The verdict in three sentences
An office supplies distributor serving 400 companies on paper or emailed purchase orders re-keys every line, chases every signature and waits weeks to get paid. A B2B webshop with company accounts, spending limits and approval workflows, net-30 invoicing or card payment and recurring orders costs, as a 2026 order of magnitude, 25,000 to 60,000 EUR (about 27,000 to 65,000 USD) and takes 3 to 4 months. With average orders of 300 to 1,200 EUR, the productivity and retention gains cover the build in under a year.
Why a consumer webshop is not enough
Distributors often try a standard online store first. It fails quickly with businesses: the office manager who orders is not allowed to pay, the finance director wants to approve anything above a threshold, accounts payable needs a PO number and a compliant invoice, and payment is a bank transfer at 30 days, not a card.
| Feature | Consumer webshop | B2B company webshop |
|---|---|---|
| Customer account | One person | One company, many users |
| Prices | Same for everyone | Negotiated price list per customer |
| Spending limit | None | Per user and per month |
| Approval | None | Manager above the limit |
| Payment | Card, wallet, upfront | Net-30 on invoice, or card |
| Recurring orders | Rare | Monthly list in one click |
| Documents | Receipt | PO, delivery note, invoice |
| Average order 2026 | 40 to 120 EUR | 300 to 1,200 EUR |
What you really sell to the client company is control: their finance team sees who ordered what, against which budget, and can block overspending.
Detailed 2026 budget
| Item | 2026 order of magnitude (EUR) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Catalogue of 3,000 to 5,000 items, search, product pages | 4,500 to 10,000 | Imported from the ERP |
| Company accounts, users, roles | 3,500 to 8,000 | Requester, approver, accounts |
| Spending limits and approval workflow | 4,000 to 10,000 | Per user, cost centre, month |
| Per-customer price lists | 3,000 to 7,000 | Negotiated discounts, net prices |
| Net-30 terms, credit limits, card payment | 3,500 to 9,000 | Credit cap, dunning |
| Recurring orders and saved lists | 1,500 to 4,000 | Monthly restock |
| ERP and invoicing connection | 5,000 to 12,000 | Stock, compliant e-invoices |
| Total | 25,000 to 60,000 | 3 to 4 months |
The low end is a solution built on an existing e-commerce platform with some development; the high end is a custom build wired into the ERP. At Kolonell this scope falls into medium custom applications (4,000,000 to 7,000,000 FCFA, 6,100 to 10,670 EUR) or complex ones (7,000,000 to 15,000,000+ FCFA, 10,670 to 22,870+ EUR) depending on integrations, with maintenance at 35,000, 75,000 or 120,000 FCFA a month (53, 114 or 183 EUR). See e-commerce.
Managing net-30 credit risk
Offering credit to 400 companies is a strong sales lever, but the system must frame it:
- Maximum credit per customer, for example 5,000 EUR for a small firm and 25,000 EUR for a key account, blocking orders beyond it.
- Automatic hold when an invoice is more than 45 days overdue.
- Scheduled reminders at D-3, D+1 and D+10 by email.
- Card payment required for new customers during their first three months.
Well-managed credit shortens average payment time rather than lengthening it, because the invoice is issued on delivery day instead of a week later.
Mini case study
Emma Laurent, managing director of an office supplies distributor in Brussels, serves 400 companies. They place 1.5 orders a month on average at 650 EUR, so 600 orders and 390,000 EUR of monthly revenue, at 20 % gross margin.
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Today 3 staff re-key purchase orders at 3,800 EUR a month each, fully loaded. The webshop frees 2 of them for account development: 7,600 EUR a month redeployed. Thanks to recurring orders, average basket rises 8 %: 31,200 EUR more sales and 6,240 EUR more margin a month.
Project: 42,000 EUR plus 600 EUR a month of maintenance. Total monthly gain: about 13,200 EUR. Payback in a little over 3 months after launch, or about 6 months if only half the customers adopt it in year one.
FAQ
Will client companies really order online?
Yes, if the webshop gives them control: limits, approvals and history per department. In practice 50 to 70 % of regular customers switch within 6 months when their account manager supports onboarding.
Can we offer card payment alongside net-30?
Yes. Small firms and new accounts often pay by card at checkout, key accounts by transfer at 30 days. The webshop handles both on the same account.
How does an approval limit work?
Each user has a cap, for example 500 EUR per order or 1,500 EUR a month. Above it, the order waits for the approver, who accepts or rejects in one click, often from a phone.
Are invoices compliant?
The webshop issues invoices with VAT numbers and continuous numbering and can push them to the accounting system, including the e-invoicing formats rolling out across the EU. The ERP connection is 5,000 to 12,000 EUR of the budget.
How long until launch?
Allow 3 to 4 months: 3 weeks of scoping and catalogue import, 8 to 10 weeks of development, then a 2 to 3 week pilot with 20 companies.
Let's scope your project. We define company accounts, spending limits, approvals and net-30 terms for a launch in 3 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.
