Comparison: What is the difference between B2B and B2C e-shops
One person adds products to the cart on the e-shop, another approves the purchase, and a third downloads the invoice. Each sees different information. Does that not sound like typical online shopping? It isn't. B2B e-shops often differ significantly from sales to end customers. In this article, we will show the main difference between B2B and B2C e-shops, what corporate customers expect from online shopping, and when it pays off to invest in custom solutions.
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B2B e-shop ≠ B2C e-shop with a different pricing
Imagine a typical purchase in a B2C e-shop. A customer selects a product, adds it to the cart, pays by card, and waits for delivery. The entire purchase is usually handled by a single person who makes decisions and buys for personal use.
In a corporate environment, however, an order can look completely different.
A buyer prepares a list of items, a manager approves the order, and an accountant later downloads the invoice. The company purchases at contract prices, utilizes agreed payment terms, and sends goods to one of several branches. Additionally, the order may be repeated regularly.
B2B e-shop must therefore respect how the company actually operates. Its tasks include:
- displaying correct prices and terms to each customer,
- facilitating regular orders,
- dividing permissions among multiple users,
- providing access to invoices, delivery notes, or technical documentation,
- showing current order status and stock availability,
- transferring data between the e-shop, ERP, CRM, warehouse, and accounting.
And it is precisely in these areas that the biggest difference between B2C and B2B solutions often lies.
B2B and B2C e-shop in brief
A B2C e-shop typically sells to the end customer at a public price. A B2B e-shop deals with corporate clients, individual terms, and often a more complex purchasing process. Therefore, it often functions not only as a store but also as a customer or partner portal.
Main Differences Between B2B and B2C E-commerce
| Area | B2C E-commerce | B2B E-commerce |
|---|---|---|
| Customer | Individual shopping for themselves | Company, buyer, business partner, or employee |
| Prices | Public, uniform, or promotional | Individual price lists, contractual prices, and discount levels |
| Shopping Process | Quick decision and one-time purchase | Repeat orders, limits, or multiple levels of approval |
| Registration | Optional or simple | Often approved, linked to the company and its authorizations |
| Users | One account for one customer | Multiple users under one company with different roles |
| Product Information | Descriptions, photos, and basic parameters | Technical specifications, stock availability, documents, and product codes |
| Payment | Card, transfer, or cash on delivery | Invoice, due date, order number, or credit limit |
| Logistics | One delivery address | Multiple branches, warehouses, and delivery locations |
| Connected Systems | Payment gateway and carriers | ERP, CRM, inventory, accounting, or internal applications |
| Data Access | Standard customer account | Roles, permissions, and non-public business data |
Of course, the comparison does not apply without exceptions. A simple wholesale operation may function similarly to a B2C e-commerce site. Conversely, extensive B2B sales sometimes resemble an internal information system more than a traditional online store.
Is your e-shop keeping up with your company's growth?
We will review the purchasing process, customer requirements, and the systems in use. This will help us determine whether it makes sense to adjust your current solution or to propose a completely new one.
What do corporate customers expect from a B2B e-shop?
Having a modern design and an attractively designed homepage is nice. However, the success of a B2B e-shop is usually determined by much more practical things: whether the customer can quickly find the right product, see their price, and complete the order without having to call a salesperson.
Individual prices and business conditions
Two customers can purchase the same goods under different conditions in one B2B e-shop. The price typically depends on the contract, quantity, turnover, type of partner, region, or specific branch.
The e-shop can therefore work with:
- individual price lists,
- minimum order quantities,
- various currencies,
- custom shipping and payment methods,
- invoice due dates or purchase limits.
The customer should always see the conditions that apply specifically to their company after logging in – without manual recalculation or verifying each order via email.
Quick and repeat orders
B2C customers often shop based on product photos, names, or quality reviews. However, corporate buyers know exactly that they need twenty pieces of a product with a specific catalog number.
