The verdict in three sentences
For an exporter of olive oil and dates targeting Europe and Gulf buyers in Dubai, a B2B online catalogue replaces an email quote cycle that takes 3 to 5 days per request. The budget ranges from 25,000 to 70,000 TND excl. VAT (about 7,400 to 20,700 EUR, or 8,000 to 22,500 USD) depending on the number of languages, incoterm pricing logic and the depth of the distributor portal. Delivered in 3 months, it pays for itself as soon as it signs two or three new importers a year.
What an export catalogue must include in 2026
A German importer, a Lyon wholesaler and a Dubai distributor do not expect the same thing. The first wants technical sheets and certifications (EU organic, IFS, Halal), the second packaging and delivered prices, the third an Arabic version and CFR or CIF Jebel Ali prices. Your catalogue must serve all three without multiplying files.
| Feature | Essential version | Full export version | Commercial impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Languages | FR, EN | FR, EN, AR (RTL), DE or IT | +30 to 50% qualified requests outside French-speaking markets |
| Product pages | 40 SKUs, photos, packaging | 150 SKUs, technical PDF sheets, certificates | cuts pre-quote exchanges by 60% |
| Prices | on request | incoterm prices EXW, FOB Rades, CIF, DAP | quote in 24 h instead of 4 days |
| Quote request | simple form | multi-product quote cart, quantities per pallet | response rate above 90% |
| Distributor portal | none | dedicated prices, documents, order history | retention and reorders without email |
| Export documents | no | certificates of origin, lab tests, logistics sheets | speeds up importer audits |
| CRM | email export | sync with HubSpot or Odoo | tracking of 200 to 400 annual leads |
The differentiator is the incoterm price grid. The site computes a FOB Rades price from the EXW price, then a CIF Hamburg or Jebel Ali price by adding freight and insurance configured per destination. Your team updates freight rates once a month, the rest follows.
Budget in TND: three levels
| Item | Essential | Standard | Full export |
|---|---|---|---|
| UX and design | 5,000 TND | 8,000 TND | 12,000 TND |
| Catalogue and product page development | 8,000 TND | 12,000 TND | 18,000 TND |
| Multilingual (translation included) | 3,000 TND (2 languages) | 6,000 TND (3 languages) | 10,000 TND (4 languages, Arabic RTL) |
| Incoterm pricing engine | 0 | 4,000 TND | 9,000 TND |
| Quote requests and CRM | 3,000 TND | 5,000 TND | 8,000 TND |
| Secure distributor portal | 0 | 4,000 TND | 8,000 TND |
| International SEO and launch | 6,000 TND | 6,000 TND | 5,000 TND |
| Total excl. VAT | 25,000 TND (about 7,400 EUR) | 45,000 TND (about 13,300 EUR) | 70,000 TND (about 20,700 EUR) |
Add a recurring budget of 4,000 to 9,000 TND a year for European CDN hosting, maintenance and content updates. Hosting close to your markets (Frankfurt, Paris, plus a Gulf edge node) keeps load time under 2 seconds for European and Dubai buyers.
The 3-month timeline: a realistic plan
| Week | Step | Deliverable | Exporter input needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 to 2 | Scoping | specification, site map | SKU list, target markets |
| 3 to 4 | Design | FR and AR mock-ups approved | brand guidelines, product photos |
| 5 to 8 | Development | catalogue, quotes, distributor portal | EXW price lists, freight rates |
| 9 to 10 | Content and translation | full pages in 3 or 4 languages | certificates, technical sheets |
| 11 | Testing | tests on 3 markets | approval by 2 pilot distributors |
| 12 | Launch | indexed site, team training | announcement to existing importers |
The main risk is not technical. It is content collection: professional photos, technical sheets and up-to-date certificates. Plan one export contact person at 4 to 6 hours a week.
Mini case study
Sami, export director of an olive oil and Deglet Nour dates producer based in Tunis and Sfax, makes 9 million TND in exports. His team handles 300 quote requests a year at about 2.5 hours each.
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- Standard catalogue: 45,000 TND excl. VAT, plus 6,000 TND a year.
- Quote time cut to 40 minutes thanks to incoterm pricing: 300 × 1.8 h = 540 hours freed a year, about 16,000 TND of sales time.
- Two new importers in Dubai at 180,000 TND of annual orders each, with an 18% margin: 64,800 TND of extra margin.
Estimated annual gain: about 80,000 TND (about 23,600 EUR), for a first-year investment of 51,000 TND. The catalogue pays back in about 8 months.
FAQ
Should prices be public?
No, most exporters only show prices in the logged-in distributor portal. Visitors see product pages and a quote button, which protects your margins from competitors browsing the site.
Is an Arabic version essential for Dubai?
For retail buyers in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, it builds trust and improves local SEO. It adds about 4,000 TND (roughly 1,200 EUR) to the budget, translation and RTL adaptation included.
Can we accept online payments?
For orders of 20,000 to 200,000 TND, payment is usually by letter of credit or bank transfer. The site can still collect deposits or sample payments by card through a licensed provider.
What about currency regulations?
The catalogue shows prices in EUR or USD for foreign customers, and repatriation of foreign currency follows Central Bank of Tunisia rules. The site does not change your obligations, it simply documents orders.
What SEO results can we expect?
With 150 pages in 4 languages, expect 6 to 9 months to rank for queries such as "Tunisian olive oil supplier" or "bulk dates exporter", which drive high-value requests.
Let's scope your project. We estimate your export B2B catalogue, languages, incoterm pricing and distributor portal, between 25,000 and 70,000 TND excl. VAT with delivery in 3 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.
