The verdict in three sentences
For an appliance wholesaler that wants an online ordering channel for its 800 resellers, whether in Singapore or Tunis, WooCommerce costs EUR 4,400 to 8,800 to set up (15,000 to 30,000 TND), Shopify USD 300 to 2,300 a month plus B2B apps, and a custom build EUR 14,700 to 26,500 (50,000 to 90,000 TND). Over 3 years, Shopify remains the most expensive option and the gap widens with online volume, because local payment gateways are not native and trigger extra transaction fees. The right choice depends mainly on the complexity of your reseller price lists and the depth of ERP integration.
What each option can do for a wholesaler
| B2B criterion | WooCommerce + B2B extensions | Shopify (Advanced or Plus) | Custom |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prices per reseller or reseller tier | yes, via extension (USD 300 to 600 a year) | native on Plus only, otherwise an app | yes, any logic |
| Local online payment gateway | extensions available | third-party gateway, extra Shopify fees of 0.2 to 2% | direct integration |
| Local-currency ordering and compliant invoicing | yes | yes, with adjustments | yes |
| Reseller credit and balances | extension or development | limited, often via ERP | native |
| ERP integration (Sage, Odoo, SAP Business One) | connector EUR 1,180 to 2,940 | connector EUR 1,470 to 3,530 | included in the project |
| Hosting location of your choice | possible | no, Shopify hosting | your choice |
| Vendor lock-in | low | high | none, code delivered |
WooCommerce covers 80% of a wholesaler's needs as long as you keep extensions to a minimum. Shopify excels in experience and stability, but its advanced B2B features are reserved for Plus, at USD 2,300 a month. Custom is justified when commercial rules (tiered discounts, year-end rebates, credit) are too specific for an extension.
Total cost of ownership over 3 years
2026 assumptions: TND 4,000,000 (about EUR 1.18 million) of online orders a year, 1 EUR = 3.4 TND, local payment processor fees identical for all options and therefore excluded.
| Item (2026 order of magnitude, EUR excl. VAT) | WooCommerce B2B | Shopify Advanced + apps | Shopify Plus | Custom |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Setup and ERP integration | 6,600 | 7,350 | 10,300 | 20,600 |
| Subscription or hosting per year | 710 | 4,380 | 25,180 | 1,410 |
| B2B extensions or apps per year | 530 | 2,740 | 0 | 0 |
| Shopify fees on third-party gateway per year | 0 | 7,060 (0.6%) | 2,350 (0.2%) | 0 |
| Maintenance and changes per year | 2,120 | 1,760 | 1,760 | 3,180 |
| 3-year total | 16,680 | 55,170 | 98,170 | 34,370 |
The verdict is clear for a wholesaler selling in local currency: WooCommerce is cheapest, custom comes second with full freedom, and Shopify only makes sense if you also target export resellers paying by international card.
How to decide in 30 minutes
Ask three questions in your management meeting. Do your reseller prices fit in 3 to 5 simple price lists? If so, WooCommerce is enough. Must your ERP receive orders and send back stock, balances and prices in real time? If so, and the ERP is old, custom avoids fragile connectors. Do you expect more than 30% of sales from abroad within 3 years? If so, Shopify becomes relevant again. In every case, insist on owning the domain name, customer data and product exports.
Mini case study
Hichem runs an appliance wholesaler in Tunis (800 resellers, EUR 2.9 million revenue) and is torn between Shopify Advanced and WooCommerce. His prices fit in 4 lists (standard reseller, gold reseller, retail chain, installer), and his Odoo ERP has a maintained WooCommerce connector. Over 3 years, WooCommerce costs him about EUR 16,680 against EUR 55,170 for Shopify Advanced, a EUR 38,500 gap. With 40% of orders placed online, he frees 2 inside sales reps from order entry (about EUR 14,100 a year) and recovers his initial investment in under 6 months. He keeps the custom option for phase 2, if year-end rebates become too complex.
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FAQ
Does Shopify accept local payment gateways?
Shopify Payments is not available in many markets, including Tunisia. You then need a third-party gateway, which adds Shopify fees of 0.2% to 2% of the amount depending on the plan, on top of the processor's own fees.
Is WooCommerce robust enough for 800 resellers?
Yes, with dedicated hosting (about EUR 60 a month), an object cache and fewer than 15 extensions. Beyond 50,000 SKUs or 5,000 orders a month, plan an optimised architecture or a move to custom.
How long does each option take?
WooCommerce B2B deploys in 8 to 12 weeks, Shopify in 6 to 10 weeks, custom in 4 to 6 months. ERP integration adds 3 to 6 weeks in every case.
Can we migrate from WooCommerce to custom later?
Yes, provided your data is clean: standardised product records, reseller accounts and exportable history. A migration usually costs 15 to 25% of the initial custom budget.
What annual budget should we plan after launch?
Budget about EUR 3,360 a year for WooCommerce, EUR 15,940 for Shopify Advanced with apps and fees, and EUR 4,590 for custom, as a 2026 order of magnitude.
Let's scope your project. Send us your number of resellers, your price lists and your ERP: we will compare WooCommerce, Shopify and custom on your real case with a 3-year total cost. 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.
