The verdict in three sentences
For a machine manufacturer, a B2B spare parts store reshapes aftersales: around 40 % of service calls are parts requests a customer could handle alone if they could find the right part number. The two features that make the difference are serial number search and clickable exploded views, far more than design. On the Toronto market, a serious project for 15,000 SKUs sits between 50,000 and 150,000 CAD in 2026, depending on ERP integration depth.
Why paper catalogues and phone orders are expensive
A maintenance technician at your customer has a machine down. He searches for the part number in a 400-page PDF, calls your service desk, waits for a quote by email, then sends a purchase order. Every step adds hours of downtime on his side and minutes of handling on yours.
| Indicator | Phone and email orders | B2B store with exploded views |
|---|---|---|
| Service desk handling time per request | 15 to 25 min | 2 to 5 min (check) |
| Wrong part number errors | 5 to 8 % of orders | Under 1 % |
| Time from need to order | 1 to 3 days | Under 1 hour |
| Availability | Business hours | 24/7 |
| Share of service calls about parts | 40 % | 10 to 15 % |
| Average order (2026 estimate) | 620 CAD | 730 to 850 CAD (suggested related parts) |
The order value gain comes from suggesting maintenance kits and related wear parts at the moment the customer identifies their part.
Must-have features and their cost
A parts store is not a consumer ecommerce site. Prices are negotiated per account, part numbers depend on machine version, and data comes from the ERP and engineering.
| Feature | Role | Estimated market budget |
|---|---|---|
| Serial number search | Shows only parts compatible with the customer's machine | 8,000 to 20,000 CAD |
| Interactive exploded views | Clickable SVG diagrams from CAD drawings | 10,000 to 33,000 CAD |
| Account-specific pricing and discounts | Negotiated grids, free shipping thresholds, payment terms | 7,000 to 17,000 CAD |
| ERP sync (stock, prices, orders) | SAP Business One, Epicor, Sage X3 | 13,000 to 42,000 CAD |
| Multi-user accounts | Buyer, technician, manager approval | 5,000 to 13,000 CAD |
| Card, transfer and net 30 payment | Payment per account terms | 3,000 to 10,000 CAD |
| Data migration (15,000 SKUs) | Cleaning, photos, compatibility | 7,000 to 20,000 CAD |
The longest item is almost always rebuilding the exploded views: if your drawings exist in CAD they can be converted; if only scanned PDFs exist they must be redrawn, allow 30 to 90 minutes per sheet.
At Kolonell, such a project is a complex custom application, between 7,000,000 and 15,000,000+ FCFA (10,670 to 22,870+ EUR), depending on the number of sheets and the ERP connector. Premium maintenance is 120,000 FCFA per month (about 180 EUR).
Rolling out in stages to limit risk
| Stage | Content | Duration | Share of SKUs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Pilot | 3 machine ranges, 20 test customers | 8 to 10 weeks | 20 % |
| 2. Extension | All active ranges, multi-user accounts | 6 to 8 weeks | 70 % |
| 3. Legacy | Older machines, redrawn exploded views | 8 to 12 weeks | 100 % |
| 4. Optimisation | Suggestions, preventive maintenance reminders | Ongoing | 100 % |
Starting with the ranges that generate the most calls concentrates the gain from the pilot onward.
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Hypothetical illustration: Natalie, aftersales director of a packaging machinery manufacturer near Toronto, manages 15,000 SKUs and receives 9,000 parts requests a year.
- Before: 20 minutes per request, i.e. 3,000 hours a year, about 195,000 CAD loaded at 65 CAD/h.
- After: 70 % of requests go through the store with a 4-minute check; total time about 1,320 hours, close to 85,800 CAD.
- Annual saving: about 109,200 CAD.
- Average order rising from 620 to 730 CAD on 6,300 online orders: about 693,000 CAD of extra revenue, at 35 % margin, i.e. about 242,500 CAD of extra margin.
- Project: 115,000 CAD.
Even counting only the service desk time saved, the project pays back in about a year.
FAQ
Should prices be shown publicly?
No, most manufacturers show prices after login, with the account discount applied. An indicative public price can stay visible for 10 to 20 % of common wear parts.
How do you handle parts that fit several versions?
A compatibility table links each part number to the relevant serial numbers. Building it often represents 20 to 30 % of the data migration effort.
Does the ERP remain the source of truth for stock and prices?
Yes, the store reads stock and prices from the ERP, synchronised every 5 to 15 minutes, and pushes orders back. Customer service keeps working in a single tool.
How long before the first launch?
A pilot on 3 ranges is realistic in 8 to 10 weeks. The full 15,000 SKU catalogue usually takes 6 to 8 months overall.
Will customers really order online?
Technicians adopt the tool quickly when exploded views are reliable; a target of 50 % of requests online at 12 months is common, provided the 20 largest accounts are trained.
Let's scope your project. Share your SKU count, your ERP and the state of your drawings: we will price the pilot, the full budget and a timeline of 8 weeks 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.
