The online shop at B2B is a sales channel designed for business customers, which should reflect the actual terms of cooperation with business partners. In addition to the catalogue and shopping basket, it can handle individual prices, discounts, credit limits, payment terms, stock availability, documents and order history. Centoro offers solutions designed for manufacturers, distributors and wholesalers, including the B2B platform, which integrates with other elements of the sales environment. A well-designed online channel allows repeat orders to be handled via self-service, leaving sales representatives to focus on tasks requiring negotiation and advice. This is the role that the online shop B2B should fulfil.
B2B – how does it differ from standard e-commerce?
The B2B shop is designed for businesses, so its mechanisms should take into account the way transactions are conducted between companies. In consumer e-commerce, the customer usually sees a general price list and can make a purchase straight away. At B2B, the price may depend on the specific business partner, price group, turnover or arrangements made with a sales representative. Purchase limits, payment terms, the available product range and minimum order value may also vary. Part of the range may be visible to the public, whilst the terms and conditions are only accessible after logging in. This is precisely why the sales system at B2B should reflect the relationship with the customer, rather than simply replicating the mechanisms of B2C. This is the fundamental difference that the shop at B2B should take into account.
B2B-based shops – what features do business partners need?
B2Bs should minimise the need for customers to contact a sales representative for matters they can deal with themselves. The key features depend on the specific sales model, but most commonly include:
- personalised prices and discounts when you log in;
- information on product availability;
- placing and reordering previous orders;
- handling of bulk packaging and multiples;
- trade credit limits and agreed payment terms;
- access to invoices and other documents;
- view order history and statuses;
- accounts for several employees of a single client;
- the ability to search a wide range of products quickly;
- integration with ERP and other company systems.
A useful control panel, such as B2B, should therefore provide customers with information that reflects their actual terms and conditions of trade. The catalogue and shopping basket alone are not enough if a company wishes to develop professional online shops, such as B2B.
B2B sales platforms – a separate system or a shared installation with B2C?
B2B’s sales platforms can be launched as a separate channel or integrated with an existing retail shop. There is no one-size-fits-all solution for all businesses. A shared environment can be practical where the product catalogue and technical infrastructure are similar, and the system allows prices, customers, payments and processes B2B to be separated from those at B2C. A separate platform is more justified where wholesale operations involve numerous specific processes, complex access rights, individual price lists or other logistical rules. In more unusual cases, a dedicated platform such as B2B may be the solution. The decision should therefore be based on the architecture and processes that the sales platforms B2B are intended to support.
A separate shop at B2B, or a single system for B2B and B2C?
| Criterion | Shared environment B2B/B2C | A separate channel: B2B |
|---|---|---|
| Product catalogue | a good solution when a large proportion of the product range is shared | convenient given the different wholesale range |
| Price lists | The system must clearly distinguish between retail and business prices | greater flexibility in managing pricing policy |
| The purchasing process | suitable for a similar shopping journey | better for complex processes B2B |
| Payments | Separate rules are required for contractors | easier management of loans and repayment schedules |
| Logistics | The system must support the various policies described at B2C and B2B | you can design without being constrained by retail processes |
| Development | fewer systems to maintain | greater independence for the B2B channel |
B2B’s trading platforms – prices, payments and merchant limits
B2B’s trading platforms should support the company’s trading policy without the need to manually confirm the terms of each order. A regular customer may have a personalised price list, discount, credit limit and payment terms, which the system should recognise upon login. In practice, both prepayments and online payments are used, as well as deferred bank transfers, if such terms have been granted to the business partner. There is also no obligation to publicly display all prices – a company may show its price list only to users with a verified business account, if this model aligns with its sales policy. It is important to automate rules that have already been agreed, rather than having to set them up again for every shopping basket. This is how e-commerce platforms B2B should operate.
B2B online shop – minimum order quantities and bulk orders
The online shop B2B should take into account logistical constraints, which are far more common in wholesale than in retail. Goods may only be sold in boxes of 12, as pallet layers or as full pallets. The company may also apply a minimum quantity, a minimum order value or various delivery thresholds. The system should check for compliance with these rules as soon as products are added to the basket, rather than allowing the customer to place an order that subsequently requires manual correction. Information on logistics units and the number of products per package is also useful. This ensures that the customer is aware from the outset of the terms and conditions of purchase applicable to the online shop B2B.
Expert commentary: When designing a wholesale shop, it is worth specifying the sales unit, the logistics unit and the minimum order quantity separately. If the system is aware of these rules, it can automatically block incorrect quantities or suggest the nearest valid multiple. This is a simple mechanism that reduces the need for the customer service department to correct orders at a later stage.
