,000,000 to 14,000,000 FCFA (USD 10,000 to 23,000 / EUR 9,150 to 21,350) when built by a nearshore team in Dakar in 2026, versus USD 40,000 to 90,000 from a Miami agency or EUR 35,000 to 80,000 in Amsterdam, with a 3 to 4 month timeline. For a wholesaler whose resellers still order by phone, email or WhatsApp, it cuts ordering errors by 3 and frees 2 to 3 order-entry roles. Profitability rests on three functions: customer-specific price lists, credit limit control and synchronisation with Sage, Odoo or NetSuite.
What a B2B ordering portal must do
A reseller must log in from a phone, see negotiated prices, open balance and credit limit, place an order in 2 minutes and track delivery. At head office, the sales rep approves, the warehouse picks and accounting invoices without re-keying anything.
| Module | Function | 2026 budget, nearshore (FCFA / USD) |
|---|---|---|
| Catalogue and customer pricing | Price lists, volume discounts, promotions by area | 1,200,000 to 2,500,000 / 2,000 to 4,100 |
| Mobile ordering | Quick cart, one-click reorder, low-bandwidth mode | 1,300,000 to 2,800,000 / 2,100 to 4,600 |
| Open balance and credit limits | Automatic block above the limit, alerts to the rep | 900,000 to 2,000,000 / 1,500 to 3,300 |
| Sage, Odoo or NetSuite sync | Items, stock, customers, invoices, payments | 1,500,000 to 3,500,000 / 2,450 to 5,700 |
| Online payment | Stripe, ACH or SEPA, mobile money in Africa | 600,000 to 1,200,000 / 1,000 to 2,000 |
| Delivery tracking and notifications | Statuses, automatic SMS and WhatsApp | 500,000 to 2,000,000 / 800 to 3,300 |
| Total | Full version | 6,000,000 to 14,000,000 / 10,000 to 23,000 |
The app ships as a PWA: it installs like an app on Android and iOS without an app store and works on weak connections, useful for field reps and small-shop resellers.
Before and after: the numbers
| Indicator | Phone, email and WhatsApp orders | B2B extranet |
|---|---|---|
| Ordering errors (product, quantity, price) | 6 to 9 % of lines | 2 to 3 % of lines |
| Entry time per order | 8 to 12 minutes | 0 (entered by the reseller) |
| Order to picking delay | 4 to 24 hours | Under 1 hour |
| Credit limit overruns | Detected at invoicing | Blocked at ordering |
| Dedicated order-entry staff (180 resellers) | 3 to 4 people | 1 person for control |
| Sales visibility | Weekly spreadsheet | Real-time dashboard |
These are 2026 estimates from distribution projects. The most underrated gain concerns bad debt: blocking an order above the credit limit prevents receivables that wholesalers often put at 2 to 5 % of revenue.
Build or buy: the trade-off
B2B modules in ERPs (Odoo portal, NetSuite SuiteCommerce) and SaaS ordering platforms are cheaper upfront but handle edge cases poorly: per-reseller negotiated prices, informal credit, mixed payment methods, unstable connectivity. A custom extranet connected to the ERP keeps the ERP as the accounting reference and adds the field layer.
| Option | Initial cost | Annual cost | Main limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard Odoo portal, configured | USD 4,000 to 8,000 | Odoo licences + USD 3,000 | Journey poorly suited to mobile |
| SaaS B2B ordering platform (US or EU) | USD 1,500 to 5,000 | USD 4,000 to 12,000 (USD 330 to 1,000/month) | Per-user or per-order fees grow with volume |
| Custom extranet, Miami or Amsterdam agency | USD 40,000 to 90,000 | USD 6,000 to 15,000 | Highest upfront investment |
| Custom extranet, nearshore team | USD 10,000 to 23,000 | USD 2,900 to 6,900 | Requires clear specification and weekly demos |
Mini case study
Carlos, sales director of a food wholesaler in Miami, manages 180 resellers (bodegas, restaurants, mini-markets) and 4 order-entry clerks costing USD 3,800 a month each, fully loaded. A 7 % error rate on about 2,500 orders a month generates returns, credit notes and extra deliveries estimated at USD 9,000 a month.
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The company invests USD 18,000 in a nearshore-built extranet synced with NetSuite, plus USD 450 of monthly maintenance. After rollout, 3 clerks move to account management (USD 11,400 of productivity recovered) and errors fall to 2.3 %, saving USD 6,000. Net monthly gain: about USD 17,000. The portal pays back in under 2 months. The same project from a local agency at USD 60,000 would still pay back in 4 months, which shows the decision is about scope and execution, not just price.
FAQ
How much does a distributor extranet cost?
Between USD 10,000 and 23,000 (6 to 14 million FCFA) with a nearshore team, and USD 40,000 to 90,000 with a Miami or Amsterdam agency. A first version with catalogue, ordering and credit control starts around USD 10,000 nearshore.
Will resellers actually use it?
Yes if ordering takes under 2 minutes on mobile and sales reps coach them for the first 30 days. Well-run rollouts reach 60 to 80 % of orders online within 3 months.
Can we keep our ERP?
Yes, the extranet plugs into the existing ERP, which remains the reference for stock and accounting. Synchronisation accounts for USD 2,450 to 5,700 of the nearshore budget.
How long does implementation take?
Allow 3 to 4 months, including a 3 to 4 week pilot with 15 to 20 resellers. Rollout to the remaining resellers then happens in waves of 30.
What maintenance should we plan?
Between USD 250 and 580 a month (150,000 to 350,000 FCFA) for hosting, security updates, support and small improvements. That is about 2 to 3 % of the initial cost per month.
Let's scope your project. Share your number of resellers, your ERP and your order volumes, and we will price a B2B extranet with an indicative budget and a 3 to 4 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.
