Catalog, inventory, orders, customers, warehouse, finance, and reporting
Workflow
Give repeat buyers more than a contact form
A repair shop or reseller often arrives with a part number, an application question, and a deadline. If every repeat order requires an email chain to confirm the item, price, and stock, the portal has not removed much work. Start by identifying what a buyer should be able to answer and what needs a member of your team.
Workflow
Build the portal on records your team can maintain
1XA website services and B2B commerce can be scoped around product records, wholesale relationships, and order workflows. Define account access, catalog visibility, pricing ownership, availability, and the point at which an order is accepted. Each portal’s search, pricing, credit, and checkout behavior needs explicit confirmation.
- Product discovery: define part-number search, application data, and permitted alternatives.
- Account experience: agree which products and prices a buyer can see.
- Order handoff: specify quote requests, order acceptance, and exceptions.
- After the sale: define order status, repeat buying, and return-request handling.
Workflow
Test the difficult buying scenarios first
Use a returning account, a new account, a superseded part, an out-of-stock item, and an order needing review. Distinguish a compatible application from an interchangeable product. Decide when to show a substitute, when to request clarification, and who can approve account-specific terms.
Workflow
Choose a useful first release
Begin with one buyer group and a representative catalog. Establish which tasks the portal handles and which remain assisted by your team. Measure time to confirm an order, order corrections, and repeat-order effort. Add functions only after the underlying records and operational handoffs work.
FAQ
Common Questions
Are customer-specific pricing and credit terms included automatically?
No. These are requirements to scope and demonstrate, including permissions, approvals, the source of prices, and the system responsible for credit decisions.
Does a B2B portal require a full ERP replacement?
Not necessarily. A website and catalog project can be focused, provided record ownership and supported connections are agreed. Discuss which systems you intend to retain.
Next step
Plan your parts B2B portal
Tell us where the work breaks down and which systems you use today. We will focus the walkthrough on that workflow, its exceptions, and a practical first rollout.