Magento B2B e-commerce platforms

Orders arrive by email, phone and spreadsheet. A sales representative re-enters them into the ERP. Someone updates each customer’s price list manually. Credit limits are checked along the way. Customers call for invoices, order statuses and availability information.

This model can work for years. The problem begins when repetitive tasks consume more and more time, and further sales growth requires adding more people instead of improving the process.

We design and implement Magento B2B platforms for companies whose sales require individual commercial terms, ERP and CRM integrations, sales representative support, and processes more complex than a standard cart and checkout.

A free 30–60 minute call. We will learn about your sales process and the systems the platform should integrate with. We will provide an initial assessment of whether Magento fits the project and which areas require further discovery.

Experience

B2B platforms we have already built

A platform for a manufacturer and field sales representatives

After signing in, sales representatives could see their assigned customers, their details, commercial terms, order history and previous quotations.

They could update customer data, add new customers and prepare orders on their behalf. The customer received the prepared quotation, accepted it and could proceed directly through checkout and make payment.

The platform combined data from Salesforce CRM and a separate ERP responsible for financial and commercial terms. We designed the interface for mobile and tablet use because sales representatives also used it during customer visits.

B2B self-service for a manufacturing company

In another project, customers received access to their own commercial terms, purchase history, invoices, settlements and trade credit.

They could repeat previous orders, quickly add a large number of items and prepare bulk orders by importing an XLS file.

The platform was integrated with an ERP that remained the source of commercial and operational data.

A B2B marketplace for a distributor network

We have also built a marketplace in which the platform owner managed a network of selected brand distributors.

Each distributor had an account, assigned products from its range, and defined prices, collection and delivery terms. A business customer could see which distributors offered a product, compare prices and availability, view locations on a map, select a seller and complete the entire purchasing process without leaving the platform.

In this case, Magento supported three user groups and the relationships between them: the platform owner, business sellers and business customers.

Components

We have ready-made B2B components

The same core mechanisms recur across many B2B platforms: individual prices and discounts, quick ordering, bulk cart imports, purchase history, self-service and tools that support sales representatives.

We have already built some of these components and proven them in production Magento implementations. In subsequent projects, we use them as a foundation and then adapt them to the customer’s sales process, data model, UX and systems.

Our experience includes discounts based on customer and product groups, exceptions for individual customers, and bulk order imports that require data validation.

This does not mean deploying the same solution for every company.

A manufacturer’s price list works differently from a distributor’s. In one organization, the price is created in Magento; in another, it is calculated dynamically by the ERP. Trade credit rules, sales representative roles and order flows also differ.

Ready-made components mean we do not have to solve familiar problems from scratch. We focus development on what is genuinely specific to each B2B model.

Discovery

What needs to be decided before implementing a B2B platform

A B2B platform should not begin with a feature list. The sales process must be understood first.

Where does the price come from?

In B2B, a price is rarely a single value assigned to a product. It can depend on the customer, price group, product group, quantity, contract or additional discounts. We need to establish where the price is calculated and which system is its source.

Who places the order?

In one company, the customer does it directly. In another, a sales representative prepares the order. Elsewhere, several employees within one organization may build a cart, but only selected users are authorized to approve it.

What should the customer do independently?

Order history, invoices, statuses, availability, repeat purchases and quickly adding multiple items can reduce repetitive contact with support and sales teams. This is also a starting point for interface design: a buyer who knows the product code and orders dozens of items each week needs a completely different journey from a retail customer browsing the catalog for the first time.

What is not worth digitizing?

We do not assume that every existing process should be transferred to the new platform one-to-one. If it can be simplified or left in a system that already handles it well, that is usually the better decision.

Architecture

ERP and source systems are part of the B2B architecture

In many B2B projects, the ERP remains the center of operational processes.

It may contain customers, price lists, discounts, inventory levels, credit limits, orders, statuses and documents.

Magento does not have to take over all this logic. It can serve as the commerce and self-service layer that shows the right data to the right user and enables the purchasing process.

That is why, before development begins, we define which system is the source of truth for each type of information.

If prices are managed in the ERP, there is no point in creating a second, independent pricing system in Magento only to synchronize two sets of logic later.

The same applies to inventory, limits, customer data and fulfillment status.

We also design communication between systems, error handling and behavior when the source system is temporarily unavailable.

We have experience integrating ERP, CRM and custom solutions, including SAP, Comarch, Microsoft Dynamics, Enova, Softlab and Salesforce.