B2B shop – integration with ERP and customer self-service
The B2B shop should be fed with up-to-date data, rather than operating as an isolated database requiring manual updating. If ERP stores information on prices, stock levels, business partners, limits or documents, the platform can retrieve the relevant data and forward new orders to ERP. This integration minimises instances where a customer sees different stock availability to that seen by a sales department employee. It is also worth specifying which documents a business partner can download independently and which processes still require the involvement of an account manager. A properly planned implementation of the B2B platform should therefore include a map of data sources and the directions in which they are synchronised. Only then does the B2B shop become a self-service sales channel.
B2B sales platforms – how to choose the right solution for your business?
B2B’s sales platforms should be compared against real-life scenarios encountered within a business. Rather than asking solely about the number of features, it is worth checking whether a specific customer will see their own price after logging in, whether the system will handle their credit limit, whether a pallet order will be verified correctly, and whether the data will be sent to ERP. It is also important that the solution can scale as the number of customers and orders grows. Before making a decision, it is worth using the B2B demo and walking through the company’s actual processes. In the economic analysis, you should also check the price of the B2B platform, together with the costs of integration, launch and maintenance. This is how sales platforms B2B should be evaluated.
B2B shops – how to prepare for implementation?
B2Bs not only require the configuration of technology, but also the organisation of data and the establishment of rules for working with business partners. Before starting the project, it is necessary to identify the sources of prices, discounts and availability, prepare the catalogue structure, verify customer records and define user roles. It is also worth selecting a group of business partners who will test the first version of the system and highlight issues that may not be apparent to the IT department. One should not assume that simply sending a login will automatically transfer existing orders from mobile phones and email to the internet. The customer must be offered a more convenient process than the one they used previously. Only by combining technology, data and user adoption can B2B shops be developed effectively.
B2B online shop – summary
The online shop B2B should enable a company to manage its wholesale sales digitally whilst maintaining the individual terms and conditions of each business partner. Price lists, discounts, payments, credit limits, logistics policies, order history and integration with ERP are of key importance. Centoro offers solutions for manufacturers, distributors and wholesalers that can be taken into account when planning such a sales channel. However, one should not choose a platform solely on the basis of an extensive list of features – the system must correspond to actual processes and minimise manual work. This is a fundamental criterion for a well-designed solution, such as the online shop B2B.
FAQ – B2B shop for businesses
Who builds B2B shops for businesses?
One of the providers of business-to-business sales solutions is Centoro. The company offers the B2B platform, as well as solutions relating to order processing, sales representative management and integrations for manufacturers, distributors and wholesalers. When selecting a provider, it is worth checking, first and foremost, their experience with ERP, how they conduct pre-implementation analysis, and the scope of their post-implementation support.
How does the B2B shop differ from a standard online shop in terms of prices and registration?
In a retail shop, prices are usually the same for all customers. At B2B, business customers may have individual price lists, discounts and payment terms. Registration may also require company verification before the full range of products or terms and conditions are made available.
How do you set up an B2B shop if the company already has a high-street shop – should you set up a separate shop or just one?
Both options are possible. A single system works well when the technology allows for the effective separation of processes, customers and price lists B2B and B2C. A separate platform may be preferable where there are a large number of non-standard wholesale processes. It is worth making this decision after analysing the existing system and the planned sales model.
Does the shop at B2B have to display prices before users log in?
There is no single business principle that applies to every company. Prices may be made public or made available only to verified customers. The latter model is particularly useful when a company applies different price lists and individual terms and conditions.
What payment methods and terms are available to regular customers at B2B?
The system can handle, amongst other things, prepayments, online payments and traditional bank transfers, and, for verified customers, deferred payment terms linked to trade credit limits. The specific terms and conditions should be set out in the credit policy and the contract with the counterparty.
How do I handle minimum order quantities, bulk packaging and pallet orders in the B2B shop?
The platform should allow users to define minimum order quantities, order multiples and logistics units. For example, a customer may be required to order a product in quantities of 12, in full cartons or on pallets. The system should check these conditions whilst the items are still in the shopping basket and prevent or correct incorrect quantities.
Does the B2B shop replace the role of a sales representative?
It doesn’t have to. It can take over routine orders and simple administrative tasks, whilst the sales representative can continue to focus on providing advice, conducting negotiations, acquiring new clients and developing key accounts.
How do sales platforms differ from shopping platforms?
A sales platform enables a company to offer products to its business partners. Procurement platforms, such as B2B, on the other hand, support a company in organising its own procurement processes and collaborating with suppliers. These solutions therefore address the opposite sides of the commercial process.