The verdict in three sentences
A B2B webshop for PPE and industrial supplies with business accounts, multiple buyers and approval workflows costs, as a 2026 order of magnitude, EUR 40,000 to 85,000 excluding VAT and takes 4 to 6 months to deliver. The cornerstone is not the catalogue but syncing negotiated prices with the ERP: without it, your 2,500 customers see wrong prices and call their sales rep. Done well, the webshop handles 35% of orders in year one and frees the inside sales team from re-keying purchase orders.
What industrial buyers actually expect
The managing director of an Amsterdam distributor of personal protective equipment (gloves, safety shoes, hearing protection, harnesses) and industrial supplies serves 2,500 accounts: port logistics firms in the Westpoort area, shipyards, construction contractors, greenhouse growers in the Westland and municipalities. Orders arrive by email, phone and scanned PDFs. Each one is re-keyed into the ERP, with 2 to 4% errors on part numbers or shoe sizes.
An industrial buyer does not behave like a consumer. They want their usual list, ordering for several departments, a monthly budget and manager approval above a threshold. They pay on 30-day invoice terms, sometimes by card or iDEAL for a small workshop. They need datasheets and declarations of conformity (EN ISO 20345 for footwear, EN 388 for gloves) in one click, because safety audits demand them.
| B2B feature | Why it matters | Indicative 2026 cost |
|---|---|---|
| Business accounts with multiple buyers and roles | one account = 3 to 40 users | EUR 4,000 to 8,000 |
| Department budgets and approval thresholds | control of PPE spend per site | EUR 5,000 to 10,000 |
| Customer-specific prices synced with the ERP | 2,500 different price lists | EUR 8,000 to 18,000 |
| Recurring orders and saved lists | quarterly staff kit allocations | EUR 2,500 to 5,000 |
| 30-day terms, card or iDEAL | credit limits and open balance | EUR 3,000 to 7,000 |
| Datasheets and certificates per SKU | compliance and audits | EUR 2,000 to 5,000 |
| Search by standard, size, shoe size | 12,000 SKUs | EUR 3,000 to 7,000 |
Budget and platform choice
Three routes coexist in 2026. A B2B SaaS (Shopify Plus B2B, Sana Commerce, hosted Oro) speeds up launch but charges an annual licence and limits complex approval rules. An open source platform such as Sylius or Magento Open Source gives full control with no licence, at the price of more development. A custom application remains relevant if your budget and kit allocation rules are very specific.
| Item | Low range | High range |
|---|---|---|
| Scoping, buyer journeys, wireframes | EUR 4,000 | EUR 8,000 |
| Commerce core and 12,000 SKU catalogue | EUR 10,000 | EUR 20,000 |
| Business accounts, roles, budgets, approvals | EUR 9,000 | EUR 18,000 |
| ERP connector (prices, stock, credit, orders) | EUR 10,000 | EUR 22,000 |
| 30-day terms, card and iDEAL | EUR 3,000 | EUR 7,000 |
| Testing, data migration, training | EUR 4,000 | EUR 10,000 |
| Total | EUR 40,000 | EUR 85,000 |
The ERP connector often accounts for a quarter of the budget. With Exact Online, AFAS or Microsoft Dynamics, plan price sync every 15 minutes and near real-time stock. With an older ERP without an API, a flat-file gateway works but adds EUR 3,000 to 6,000 and a lag of a few hours.
Rollout in 4 to 6 months
Month 1: scoping and product data clean-up, because 12,000 poorly described SKUs ruin search. Months 2 and 3: building the core, business accounts and ERP connector. Month 4: acceptance testing with 20 pilot customers chosen among the largest. Months 5 to 6: gradual opening, supported by sales reps who create accounts and train buyers. That human support is what takes online orders from 10% to 35% in year one.
Mini case study
Sander, managing director of the Amsterdam distributor, handles 32,000 orders a year. A re-keyed order costs about EUR 14 in inside sales time and error correction, versus EUR 4 for a validated online order. At 35% online, or 11,200 orders, savings reach 11,200 × EUR 10 = EUR 112,000 a year.
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Add avoided errors: 3% of 11,200 orders, or 336 returns, at EUR 45 logistics cost each, giving another EUR 15,120. For a EUR 65,000 project and EUR 9,000 a year of maintenance, Sander breaks even after just over 6 months of operation.
FAQ
Should public prices be shown on the webshop?
No, most PPE distributors hide prices from anonymous visitors and show the negotiated price after login. This protects your price lists while keeping the 12,000 SKU catalogue indexable by Google.
How do approvals above a threshold work?
The account administrator sets a limit per buyer, for example EUR 1,500, above which the order waits for a manager's approval. This module costs EUR 5,000 to 10,000 depending on the number of approval levels.
Are 30-day payment terms compatible with a webshop?
Yes, the webshop checks the open balance and credit limit in the ERP before accepting the order, then the invoice follows the usual process. Small accounts without credit pay by card or iDEAL, with fees of around EUR 0.20 to 0.40 per iDEAL transaction or 0.8 to 1.8% per card payment.
How long to connect Exact Online or Dynamics?
Plan 6 to 10 weeks for prices, stock, credit and order feedback. The cost sits between EUR 10,000 and 22,000 depending on API quality and the number of data flows.
What online order share should we target?
35% in year one is realistic with sales support, then 50 to 60% in year two on recurring kit orders.
To compare platforms, read our analysis of Sylius vs Shopify B2B for a New York wholesale fashion brand, or see our e-commerce services.
Let's scope your project. We define business accounts, approval workflows and the ERP connector with you for a launch in 4 to 6 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.