Relationships

A B2B platform can support sales representatives instead of replacing them

Launching B2B e-commerce does not have to mean moving the entire customer relationship into an automated channel.

For many companies, greater value comes from removing repetitive operations from sales representatives and giving them more time for negotiation, advice and customer development.

The platform can enable customers to place standard orders independently while allowing sales representatives to work with the same data: see assigned customers, their history and terms, and prepare orders or quotations on their behalf.

Both models can operate in parallel.

Sales model

B2B and B2C: one platform or separate solutions?

Magento can support both models simultaneously.

A retail user accesses the standard offer, while a signed-in business customer receives individual prices, catalog, payment terms and additional features.

A shared platform can simplify catalog management, integrations and maintenance.

However, it is not always the best choice.

If the B2B and B2C processes differ significantly, they may need greater separation. The decision should follow from the architecture, processes and development plans for both channels, rather than an assumption that one option is right for everyone.

License

Magento Open Source or Adobe Commerce?

A B2B project does not automatically require an Adobe Commerce license.

Adobe Commerce provides a ready-made suite of B2B features that can deliver significant value when it matches the company’s processes.

In many projects, however, the required scope can be delivered on Magento Open Source using custom development, integrations and existing B2B components.

The decision should account for required features, customization scope, license cost and the platform’s ongoing development cost.

If a company’s process differs significantly from the standard B2B model, some functionality will still require custom development.

That is why we do not begin a project by choosing a license.

First, we define the B2B process and requirements. Only then do we recommend Magento Open Source or Adobe Commerce.

Process

How we deliver a B2B implementation

We begin with discovery and workshops.

  1. 01

    Discovery and workshops

    We learn about the sales model, customer types, the role of sales representatives, pricing rules, the order process, source systems and the exceptions that have genuine business significance.

  2. 02

    Solution design

    This becomes the basis for functional and technical documentation: a description of target processes, integrations, system responsibilities and the scope of the solution.

  3. 03

    UX/UI and development

    We can then deliver the complete UX/UI process - from analyzing user journeys to designing the platform interface - as well as Magento and Hyvä development, B2B functionality and integrations. Individual project areas can progress in parallel where dependencies allow.

  4. 04

    Testing and launch

    Before launch, we test complete scenarios rather than isolated features: the customer must see the correct prices, each user must have the appropriate permissions, the order must reach the correct system and its status must return to the platform.

Phasing

The first stage does not need to include everything

A B2B scope can quickly expand to dozens of features.

It is therefore often worth starting with a complete core process: the customer signs in, sees the correct terms, finds products, places an order, and the data reaches the company’s systems.

Further mechanisms can be developed in stages based on how the platform is actually used.

An MVP does not mean a makeshift solution. The architecture should support growth from the outset, but there is no reason to build every feature that might one day be needed into the first release.

After launch, we can take responsibility for stabilization, maintenance and further platform development.

Fit

When Magento may be too large a solution

Not every B2B sales operation requires Magento.

Lighter solution

If a company serves a small number of customers, has a simple catalog, similar terms for everyone, virtually no integrations and a straightforward order process, a lighter solution may be more economical.

Magento

Magento delivers the greatest value when genuine complexity appears: individual prices and terms, multiple users, a large catalog, integrations, custom processes, or a combination of B2B and B2C.

If a simpler solution is sufficient, we will say so during the initial conversation.

Questions

FAQ

VLCT

Not always. Adobe Commerce provides ready-made B2B features, but many platforms can be built on Magento Open Source. The choice should be based on the required features, the scope of customization and the total cost of the solution.

VLCT

No. We have B2B components developed and proven in production Magento implementations, which we use as a foundation for subsequent projects. We extend and integrate them to match the processes and systems of each company.

VLCT

Yes. In many projects, the ERP remains the source of prices, discounts, limits and other commercial data, while Magento makes them available to the appropriate customer.

VLCT

Yes. We have built platforms where sales representatives could see their assigned customers, purchase history and commercial terms, and prepare orders or quotations on their behalf.

VLCT

Yes. Magento can support both models with different prices, catalogs and processes. Whether a shared architecture makes sense depends on the similarity of the two channels and their development plans.

VLCT

In most cases, it should not. The ERP can continue to manage operational and commercial data, while Magento handles the sales process and user experience. We define this division of responsibilities during discovery.