What is the main difference between EDI and a B2B ordering portal?

EDI is a system-to-system protocol requiring IT integration on both sides. A B2B ordering portal is a user-facing web or mobile app where customers log in, browse your catalog, and place orders without any technical integration on their side.

How long does it take to deploy a B2B ordering portal?

Modern cloud-based portals like Supply Now can be configured and launched in 2–4 weeks. EDI implementations typically take 3–6 months per trading partner.

Can a B2B portal replace EDI completely?

For most mid-size distributors, yes. EDI remains necessary only when large retail chains or manufacturers mandate it as a contractual requirement. For all other B2B customers, a portal is more practical and delivers better user experience.

B2B Ordering Portal vs EDI: Which Is Right for You?

B2B Ordering Portal vs EDI: Which Is Right for Your Business?

For wholesale distributors, B2B ordering used to mean one thing: EDI. Electronic Data Interchange has powered inter-company transactions for decades. But today, modern B2B ordering portals like Supply Now offer a compelling alternative that deploys in weeks rather than months.

What Is EDI?

EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) is a standardized protocol for exchanging business documents — purchase orders, invoices, shipping notices — between company systems. It is powerful and reliable, but comes with significant complexity:

High implementation costs: Custom EDI integration projects typically cost CHF 20,000–80,000 per trading partner
Long timelines: Integration projects often take 3–6 months
Maintenance burden: Every partner update requires technical coordination
Limited flexibility: EDI is optimized for high-volume, highly structured transactions

What Is a B2B Ordering Portal?

A B2B ordering portal is a web or mobile application that gives your customers a branded interface to browse your catalog, check stock, place orders, and track deliveries. Modern solutions like Supply Now include:

Branded customer portal: Your logo, your colors, your catalog
Per-customer pricing: Each client sees their negotiated prices
Real-time stock availability: No more phone calls to check inventory
Order history and reorder: One click to repeat a previous order
Mobile app: iOS and Android for field-based buyers

When EDI Makes Sense

EDI remains the right choice when:

You exchange thousands of orders daily with major retail chains
Your trading partners already mandate EDI (large supermarkets, automotive)
You have IT resources to maintain integrations
Transaction volumes justify the upfront investment

When a B2B Portal Wins

For most mid-size wholesale distributors, an ordering portal delivers more value:

Faster deployment: Go live in 2–4 weeks, not months
Lower cost: SaaS pricing starts at a fraction of EDI integration costs
Better UX: Your sales team and customers actually enjoy using it
No trading partner dependency: You control the rollout entirely

The Hybrid Approach

Many distributors use both: EDI for top-tier retail accounts that require it, and a B2B portal for the long tail of SME customers who benefit most from self-service ordering. BackOffice can handle both channels simultaneously, consolidating all orders in a single management view.

Making the Decision

Ask these questions:

Do your customers' IT teams expect EDI, or would they prefer a simple web portal?
What is your budget and timeline for deployment?
How many orders per day do you process?
Do you have in-house IT resources for integration maintenance?

For most Swiss B2B distributors with 50–500 customers and mixed order volumes, a modern ordering portal delivers faster ROI with less complexity.