The Benefits of a B2B Portal for Wholesalers and Brands

In today’s B2B market, retailers and professional buyers expect a great, self-service ordering experience that feels as easy as consumer online shopping.

Brands and wholesalers that still rely on email, Excel, or manual entry not only lose efficiency but also frustrate their customers and hinder their own growth.

A B2B portal is no longer optional, it’s the step to transform traditional wholesale into a smooth, digital-first process.

This article explores the key considerations when choosing the right solution and shows how a B2B portal for wholesalers creates a simple, efficient ordering process for both you and your customers.

Table of Contents

• Introduction

• What is a B2B Portal for Wholesalers?

• Who It’s Suitable (and Not Suitable) For

• Why More Brands Are Switching

• Key Benefits

• Step-by-Step Guide to Selection & Implementation

• Frequently Asked Questions

• The Orderchamp B2B Portal

• Conclusion

  
  

What is a B2B Portal for Wholesalers?

A B2B portal for wholesalers looks like a webshop but is designed specifically for B2B customers.
Within this branded online environment, business customers can place orders themselves, view current prices and stock, check order history, and manage invoices—without needing to call a sales rep. Think of it just as the catalogue you already have that becomes your webshop.

A B2B portal saves both customers and sales teams significant time and reduces errors that often occur with email or spreadsheets.

Customers enjoy a great ordering experience, encouraging repeat purchases and stronger loyalty. At the same time, it gives you valuable insights into buying behavior and trends so you can respond more intelligently to demand. In addition, a good portal (e.g. Orderchamp) often integrate with ERPs and accounting systems (e.g Exact or Oracle), making the entire order and administration process even more efficient.

What is a B2B Portal for Wholesalers?

A B2B portal is ideal for brands serving many business customers and processing regular orders, especially for:

• Brands with a large product assortment or complex price lists.

• Brands looking to save time for both customers and sales teams.

• Brands that have high revenue but low margins due to distribution partnerships.

• Brands aiming to offer a smooth, digital ordering experience.

• Brands seeking insights into buying patterns, trends, and inventory.

Less suitable for:

• Companies with only a few large customers who value personal service over self-service.

• Companies with very simple or infrequent orders where manual processing is not an issue.

• Companies unwilling to invest in a digital system or integration with existing administration.

  
  

Why More Brands Are Switching to a Self-Service B2B portal

More and more suppliers are moving to digital, with B2B e-commerce now widely adopted and proven to generate significant revenue.

According to McKinsey, around 71% of B2B sellers now offer some form of e-commerce, and online channels already account for a growing share of revenue (around 34% in their sample).
This makes a portal a basic requirement to remain competitive.

But why exactly are brands choosing a B2B portal?The benefits show that it’s not just about sales, but also ease of use, efficiency, and scalability:

• Faster and simpler ordering
  Customers can log in, browse the catalog, and place orders with just a few clicks. Features like reordering and customer-specific pricing make the process even more efficient.

• Fewer errors and less manual work
  Automation minimizes the risks of spreadsheets, emails, or manual entry, saving time and ensuring smoother order processing.

• 24/7 accessibility
  Business customers are not bound to office hours to process orders. A portal allows ordering anytime, increasing flexibility for both customer and supplier.

• Customised pricing
  As a wholesaler, you want flexible, dynamic pricing to reward your best customers and high-volume buyers. The right B2B portal makes this simple by automating price adjustments and eliminating errors, ensuring your pricing strategy adapts whether you’re selling in large or small quantities.

• Customised shipping fee
  Shipping costs can vary, whether you’re delivering to Germany, an island, or the UK. A B2B portal lets you set predetermined shipping fees and customize them by customer or destination, ensuring accurate and transparent pricing every time.

• Scalable and future-proofKeeping your pricing list on an excel sheet becomes more costly as you grow. Features such as selective access, payment terms, and volume discounts allow for flexibility and improve margins on the long run.

Step-by-Step Guide to Choosing a B2B Portal for Wholesalers

So now that you’ve evaluated that you need a B2B portal, how to you start choosing between the infinite solution out there. Some companies call themselves Order Control Hub or Portal app or Order Sync tool, they all do similar things and what to choose depends on your specific situation and goals.

• Define your challenges and needs
  Identify key pain points you want to solve you can start answering these questions
  
  

  • Does manual order entry take too much time?

  • Do you need tiered pricing or customer-specific access?

  • Do customers demand live stock updates or easy invoice downloads?

  • Do you need customer-specific pricing and discounts?

  • Are re-order more profitable than first time orders?

  • Do you want livestock visibility?

  • Do you need an ERP or inventory integration?

  • Do you need your flexible branding and design? 

  • Do you want to exclude some customers from viewing specific collections?
    
    

• Consider hidden costs
  B2B software varies widely in pricing and setup, when setting up a solution consider the hidden costs.
  
  

  • Can you maintain your portal without a specialist?

  • Are there order processing fees? 

  • Are there crucial add-ons that cost extra?

  • Is your solution reliable and what is the cost if it breaks?
    
    

• Think about order volume and growth potential
  How many B2B customers do you serve today? How many SKUs do you offer?
  Are you planning international expansion?
  Scalability ensures you won’t need to change systems as you grow.
  
  

• Prioritize ease of use
  If customers find the portal complex, they won’t use it.
  Look for a clean, intuitive interface optimized for both desktop and mobile.
  Your team should easily manage products, customers, and orders without technical expertise.
  
  

• Check integration and automation
  To save time and reduce manual work, ensure smooth integration with your existing systems:

  • Inventory management, invoicing, CRM, or ERP

  • API access or ready-made integrations

  • Automated order confirmations and updates

Choosing a B2B portal isn’t just about digitalization—it’s about creating a better experience for everyone and setting the stage for scalable growth.

Frequently Asked Questions about B2B Portals for Wholesalers

• How difficult is it to implement a B2B portal?
  With the right plan and support, implementation is typically smooth and fast. Orderchamp’s solution is designed to be easy and flexible, with minimal technical setup.
  
  

• What does a B2B portal cost?
  Costs vary by provider and feature set. Orderchamp charges no commissions or setup fees, unlike some providers that may charge per user or per transaction.

  
  

• Is a B2B portal scalable? A well-chosen portal like Orderchamp grows with your business—whether you have 10 or 1,000 customers.

  
  

The Orderchamp B2B Portal

Many existing B2B platforms are not designed with growing brands in mind.
They may lack flexibility, be difficult to integrate, or charge high fees for customization and extra modules.
The result: inefficient processes, poor customer experience, and slowed growth.

Orderchamp offers a branded B2B ordering portal that allows brands to:

• Create their own branded online shop for business buyers

• Automate order management

• Streamline sales processes

Key features include:

• Customer accounts management 

• Customer-specific pricing and assortment

• Simple customer onboarding 

• No commissions or setup fees

• User-friendly backoffice for managing customers and updating content without technical skills

• Easy integration with ERP, CRM, and accounting software

The Orderchamp B2B portal is built to help brands digitize sales, strengthen customer relationships, and operational efficiency.
Brands that still depend on email, Excel, or manual processing are missing opportunities for growth and efficiency.