Definition
A B2B customer portal is a private, branded website where your trade customers can browse your product catalogue, check stock availability, place orders, view invoices, and track deliveries without contacting your sales team.
How a B2B portal works
- Access: trade customers receive an invitation to create an account on your branded portal
- Catalogue: customers browse your products with live stock levels and pricing
- Ordering: customers add items to a cart and place orders with delivery preferences
- Invoicing: customers view and download invoices directly from the portal
- Payments: customers pay invoices online via card, bank transfer, or payment terms
- Reordering: customers see their order history and can reorder previous orders with one click
Benefits for the seller
- Fewer phone orders: customers order themselves instead of calling or emailing
- Less admin: orders flow directly into your system without manual data entry
- No overselling: customers see real-time stock levels before ordering
- Faster payments: online payment links and automated invoice delivery
- 24/7 ordering: customers order at any time, not just during business hours
Benefits for the buyer
- Browse products and check availability without waiting for a reply
- Place orders in their own time, including evenings and weekends
- Access invoices and order history in one place
- Reorder regular items quickly
- Pay invoices online without posting cheques or making bank transfers manually
When you need a B2B portal
- More than 10% of your time is spent processing phone and email orders
- Customers regularly ask "what's in stock?" before ordering
- You have repeat customers who order the same products regularly
- Invoice chasing and payment collection is taking too long
- You want to take orders outside business hours without adding staff
B2B portal vs B2C ecommerce
| Feature | B2B portal | B2C ecommerce |
|---|---|---|
| Access | Invite-only for approved trade customers | Open to the public |
| Pricing | Customer-specific or tiered wholesale pricing | Single retail price for all |
| Payment | Invoice on account, payment terms, or online | Immediate payment at checkout |
| Order size | Bulk quantities, case packs | Individual units |
| Catalogue | Full trade range with stock levels | Consumer-facing selection |