In the B2B environment, therefore, features such as:
- searching by product code,
- quickly adding multiple items to the cart,
- ordering from a list or table,
- importing orders from a file,
- favorite products and shopping lists,
- repeating previous orders,
- order templates,
- availability divided by warehouses or branches.
A well-designed B2B e-shop not only makes the first purchase pleasant for the customer but also saves time on every subsequent order.
More users, roles, and permissions
One company registration can involve several people, with each of them needing something different. Buyers create orders. Managers approve them. Accountants download invoices. Technicians search for manuals and certificates. Administrators manage employee access.
A B2B e-shop often works with:
- multiple users under one company account,
- different roles and permissions,
- an order approval system,
- limits based on user or department,
- separate accounts for individual branches,
- access to selected documents and data,
- the ability to manage users directly on the customer side.
It's not just about convenience. Roles are also crucial because they protect sensitive business data. Each user has access only to what they truly need to see.
The customer portal saves Mediaprint up to 50% of time.
Documents and Self-Service
If a customer has to contact a salesperson for every invoice, delivery note, or order information, the e-shop is not utilizing its potential.
In the section after logging in, a corporate customer can find, for example:
- order history and status,
- invoices and delivery notes,
- technical sheets and certificates,
- contracts and individual offers,
- information about complaints,
- service requests,
- communication with the salesperson,
- reports or purchase statistics.
This way, the customer can find the information they need at any time. Meanwhile, the sales and customer service teams can focus on work that truly requires a personal approach.
When does a B2B e-shop become a customer portal?
The boundary between a B2B e-shop and a customer portal is often not sharp. If the section after logging in is not only for ordering but also for managing documents, service requests, complaints, offers, or user access, we often refer to it as a B2B portal.
Such a solution can serve:
- corporate customers,
- distributors and dealers,
- service partners,
- franchisees,
- sales representatives,
- branches,
- employees.
The portal does not have to be created as a separate system. It can still be a single environment where the customer, according to their permissions, makes purchases, tracks orders, downloads documents, or addresses service issues. It simply has more functions.
Practical example: Konica Minolta
In the partner zone of the global technology company Konica Minolta, customers can manage orders, invoices, and commitments or request a visit from a service technician. The solution also includes an e-commerce module and integration with SAP and Microsoft Dynamics NAV.
The e-shop has thus become one part of a broader portal that connects sales, service, and document management.
In the Konica Minolta partner zone, customers can handle purchases and service.
Integrations that pay off.
Why connect a B2B e-shop to ERP, CRM, or inventory?
A B2B e-shop often works with data that the company manages in another system. Products, prices, inventory, and accounting documents are usually stored in ERP. CRM contains information about customers. The inventory system knows the actual availability of goods at individual branches.
If the systems are not connected, employees must manually re-enter data or regularly import it. This slows down operations and creates room for errors.
Therefore, the following are often transferred between the e-shop and internal systems:
- products and their parameters,
- price lists and customer conditions,
- inventory and availability,
- customer accounts,
- invoices and delivery notes,
- payment methods and due dates,
- order or complaint status.
Thanks to the integration, the customer always sees the current price and real availability. The order is automatically entered into the company system, and employees do not need to re-enter it. The company also works with one version of data instead of several different tables.
We discuss integrations in more detail in the article How to connect an e-shop with ERP, CRM, or inventory system. Read more.
When does a regular e-shop stop being sufficient for B2B?
You can launch simpler wholesale sales on a standard e-commerce platform. Basic customer groups, different pricing, or registration approvals can now be handled by some off-the-shelf solutions.
What matters, however, is not the number of features in the pricing of the selected platform. It is important that the e-shop can adapt to how your company actually sells.
Custom solutions start to make sense when you need:
- more users and roles under one company,
- custom order approvals,
- specific calculations for pricing, shipping, or availability,
- multiple branches, warehouses, and delivery locations,
- a customer or partner portal section,
- deeper integration with ERP, CRM, inventory, or accounting,
- greater control over the security of business data.
