The verdict in three sentences
For an auto parts wholesaler with 45,000 SKUs and 1,800 trade garages, leaving an expensive Magento 2 is justified, but the choice between Shopify Plus and a custom rebuild depends on the technical catalogue, not the subscription. Shopify Plus starts at USD 2,300 a month and needs third-party apps for vehicle fitment, while a custom platform costs GBP 80,000 to 150,000 in 2026 and natively handles registration lookup, OEM references and per-garage pricing. Over 3 years the two often land close in total cost, so dependence on TecDoc data and the ERP should decide, for a 5 to 7 month migration.
Why Magento 2 has become a burden for a UK wholesaler
The managing director of a wholesaler based in Park Royal serves independent garages across London, the M25 belt and the Home Counties, plus motor factors further afield. The open source Magento 2 store was built six years ago by an agency that has since closed. Every PHP upgrade or security patch takes weeks, the B2B extensions are no longer maintained, and search is slow across 45,000 parts and their cross-references.
Technicians want the right brake pads or filter in seconds, from a phone, using the vehicle registration or the OEM part number, and to see their trade price. When search fails, they call the branch or order from a national motor factor that delivers within the hour.
| Business need | Current Magento 2 | Shopify Plus | Custom build |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registration (VRM) or VIN lookup | Unmaintained extension | Third-party app, extra subscription | Native, linked to TecDoc and a VRM data provider |
| OEM numbers and cross-references | Slow beyond 30,000 SKUs | Possible via metafields, volume limits | Dedicated search engine, under 300 ms |
| Trade pricing per garage | Fragile custom B2B module | Native B2B catalogues, limited rules | Unlimited price lists per garage and family |
| Trade account, monthly statement | Custom development | Pay on invoice, basic terms | Built into the ERP flow |
| Card payments | Existing module | Shopify Payments | Direct gateway integration |
| Order history migration | Not applicable | Partial import | Full migration |
Total cost over 3 years: three scenarios
| Item (2026 range, GBP excl. VAT) | Keep Magento 2 | Shopify Plus | Custom rebuild |
|---|---|---|---|
| Setup or migration | 35,000 (major upgrade) | 50,000 to 90,000 | 80,000 to 150,000 |
| Subscription or licence, 36 months | 0 | About 66,000 (USD 2,300 a month) | 0 |
| Third-party apps, 36 months | 18,000 | 25,000 to 40,000 | 0 to 10,000 |
| Hosting, 36 months | 27,000 | Included | 18,000 to 27,000 |
| Maintenance and changes, 36 months | 126,000 | 40,000 to 60,000 | 45,000 to 65,000 |
| 3-year total | about 206,000 | about 181,000 to 256,000 | about 143,000 to 252,000 |
Keeping Magento looks cheaper than expected, but it stacks security risk, slowness and dependence on scarce contractors. Shopify Plus cuts maintenance but adds a dollar subscription, stacked apps and, above a certain volume, a variable fee on revenue. A custom rebuild costs more upfront and less afterwards, provided scope is controlled. Amounts exclude 20% VAT.
Delivering the migration in 5 to 7 months
A typical plan runs 1 month of audit and data mapping (parts, cross-references, accounts, price lists), 3 to 4 months of build and ERP connection, then 1 to 2 months of history migration and a pilot with 100 garages. 301 redirects from old product URLs are essential to protect organic traffic. UK GDPR obligations on garage contact data must be checked before migration. To scope it, see our e-commerce and custom web applications pages.
Mini case study
Daniel, managing director of the wholesaler, does GBP 4,000,000 of online sales a year, 40% of revenue. He prices the custom rebuild at GBP 115,000, with GBP 1,500 a month of maintenance and GBP 650 a month of hosting, so GBP 192,400 over 3 years.
Registration lookup and speed should lift online share from 40 to 50% of revenue, moving GBP 1,000,000 of sales to the cheapest channel. If each online order saves 1.5% in sales cost (calls, keying, errors), that is GBP 15,000 a year, and a 3% rise in total sales at 22% gross margin adds about GBP 66,000 a year.
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Compared with keeping Magento (about GBP 206,000), the rebuild is slightly cheaper over 3 years and brings about GBP 243,000 of extra margin over the period.
FAQ
Can Shopify Plus handle 45,000 technical SKUs?
Yes for volume, but vehicle fitment relies on third-party apps costing USD 300 to 1,500 a month. Quality then depends on the app vendor and its access to TecDoc data.
Can we keep URLs and rankings?
Yes, with a 301 redirect plan for every old product and category page. Without it, organic traffic can drop 30 to 50% for several months.
How do we handle trade accounts and credit?
The platform reads each garage's credit limit from the ERP and offers account payment to eligible customers. Card payment stays open for new customers.
Should we migrate all order history?
At least 24 months is recommended, so technicians find past orders and reorder in one click. Migration usually takes 2 to 4 weeks.
What timeline should we plan?
Allow 5 to 7 months, including a 4 to 6 week pilot with 100 garages before opening to all 1,800 accounts.
Let's scope your project. We define with you the technical catalogue, the ERP connector and a migration plan over five to seven 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.
