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Top B2B eCommerce Platforms For Suppliers

Despite businesses turning to B2B eCommerce platforms to increase profitability and expand omnichannel strategies, choosing the wrong one can lead to costly inefficiencies. From manual order entry to disconnected systems and missed sales opportunities, the tools you select can make or break your eCommerce strategy. 

The right platform, however, can unify your sales channels, automate workflows, and give your customers a seamless self-service buying experience. Today’s B2B buyers expect the convenience of the digital-first, B2C-influenced shopping experience, paired with the negotiated, personalized relationships of business-to-business transactions. 

According to Gartner, 75% of buyers want to place orders without having to go through a sales rep. 

Despite their importance in a strong omnichannel strategy, navigating the world of B2B eCommerce platforms requires the technical prowess to discern between platforms built to solve B2B workflows and B2C tools being misrepresented as robust solutions.

This guide is designed for suppliers, distributors, and manufacturers who want to cut through the noise and find a solution built for real B2B needs.

 

What Is a B2B eCommerce Platform?

A B2B eCommerce platform is an online catalog built specifically for business-to-business transactions. Unlike many B2C-focused tools adapted for wholesale, platforms like OrderEase are purpose-built to handle complex order flows and intake while integrating directly with ERP systems.

At its core, a B2B eCommerce platform serves as a private, digital storefront where your buyers can browse catalogs, see accurate pricing, and place orders directly.

Here's an example of a customer's view of a branded B2B site using the OrderEase portal:

A dashboard example of a B2B ecommerce platform from the customer view

 

Who Are the Customers of B2B E-Commerce?

The “customers” in B2B eCommerce are typically organizations.

Examples include:

  • Large retail chains ordering from multiple suppliers

  • Independent retailers buying seasonal or specialty stock

  • Wholesalers consolidating orders from manufacturers

 

Key Features to Look for in B2B eCommerce Software

The right B2B eCommerce software doesn’t just manage order intake; it unifies sales operations. Beyond basic functionality like catalog management, it should deliver the control needed to manage complex B2B relationships at scale.

 

Advanced Pricing Structures

Advanced pricing term tiers available with B2B ecommerce platforms

B2C platforms are designed for “one price fits all.” In B2B, pricing is customer specific and changes based on purchases quantities and negotiated contracts.

Your platform should allow you to:

  • Set tiered pricing for volume discounts

  • Offer customer-specific pricing

  • Handle contract pricing that applies automatically at checkout

 

Customizable Catalogs

In B2B, your catalog isn’t just a product list. It should reflect negotiated relationships. Your B2B buyers expect to log in and see exactly what applies to them, with the right pricing and relevant products.

A strong B2B eCommerce platform should let you:

  • Control product visibility so each buyer sees only the SKUs they’re authorized to purchase.

  • Apply customer-specific pricing that automatically reflects negotiated contracts or tiered discounts.

 

Seamless integration 

Integration with your ERP is a non-negotiable; it ensures that everything in your B2B catalog is accurate. OrderEase, for example, integrates ERPs with all channels. This means that your ERP/inventory is directly connected to your eCommerce sales. 

This means you can have:

  • A B2C storefront with simple pricing structures
  • A B2B, wholesale portal for negotiated, complex pricing
  • And a fully integrated ERP

Automation should be built into your B2B eCommerce platform to replace the manual steps that slow teams down. Instead of having to respond to orders via email or phone, a B2B eCommerce platform empowers customers to place their own orders, automating wholesale buying experiences. 

Your B2B eCommerce platform should align with both your operational goals and the needs of your customers. The right platform will give you a single, integrated portal to manage every order.



Benefits of Using a B2B eCommerce Platform

Implementing a modern B2B commerce platform can fundamentally change your omnichannel growth strategy. 

The right platform provides an operational backbone that connects your channels, customers, and ERP into one unified workflow without your team having to get involved.

Here are the top benefits operational leaders find in using B2B eCommerce platforms:

1. Efficiency and Cost Savings

In traditional B2B operations, margins are lost to time spent on low-value, manual tasks like rekeying orders from emails into ERP systems and processing payments through disconnected systems. 

A B2B commerce platform automates these steps. Orders placed, whether on an eCommerce website or B2B portal, flow directly into your ERP. 

In platforms like OrderEase, this automation extends to EDI transactions, marketplace sales, and even rep orders.

2. Improved Data-Driven Decisions

Many B2B companies still operate with data in silos across departments and channels, making decisions based on partial or outdated information.

A modern B2B eCommerce platform syncs data from across all sales channels with your back-end systems (ERP/accounting), for one source of truth. 

Example: By seeing that a specific product is close to selling out, a business can adjust inventory and reduce stockouts.

3. Enhanced Customer Satisfaction

B2B buyers expect the same level of digital convenience they get from consumer shopping with the added complexity of bulk ordering and terms. A robust B2B commerce platform delivers this by giving customers self-service access to personalized catalogs, contract-specific pricing, real-time stock levels, and easy reordering tools.

