What a B2B portal is and what it changes
Short definition
A B2B portal is a platform on which a company's business customers place orders themselves, seeing their individual prices, stock levels, credit limits and history. It works like a shop, but for business partners, usually behind a login.
A B2B portal is an ordering platform for a company's business customers - wholesalers, distributors, partners. After logging in, the customer sees their individual prices and discounts, available stock, credit limit and order history, and places the order themselves. This shifts part of the sales rep's work to convenient customer self-service.
A B2B portal differs from a regular B2C shop. What matters here is individual price lists per customer, wholesale orders, packaging units, credit limits, deferred-payment terms and often a complex approval process on the customer's side. It is not simply a shop with a different logo - it is a different buying model.
The value of a B2B portal fully shows only with ERP integration: prices, stock and limits must come straight from the system, and orders flow back to accounting and the warehouse without re-entry. Open Mercato is an open B2B commerce platform we connect with the ERP as one consistent flow.
Key facts about a B2B portal
- Business customers place orders themselves, behind a login.
- Individual prices, credit limits, wholesale orders.
- Its full value comes only with ERP integration.
Frequently asked questions
How does a B2B portal differ from an online shop?
A B2B portal handles individual price lists, credit limits, wholesale orders and deferred payments - a different buying model than a B2C shop, not just a different look.
Does a B2B portal pull prices and stock from my ERP?
Yes - that is where its value lies. Prices, stock and limits come from the ERP, and orders flow back into the system. We connect this via Open Mercato.
Related terms
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