The verdict in three sentences
A shea butter skincare brand sold through 250 retailers across Florida, the Caribbean and Latin America loses margin every time a consumer finds the wholesale price list or a retailer orders by message with no minimum. A protected wholesale portal on the brand's website costs 25,000 to 60,000 USD in the Miami market in 2026, delivered in 8 to 12 weeks. It finally separates retail and wholesale prices, enforces a minimum order and automatically applies discount tiers from 20 to 35 %.
What the wholesale portal actually fixes
Today, the founder emails the price list as a PDF, and that PDF circulates. Retailers in Miami negotiate case by case, those in the Caribbean pay by wire transfer, others by card over the phone. Nobody knows who is entitled to payment terms. The wholesale portal brings all this behind a login: each approved retailer sees their prices, tier, outstanding balance and order history.
| Business rule (2026 order of magnitude) | Without wholesale portal | With wholesale portal |
|---|---|---|
| Wholesale price visibility | PDF shared by email, frequent leaks | Visible only after an approved retailer logs in |
| Minimum order | Negotiated by phone | 250 USD enforced at checkout |
| Tier 250 to 799 USD | Variable discount | 20 % automatic |
| Tier 800 to 1,599 USD | Variable discount | 27 % automatic |
| Tier 1,600 USD and above | Variable discount | 35 % automatic |
| Payment | Wire, card by phone, case by case | Card, ACH, or net 30 terms for approved accounts |
| Approving a new retailer | Informal | Form with resale certificate, manual approval within 48 h |
Payment terms are only open to approved retailers, with a limit per account. Above the authorised balance, the basket automatically switches to immediate payment. This rule alone sharply reduces unpaid invoices. Collecting resale certificates also keeps sales tax handling clean in Florida.
Budget in 2026
The ranges below are orders of magnitude for the Miami market. They assume the brand's website or store already exists; the wholesale portal is added on top. For reference, the same scope costs 2,500,000 to 5,000,000 FCFA (about 3,810 to 7,620 EUR) in Abidjan.
| Component | Market range (USD) | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Retailer accounts, sign-up with resale certificate and approval | 4,000 to 9,000 | 2 weeks |
| Catalogue with wholesale prices and discount tiers | 6,000 to 14,000 | 2 to 3 weeks |
| Minimum order, cart and quick order by SKU | 3,000 to 7,000 | 1 to 2 weeks |
| Card and ACH payments, multi-currency for Latin America | 5,000 to 12,000 | 2 weeks |
| Net 30 terms, credit limits and reminders | 4,000 to 10,000 | 2 weeks |
| Sales dashboard by country and retailer | 3,000 to 8,000 | 1 week |
| Total wholesale portal | 25,000 to 60,000 | 8 to 12 weeks |
For clients in West Africa, Kolonell prices a simple wholesale portal as a custom application between 2,500,000 and 4,000,000 FCFA (3,810 to 6,100 EUR); with credit, multi-country and multi-currency, it moves into the 4,000,000 to 7,000,000 FCFA range (6,100 to 10,670 EUR). Standard maintenance is 75,000 FCFA per month (110 EUR).
Serving several markets without several sites
A single portal can serve the US in USD and Latin American retailers with dedicated price lists. Cross-border shipping costs are calculated at checkout based on the delivery country, which avoids surprises when the invoice arrives. Each price list is attached to the retailer's account, not to a separate site.
Mini case study
Need a professional website?
Kolonell builds websites that attract clients, optimized for the Sénégalese market. Free quote in 2 minutes.
Aisha, founder of a shea butter skincare brand in Miami (illustrative scenario), has 250 retailers. Today, 40 % of orders are under 250 USD, with an average fulfilment and shipping cost of 22 USD per order. With a 250 USD minimum, she consolidates these small orders and saves about 80 shipments a month, or 1,760 USD monthly. Tiers also push some retailers to the 27 % tier: their average basket rises from 500 to 900 USD. For a 45,000 USD portal and 900 USD of monthly maintenance, the logistics saving alone (860 USD net per month) pays back in a little over 4 years, which is why the basket growth from tiers is the real business case: 30 retailers adding 400 USD per month at a 45 % margin bring 5,400 USD of margin monthly, and payback drops to about 7 to 8 months.
FAQ
Can consumers see wholesale prices?
No. Wholesale prices only appear after an approved account logs in. A visitor sees retail prices, and the wholesale page invites them to apply for an account.
How do we approve a new retailer?
They fill in a form with their resale certificate, city and store type. The team approves within 48 h and assigns a starting tier, usually 20 %.
Should everyone get payment terms?
It is not recommended. Reserve net 30 terms for retailers approved after 3 to 6 prepaid orders, with a limit of 1,000 to 4,000 USD depending on history.
Which payment methods should we integrate?
Cards and ACH for US retailers, cards and international transfers for Latin America and the Caribbean. Fees range from under 1 % for ACH to 2.9 to 3.5 % for cards.
How long to launch the portal?
Between 8 and 12 weeks, including 2 weeks of testing with 15 to 20 pilot retailers.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your number of retailers, markets and discount rules: we will price the wholesale portal, an indicative budget and the launch timeline. 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.
