Shopify Plus vs Custom B2B E-Commerce in New York: Three-Year Cost

The verdict in three sentences

Shopify Plus is the fastest way to open a B2B channel in 8 to 12 weeks, but its three-year total cost often exceeds a custom platform once B2B apps and ERP integration pile up. A custom build, between 65,000 and 130,000 USD, pays off when you manage customer-specific price lists, negotiated payment terms and a complex catalog. Decide on a 36-month total cost, never on launch price alone.

Three-year total cost, line by line

The table below compares two realistic scenarios for a brand selling to 1,200 retailers (pharmacies, spas, concept stores) with 2,500 SKUs. Figures are 2026 orders of magnitude in US dollars.

Shopify Plus also applies a variable fee on revenue above a certain volume, and each third-party app bills its own subscription. Conversely, a custom build requires a heavy upfront investment and a team able to evolve it.

Functional limits that tip the decision

Shopify's native B2B has improved a lot, with company catalogs, payment terms and minimum orders. But several needs common among cosmetics brands remain hard to cover without apps or custom development.

Data ownership is a concrete argument: with a custom build, order history, price lists and customer accounts stay in your database, which makes a future vendor change easier. With Shopify Plus, you depend on platform rules and installed apps.

How to choose for your brand

Shopify Plus fits if you already run a consumer Shopify store, have fewer than 500 active retailers and prices organized in 3 to 5 lists. Custom makes sense above 1,000 retailers, with individual pricing, credit exposure to monitor and a demanding two-way ERP integration. A middle path exists: a custom B2B portal connected to the same product data as your consumer Shopify store.

Mini case study

Jason, head of e-commerce at a cosmetics brand in New York, handles 9,600 B2B orders a year (1,200 retailers, 8 orders each, average basket 920 USD). Today, each order taken by phone or email costs about 13 USD in sales time and re-keying, i.e. 124,800 USD a year. Online, that cost drops to 3.30 USD, i.e. 31,700 USD. The annual saving of 93,100 USD funds the custom platform in just under two years, and the 33,800 USD gap over 3 years versus Shopify Plus tips the balance toward custom.

FAQ

Is Shopify Plus enough for simple B2B?

Yes, if you have fewer than five price lists and a catalog of a few hundred SKUs. Plan 8 to 12 weeks and 45,000 to 65,000 USD in year one, license included.

How much does maintaining a custom platform cost?

Plan 12 to 18% of build cost per year, i.e. 11,000 to 22,000 USD for a 100,000 USD project. This covers security updates, monitored hosting and small enhancements.

Can we keep Shopify for consumers and build a separate B2B portal?

Yes, it is often the best compromise. The B2B portal reads products and stock from the same source, for a budget of 45,000 to 75,000 USD.

What ERP integration should we plan?

Items, stock, customer prices, orders and invoices must sync every 5 to 15 minutes. A full integration costs 16,000 to 44,000 USD depending on the ERP and number of flows.

Do retailers really adopt online ordering?

With sales support, 50 to 70% of retailers order online within 6 months. Quick order by SKU and order history are the two features that speed up adoption.

Let's scope your project. We price your B2B channel by comparing Shopify Plus and custom over 36 months, with an indicative budget of 45,000 to 130,000 USD and a 3 to 6 month timeline. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.