A standard platform in such a situation may force you to adapt your business processes to the system's capabilities. With a custom solution, it is the opposite: we design the system according to your processes and the needs of your customers.
Is your current e-shop hitting its limits?
We will go through the business process, customer needs, and the systems in use with you. And we will propose a solution that won't hinder your operations.
How can we help you with your B2B e-shop at PUXdesign?
At the beginning, we need to understand how your company sells, who is involved in the purchasing process, and which systems the new solution needs to communicate with. Then we will get to work together with you.
- We will map the business process
We will find out how orders are currently created, who works with them, where prices are managed, and which steps take employees or customers unnecessarily too much time. - We will propose the scope of the solution
We will separate the functions that customers truly need from those that can wait for the next phase. This way, you do not have to invest in a large system at the start, half of which will not be used by anyone. - We will prepare UX for corporate purchasing
We will focus on quick searches, working with product codes, repeat orders, managing corporate accounts, and clear self-service. - We will connect the e-shop with other systems
We will link it to ERP, CRM, inventory, accounting, or other internal applications. Customers will see real-time data, and employees will not have to manually transcribe it. - We will take care of further development
We will prepare the solution so that new functions, roles, customer groups, or foreign markets can be gradually added.
We have experience with B2B e-shops as well as extensive customer and partner portals. For TASY, we created a fast B2B e-shop with advanced filtering and a large amount of product information. For Konica Minolta, we prepared a partner zone that connects e-commerce, service, orders, and document management.
Do you need a B2B e-shop that adapts to your business?
We will review your current processes, the systems in use, and customer needs. The result will be a solution that speeds up orders and makes work easier for your team.
FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions about B2B E-shops
What is a B2B e-shop?
A B2B e-shop is an online store designed for sales between businesses. In addition to ordering, it typically also manages corporate accounts, user roles, individual pricing, repeat purchases, or integration with internal systems.
What is the main difference between a B2B and a B2C e-shop?
In a B2C e-shop, an individual usually purchases for personal use. In a B2B e-shop, a person buys on behalf of a company, and multiple employees may be involved in the order. Corporate customers often make repeat purchases, use their own pricing, and expect access to invoices, documents, or order history.
Can one e-shop serve both B2B and B2C customers?
Yes. One e-shop can sell to both end customers and corporate clients. After logging in, B2B customers may see different prices, products, payment terms, or documents. Whether a shared solution is suitable depends on how different the purchasing processes of both groups are.
What features are most important for a B2B e-shop?
It depends on the specific sales method. Common requirements include individual price lists, quick reorder capabilities, searching by product codes, multiple users under one company, order approvals, invoices, downloadable documents, or integration with ERP and inventory systems. However, the most important aspect is not the number of features. The e-shop must primarily simplify the processes that customers and employees actually use.
Why connect a B2B e-shop to ERP?
ERP often contains key data about products, prices, inventory, orders, or invoices. With integration, customers see up-to-date information, and employees do not need to re-enter orders or documents between multiple systems.
What is the difference between a B2B e-shop and a customer portal?
The B2B e-shop primarily focuses on ordering. The customer portal has broader uses and also provides access to invoices, contracts, service requests, complaints, individual offers, or user management. In practice, both parts can function together in a single logged-in environment.
When is a custom B2B e-shop worthwhile?
A custom solution makes sense primarily when you have individual business conditions, multiple roles and approval levels, specific ordering processes, or need integration with several internal systems. It is also suitable for companies for which a standard platform hinders further development or forces them to change established processes.
How much does a custom B2B e-shop cost?
The price depends on the range of features, complexity of business rules, number of integrations, and the form of the customer zone. Therefore, we first analyze the current processes and propose the first meaningful version of the solution. This allows for the preparation of a realistic budget while avoiding the development of features that the company does not need.
