The verdict in three sentences
A brand that sells only through dealers needs an online catalogue anyone can browse but whose prices stay hidden until an approved dealer logs in. A dealer portal with tiered and per-account pricing, downloadable images and spec sheets, and ordering or quote requests costs, as a 2026 order of magnitude, 15,000 to 35,000 EUR (about 16,000 to 38,000 USD), delivered in 2 to 4 months. Choosing between Shopify B2B, WooCommerce B2B and custom depends on pricing complexity and ERP integration, not on the entry price.
What the dealer portal must do
Sales directors at channel brands (furniture, professional beauty, tools, wine, sporting goods) get the same dealer emails every week: current price list, high-resolution photos, spec sheet, stock, status of the last order. Price list PDFs circulate and end up with competitors or consumers.
The required features are specific:
- Public catalogue without prices, indexed by Google, with a "Become a dealer" button.
- Dealer login approved manually by the sales team.
- Net prices by tier (distributor, dealer, premium partner) plus account-level exceptions.
- Asset library: images, videos, PDF sheets, point-of-sale material, bulk download.
- Direct ordering for standard items, quote requests for volumes or projects.
- History, invoices and delivery tracking.
Shopify B2B, WooCommerce B2B or custom
| Criterion | Shopify Plus B2B | WooCommerce + B2B plugins | Custom |
|---|---|---|---|
| Setup cost (2026 order of magnitude, EUR) | 15,000 to 25,000 | 15,000 to 25,000 | 25,000 to 35,000 and up |
| Subscription or yearly licences | About 2,300 USD a month, so 25,000 EUR a year and up | 500 to 2,000 EUR a year of plugins | Hosting 1,500 to 4,000 EUR a year |
| Per-account price lists | Native B2B catalogues | Plugin-dependent, limits beyond 50 lists | Unlimited |
| Hidden prices and public catalogue | Native | Native via plugin | Native |
| Quote requests | Third-party app | Plugin | Built into the flow |
| ERP connection | Paid connectors | Development or connector | Custom |
| Dealer asset library | Third-party app | Plugin or development | Built in |
| Timeline | 2 to 3 months | 2 to 3 months | 3 to 4 months |
Shopify Plus brings robust infrastructure at a high subscription, mainly justified above a few million in online sales. WooCommerce stays cheap while price lists stay simple. Custom makes sense when prices follow rules (discount by product family, volume, contract) that plugins handle poorly.
Detailed dealer portal budget
| Item | 2026 order of magnitude (EUR) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Discovery and dealer journey | 1,500 to 3,500 | Interviews with 5 dealers |
| Public catalogue, SEO, product pages | 3,000 to 6,000 | 300 to 2,000 SKUs |
| Dealer sign-up and approval | 1,500 to 3,000 | Company registration, territory, contract |
| Price tiers and account exceptions | 3,000 to 8,000 | Core of the project |
| Asset library and downloads | 1,500 to 4,000 | Rights per dealer level |
| Ordering, quotes, history | 2,500 to 6,500 | Approval by the sales rep |
| ERP connection | 2,000 to 4,000 | Prices, stock, orders |
| Total | 15,000 to 35,000 | 2 to 4 months |
At Kolonell this is quoted as a custom application: simple 2,500,000 to 4,000,000 FCFA (3,810 to 6,100 EUR), medium 4,000,000 to 7,000,000 FCFA (6,100 to 10,670 EUR), complex 7,000,000 to 15,000,000+ FCFA (10,670 to 22,870+ EUR). See B2B e-commerce.
Mini case study
Mark Jensen, sales director of an outdoor furniture brand in Denver, works with 180 dealers. His 3 sales assistants spend about 40 % of their time sending price lists, images and confirmations: 1.2 full-time equivalents at 55,000 USD loaded each, so 66,000 USD a year.
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With the portal, 70 % of those requests become self-service: 46,200 USD a year of time freed for opening new dealers. Online ordering reaches 55 % within 12 months and pricing errors disappear, avoiding about 10,000 USD of credit notes a year.
Custom project: 30,000 USD plus 3,500 USD a year of hosting and maintenance. Annual gain: 56,200 USD. Payback in roughly 7 months. On Shopify Plus, the subscription of about 27,600 USD a year would have absorbed half of the gain.
FAQ
Does Google still index the catalogue if prices are hidden?
Yes. Product pages, descriptions and images stay public and indexable; only prices and the order button are reserved for logged-in accounts. Brands often gain 20 to 40 % organic traffic on their product names.
How do we handle a dealer with special terms?
The account inherits a tier (for example dealer at 40 % off) and then gets exceptions: a fixed price on one SKU, an extra discount on a family. In a custom build this module is 3,000 to 8,000 EUR.
Is online ordering mandatory?
No. Many brands start with prices, assets and quote requests, then open direct ordering 6 months later. That cuts the initial budget by about 20 %.
Is WooCommerce B2B enough?
For fewer than 50 price lists and a simple ERP, yes, with 500 to 2,000 EUR a year of plugins. Beyond that, plugin conflicts and slowness justify custom.
How long does it take?
Allow 2 to 3 months on an existing platform and 3 to 4 months for custom, including 3 weeks of testing with 10 pilot dealers.
Let's scope your project. We define your hidden-price catalogue, dealer tiers and asset library for launch in 2 to 4 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.
