The verdict in three sentences
A wholesaler handling 1,500 pharmacy orders a day by phone and fax ties up dozens of order-entry staff and generates errors that cost returns and disputes. A B2B ordering portal with 20,000 SKUs, live availability, per-pharmacy pricing and an ERP connection costs, as a 2026 order of magnitude, 70,000 to 160,000 EUR excluding VAT (roughly 75,000 to 175,000 USD), with a 5 to 8 month timeline. A realistic target is 60 % of orders placed online within 12 months, which removes most of the order-entry cost from year two.
Why fax survives, and what finally kills it
Wholesale sales directors in Europe and the US know the reasons: pharmacists order between customers, at the counter, out of habit with the same contact. Many already send their main replenishment orders from the pharmacy management system through EDI, but top-ups, shortages, OTC and front-of-store products and promotional deals still come by phone and fax.
A portal wins when it beats the phone on three things: instant availability, the real net price (discounts included) and past orders in one click.
| Criterion | Phone and fax | B2B portal connected to ERP |
|---|---|---|
| Handling cost per order | 4 to 7 EUR (entry, callback, errors) | 0.5 to 1.5 EUR |
| Line entry error rate | 1 to 3 % | Under 0.3 % |
| Availability information | On request, by phone | Live, per warehouse |
| Per-pharmacy prices and discounts | Known by the operator | Displayed automatically |
| Ordering hours | Switchboard hours | 24/7 |
| History and reorder | None | One-click reorder |
| Promotions | Outbound calls | Targeted banners and alerts |
What the portal costs in 2026
The budget depends mostly on ERP quality and pricing complexity. Wholesalers juggle regulated prices on reimbursed medicines, capped commercial discounts, buying-group agreements and free pricing on OTC: the pricing logic is the heart of the project.
| Item | 2026 order of magnitude (EUR excl. VAT) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Discovery, pharmacy workshops, UX | 6,000 to 14,000 | Tests with 10 to 15 pharmacists |
| 20,000-SKU catalogue (search, product codes, sheets) | 12,000 to 28,000 | Search by name, code, manufacturer |
| Per-pharmacy pricing and discount engine | 15,000 to 35,000 | Price lists, buying groups, promotions |
| ERP connection (stock, orders, invoices) | 18,000 to 45,000 | Real time or 5-minute sync |
| Accounts, multi-user, buying groups | 7,000 to 15,000 | Owner, pharmacists, technicians |
| QA, security, compliant hosting | 12,000 to 23,000 | Load of 1,500 orders a day |
| Total | 70,000 to 160,000 | 5 to 8 months |
Maintenance and hosting usually add 12 to 18 % of the initial cost per year. Pharmacy order data is not patient data, but buying groups and manufacturer partners often still require certified hosting.
For this kind of portal, Kolonell works on a complex custom application basis: 7,000,000 to 15,000,000+ FCFA (10,670 to 22,870+ EUR) for a first scope, with the full scope of a national wholesaler quoted on request. See e-commerce and B2B portals.
The rollout plan that reaches 60 % in 12 months
Successful wholesalers do not switch everyone at once:
- Months 1 to 2 after launch: 50 pilot pharmacies, picked among the biggest accounts, coached by their sales rep.
- Months 3 to 6: open to all pharmacies, with a 0.5 % discount on online OTC orders or free delivery.
- Months 6 to 12: order-entry staff become advisors who call fax-only pharmacies to train them.
The weekly KPI is the share of order lines placed online, not the number of accounts created.
Mini case study
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Daniel Hughes, commercial director of a regional drug wholesaler in Manchester, receives 1,500 orders a day, 600 of them by phone and fax outside EDI, over 250 working days. Full handling cost is estimated at 5.50 EUR per manual order versus 1 EUR online.
Current manual cost: 600 x 250 x 5.50 = 825,000 EUR a year. If 60 % move online within 12 months, 360 orders a day switch. Savings: 360 x 250 x 4.50 = 405,000 EUR a year at cruising speed. Add fewer errors (about 25,000 EUR of avoided returns) and the gain exceeds 430,000 EUR.
Project: 120,000 EUR plus 18,000 EUR a year of maintenance. Even with a gradual first-year ramp (50 % of the gain on average, 215,000 EUR), the portal pays back in 7 to 8 months.
FAQ
Does the portal replace EDI orders from the pharmacy system?
No, it complements them. Automatic EDI replenishment stays the main flow, while the portal captures top-ups, shortages and deals, often 30 to 45 % of manual orders.
How long does the ERP connection take?
Allow 8 to 14 weeks for stock, orders and invoices, depending on whether the ERP has a modern API or relies on file exchanges. It is the riskiest item in the 5 to 8 month plan.
How do we show the right price to each pharmacy?
The pricing engine reads the pharmacy's price list, its buying-group agreement and current promotions, then computes the net price in under 300 milliseconds. This module is 15,000 to 35,000 EUR of the budget.
Do we need a mobile app?
Not at first. A responsive portal covers 80 to 90 % of counter use; an app can follow if technicians scan barcodes on the shelf.
What online share should we target?
60 % in 12 months is realistic with sales support, 75 to 80 % in 24 months. Without incentives or follow-up, most portals plateau around 25 %.
Let's scope your project. We define the catalogue, the per-pharmacy pricing engine and the ERP connection for a rollout in 5 to 8 months. 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.
