TOTECS News & Blogs Latest updates, articles, and insights on TOTECS products and services

What is B2B eCommerce?
B2B eCommerce means one business selling products to another through an online portal, instead of by phone, email, fax or a rep’s visit. Buyers log in, see the products and prices that apply to them, check stock and place orders themselves, at any hour.

For wholesalers, distributors and manufacturers, the appeal is simple. Orders arrive already complete, customers serve themselves, and your team spends less time on typing and chasing.

How B2B differs from B2C
A B2B store isn’t just a B2C store with bigger orders. The differences shape what your platform must do.

Pricing is personal. Different customers pay different prices, based on contracts, volume tiers or long-term agreements. Showing one public price to everyone doesn’t work.
Orders are bigger and repeat often. Buyers reorder the same lines regularly, so quick reordering matters more than browsing.

Several people are involved. A purchase may need approval, cost-centre coding or a purchase order number.

Payment is usually on account. Credit limits and payment terms matter more than card checkout, though many businesses want both.

The relationship is ongoing. Reps, account managers and long-standing customers remain part of the process, so your online store should support them rather than replace them. 

Who benefits most?
• Wholesalers who take orders by phone and email and want to cut the keying and the errors.
• Distributors with large catalogues and many customer-specific prices.
• Manufacturers who sell through trade customers or dealers.
• Businesses selling to both trade and retail, who want one platform to serve both groups with the right prices for each.

7 steps to get started with B2B eCommerce

1. Define what you want to fix. Is it manual order entry, incorrect orders, limited product exposure or slow customer service? A clear goal makes every later decision easier.

2. Tidy your product and customer data. Accurate descriptions, images, SKUs and customer records are the foundation. Fixing them before launch is far cheaper than fixing them afterwards.

3. Map out your pricing. List how prices work today: price lists, contract rates, quantity breaks and special deals. Your platform needs to apply these automatically at checkout, for every customer.

4. Connect your ERP. Your ERP already holds your stock, prices and customer accounts. Linking it to your store lets orders flow straight in and stock stay accurate without re-keying. Check that the platform has a proven connector for your exact system. 

5. Plan for your reps and big customers. Field sales staff can place orders for several accounts without logging in and out, and larger buyers may want to order from inside their own procurement systems.

6. Sort out payments and freight. Decide which payment methods suit each customer group, and how freight will be calculated. Automating shipping quotes removes a common bottleneck.

7. Launch in stages, then promote. Start with core ordering, get it stable, then add features. Tell existing customers first, train your team, and support the site with search-friendly product pages and useful content.

Choosing a B2B eCommerce platform

Look for a platform that offers:
• Advanced, customer-specific pricing
• Real-time ERP integration
• Mobile-friendly, fast pages
• Built-in SEO controls
• Rep ordering and account switching
• Local freight and payment options
• Reliable hosting and responsive support
• How TOTECS can help

TOTECS is an Australian B2B and B2C eCommerce platform built for wholesalers and distributors. It handles contract and relationship-based pricing, integrates with leading ERPs, and includes RepSpace for sales reps, Punchout for procurement systems and tools for logistics and shipping. Contact our team on 1300 123 500 or request a demo to see how TOTECS would work for your business.