This shift from manual, rep-driven order placement to a customer-controlled digital experience not only speeds up transactions but also empowers buyers to interact with your brand on their own terms.

While in-person calls are still valuable for deepening partner relationships, B2B eCommerce allows much of the buying process to happen on the buyer’s schedule.

This doesn’t completely replace in-person selling; it means sales calls can focus on growth opportunities instead of order taking.

4. Scalability for Growth

Growth often exposes the limits of using B2C systems in B2B operations. Without the right B2B eCommerce strategy, every new channel or product means adding more overhead, manual processes, and risk.

An eCommerce platform that’s purpose-built for B2B allows you to grow without adding in workarounds just to manage your catalog and pricing. When you have a fully integrated order ecosystem, adding a new channel comes with a preconfigured flow that delivers ROI instantly. 

 

Before You Commit: Cost, ROI, and Time-to-Value

Even the most feature-rich B2B eCommerce platform can fail to deliver if you overlook the bigger picture of cost and implementation timelines. 

Think beyond the subscription fee for additional costs, including: 

  • Data migration, system integrations, and any custom development.

  • The time required to train your internal teams.

  • Time to launch can take months to years with certain B2B eCommerce platforms

  • Consider the cost of scaling to new markets or channels.

Quick ROI Formula for a B2B eCommerce Platform

To estimate your potential return, use:

ROI (%) = ((Annual Benefits – Annual Costs) ÷ Annual Costs) × 100

Annual Benefits can include:

  • Labor savings from reduced manual processing

  • Increased sales from expanded channels

  • Fewer errors and related cost savings

  • Faster order-to-cash cycles that improve cash flow

Annual Costs should factor in:

  • Platform subscription 
  • Implementation and integration costs
  • Ongoing support fees

Example:
If your B2B eCommerce platform saves $150,000 annually in labor and error reduction, adds $100,000 in new sales, and costs $80,000 per year in total, your ROI is:

ROI = (($250,000 – $80,000) ÷ $80,000) × 100 = 212.5%

 

Top B2B eCommerce Platforms: Your Top Options

 

OrderEase – B2B Order Management

A man using the OrderEase B2B portal as a B2B eCommerce platform solution to place orders from suppliers

What it is: A B2B Order Management System that unifies all your order channels (marketplaces, eCommerce sites, portals, and sales reps), into one automated workflow. It provides a branded portal to digitize sales with independent retailers while automating channels, big box store sales and more with your back-end systems. Orders from wherever and whenever flow in one unified ecosystem 

 Why it shines: True multichannel integration, standardized order data, and direct ERP syncing mean fewer errors, less manual work, and one source of truth across sales.

 

The OrderEase dashboard - used to sell to B2B clients


Pros:

  • B2B portal built for B2B with complex pricing tiers and custom catalog assignment 
  • Multichannel connectivity

  • ERP-first architecture means no middleware/iPaaS required
  • No development teams are requires for setup

  • Standardized order data eliminates manual entry and errors

  • Handles both online and offline orders in one system

 


Cons:

  • Less emphasis on DTC marketing tools

  • Requires ERP integration to unlock full potential

 

Shopify Plus

Shopify Plus B2B features

What it is: The enterprise-grade version of Shopify, offering a scalable platform to both consumers and businesses. With Shopify Plus, B2B features can be added through native tools, custom APIs, or apps from its massive ecosystem.
Why it shines: Shopify Plus is ideal for brands that need to blend DTC and B2B sales in a single platform.


Pros:

  • Extremely user-friendly backend and storefront

  • Large app ecosystem for extending B2B functionality

  • Scalable infrastructure with global hosting


Cons:

  • Requires apps or custom dev for B2B workflows

  • Wholesale pricing logic can be cumbersome



Commerce (formerly BigCommerce)

B2B Edition User Guide from bigCommerce

What it is: Recently rebranded from BigCommerce (August 2025), Commerce brings together BigCommerce, Feedonomics, and Makeswift into a unified AI-driven commerce brand. The B2B Edition includes buyer portals, company accounts, quoting, invoice portals, multi-storefront, and ERP integrations.


Why it shines: Excellent blend of native B2B features and open APIs for businesses that want customization.


Pros:

  • Strong B2B feature set 
  • Open APIs for ERP and CRM integration
  • Multi-storefront capabilities

Cons:

  • Can feel more like a DTC platform with B2B bolted on for highly complex B2B operations
  • Some advanced workflows still need development

 

WooCommerce for B2B

WooCommerce Features

What it is: A WordPress-based eCommerce platform extended with B2B plugins for wholesale capabilities.


Pros:

  • Cost-effective and open-source flexibility

  • Huge plugin ecosystem

  • Easy to customize for smaller catalogs


Cons:

  • Needs frequent plugin updates and security monitoring

  • Can be difficult to scale 
  • Hosting and performance depend on your setup

 

Pepperi

What it is: A mobile-first platform designed for B2B field sales enablement with digital catalogs and mobile order-taking.

