The verdict in three sentences
A B2B ordering portal for an electrical wholesaler in Dubai costs between AED 50,000 and 110,000 in 2026 (about 12,200 to 27,400 EUR), delivered in 4 to 5 months. Its value lies in three things that WhatsApp and phone calls cannot do cleanly: customer-specific pricing, an automatically enforced credit limit and invoice payment by bank transfer, card or business wallet. Wholesalers who launched one see about 20% of orders coming in the evening, early morning or on weekends, when site supervisors plan their day.
Why a portal and not a standard online store
The owner of a Dubai wholesaler mainly serves account customers: electrical contractors, MEP and fit-out firms, facility managers, industrial plants in Jebel Ali. They buy on credit, with negotiated discounts and signed purchase orders. A consumer store shows one price and demands immediate payment, which does not match this relationship. The portal mirrors the account terms held in the ERP or accounting software (Odoo, Microsoft Dynamics, Tally, local software) and makes them available 24/7.
| Block | 2026 range (AED) | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Scoping, mockups, buyer journey | 5,500 to 10,000 | Workshops with 5 to 8 key customers |
| 6,000 SKU catalogue, datasheets | 9,000 to 18,000 | Cables, breakers, panels, lighting |
| Customer pricing and family discounts | 7,500 to 17,000 | 3 to 10 price grids + exceptions |
| Credit balance, limit, statement, PDF invoices | 8,000 to 19,500 | Block or approve above the limit |
| Invoice payment (transfer, card, wallet) | 5,500 to 14,500 | Card and wallet via a local payment gateway |
| ERP connector | 8,500 to 22,000 | Stock, prices, orders, payments |
| Testing, customer onboarding, launch | 5,000 to 8,500 | First 30 accounts supported |
Three packages depending on account base size
| Criterion | Essential (AED 50,000) | Pro (AED 76,000) | Complete (AED 110,000) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Timeline | 4 months | 4.5 months | 5 months |
| Active customer accounts | Up to 150 | Up to 600 | Unlimited |
| Users per company | 2 | 5, with roles | Unlimited, 2-level approval |
| Stock sync | Hourly | Every 15 min | Near real time |
| Invoice payment | Transfer + wallet | + card | + partial payment and instalments |
| Credit management | Display only | Blocking limit | Limit + sales override |
| Annual maintenance | AED 5,500 | AED 8,500 | AED 12,000 |
Payment fees stay modest: as a 2026 order of magnitude, about 2 to 2.9% on cards through a UAE gateway, around 1% on business wallets, and a small flat fee per local bank transfer. Many wholesalers keep transfers free and absorb or pass on card fees depending on the customer.
Business rules to decide before the quote
Three decisions drive the budget. First: what happens when a customer exceeds their credit limit, a hard block or a request for sales approval? Second: are prices shown excluding VAT with the UAE 5% VAT calculated at checkout, or VAT-inclusive for small contractors? Third: who approves orders at the customer, the site supervisor alone or the supervisor then the procurement manager? Documenting these rules in 2 workshops avoids 2 to 3 weeks of rework during testing.
Mini case study
Moussa, owner of an electrical wholesaler in Dubai, has 420 account customers and 3 inside sales reps who key in 1,800 orders a month, mostly received on WhatsApp as voice notes or photos of order slips. Average invoice payment time is 52 days.
He picks the Pro package at AED 76,000. Target at 12 months: 35% of orders on the portal, i.e. 630 orders a month, saving 10 minutes of entry and checking per order, so 105 hours a month. Online invoice payment aims to cut payment time by 8 days on an average receivable of AED 1,100,000, freeing about AED 290,000 of cash. With 20% of orders outside business hours, he estimates AED 36,000 of additional margin a year. The portal pays back in under 18 months, before counting the cash effect.
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FAQ
Will our contractor customers really use a portal?
Yes, if access works on mobile in under 3 taps and the sales rep onboards them. As an order of magnitude, 30 to 40% of active accounts adopt it in year one.
Can we collect invoice payments by card and wallet in the company's name?
Yes, through a UAE payment gateway account. The portal matches each payment to its invoice and updates the credit balance, with fees of about 1 to 2.9% depending on the method.
Do we need to change our ERP?
Rarely. Odoo, Dynamics or local software that exports stock, prices and invoices is enough. The connector costs AED 8,500 to 22,000 depending on exchange options.
How do we handle 5% VAT?
Prices are stored excluding VAT and VAT is calculated at checkout and on invoices. Customers in designated free zones get a dedicated tax profile when applicable.
What is a realistic launch timeline?
4 to 5 months, including 3 to 4 weeks of catalogue and pricing data migration. A 3-week pilot with 20 customers before general launch greatly reduces issues.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your SKU count, number of account customers and ERP: we will scope a portal delivered in 4 to 5 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.