Pepperi
Pros:

  • Excellent mobile UX with offline access

  • Dynamic product catalogs for sales reps


Cons:

  • Not a full-featured eCommerce storefront

  • Limited customization for unique workflows

  • Best suited for sales-rep-led models




Which ecommerce platform is best for B2B?

 

Platform

Best For

Integration 

Scalability 

Customization

Key Watchout

OrderEase

Suppliers, distributors & manufacturers

★★★★★

★★★★★

★★★★☆

Requires ERP connection for full value

Shopify Plus

Blending DTC & B2B sales

★★★☆☆

★★★★☆

★★★☆☆

Limited native B2B features

Commerce (formerly BigCommerce)

Mid-to-enterprise B2B brands

★★★★☆

★★★★☆

★★★★☆

Pricing not transparent

WooCommerce B2B

SMBs on WordPress

★★★☆☆

★★★☆☆

★★★★☆

Needs regular plugin/security upkeep

Pepperi

Field sales–driven businesses

★★★☆☆

★★★☆☆

★★★☆☆

Not a full storefront



 

Does B2B eCommerce Replace Sales Teams?

The short answer is no; a well-implemented B2B eCommerce platform makes your sales team more valuable. It takes away the entry-level tasks so they can focus on negotiating contracts and building trust. Those are things technology can’t replace.

 

B2B eCommerce automates tasks like:

  • Taking orders by phone or email

  • Confirming inventory and pricing via email or text

  • Entering orders into ERP or accounting systems

    Example of a sales rep catalog that's integrated into B2B eCommerce strategy

The shift is from order-taking to opportunity-making. Instead of spending time with back-and-forth emails, your team can spend time having the conversations that move the relationship forward.

In practice, this means faster order processing and a sales team that’s laser-focused on growth. 

B2B eCommerce doesn’t eliminate your sales team; it turns their day-to-day into a more impactful growth-driving role.



How Do B2B Sales Teams Win with Digital Commerce?

Even when you have a fully automated digital catalog, some customers want to stick to what they know and order through their trusted sales rep.

B2B sales team winning with digital commerce using a mobile sales rep app

 

B2B sales teams thrive when their tools remove friction instead of creating it. A B2B platform where the sales rep app uses the same dashboard as the customer portal keeps everyone working from the same source of truth.

With this setup, sales reps can:

  • Close deals faster by having real-time product availability and pricing

  • Access complete account history instantly

  • Streamline reorders for existing customers



Frequently Asked Questions About B2B eCommerce Platforms

Choosing the right B2B eCommerce platform can be complicated, especially with so many options and technical considerations. 

 

1. What distinguishes a B2B eCommerce platform from a B2C one?

B2B platforms are designed for business transactions that involve higher order values, more complex pricing, and longer buying cycles.  B2C platforms prioritize quick, one-time purchases, while B2B platforms focus on long-term account relationships.

2. How important is integration capability?

Integration is critical. A strong B2B eCommerce platform integrates directly with ERP, marketplaces, and EDI portals. Platforms like OrderEase use an ERP-first approach so commerce operations work off a single source of truth.

 

3. Can I use Shopify for B2B?

Yes. Shopify Plus can work for B2B eCommerce, but consider adding extra budget for third-party apps and custom development to make things like B2B pricing tiers work properly. 

 

4. What eCommerce is better than Shopify?

“Better” depends on your business requirements. Shopify excels in user experience and ability to launch your storefront quickly, but if you need deep ERP integration, multi-channel wholesale, or advanced catalog management, platforms like OrderEase, Adobe Commerce, or OroCommerce may be more suitable.

 

5. How much does a B2B platform cost?

Pricing varies from a few hundred dollars a month to six-figure enterprise implementations. 

Costs depend on:

  • Licensing or subscription fees

  • Required integrations

  • Custom development

  • Ongoing support and hosting


 

Final Thoughts: Finding the Best Fit for Your Business

Selecting the ideal B2B eCommerce platform is an investment in how your business will serve customers and grow over the coming years.

Look for a platform that integrates seamlessly with your core systems, automates time-consuming tasks, and can scale as sales expand. In the end, the best B2B eCommerce platform will feel less like another tool and more like an extension of your business.



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Upgrade Your B2B Buying Experience—For You and Your Customers

Give your buyers the digital convenience they expect, with the contract control, pricing flexibility, and integration your business demands. OrderEase’s B2B eCommerce platform unifies your customer portal and sales rep tools in one connected system—so every order flows smoothly from click to fulfillment.

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Meet the author

Harmonie Poirier is Head of Marketing at OrderEase, a B2B Order Management System that helps suppliers automate orders across marketplaces, eCommerce, EDI, and ERP systems. She writes on order automation, digital supply chain strategies, and B2B eCommerce growth.

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