B2B buyers behave differently from retail shoppers. A dealer does not browse for inspiration; they know what they need and want to reorder fast. They expect their negotiated prices, their credit terms and their usual pack sizes. They may need a manager's approval before an order goes through, and they absolutely need a correct GST invoice.
Most e-commerce platforms were built for retail first. Magento is one of the few that treats B2B as a core use case. This guide explains the Magento features that matter for manufacturers, distributors and wholesalers, which edition provides them, and where India-specific work is usually needed.
Open Source vs Adobe Commerce for B2B
Magento comes in two editions, and the difference matters most for B2B:
| Feature | Magento Open Source | Adobe Commerce (with B2B module) |
|---|---|---|
| Customer groups | Yes | Yes |
| Tier prices (quantity discounts) | Yes | Yes |
| Catalogue and cart price rules | Yes | Yes |
| Company accounts with multiple buyers | Via extension or custom | Built in |
| Shared catalogues (company-specific products and prices) | Via extension or custom | Built in |
| Quick order by SKU or CSV | Via extension or custom | Built in |
| Requisition lists (saved reorder lists) | Via extension or custom | Built in |
| Negotiable quotes | Via extension or custom | Built in |
| Purchase orders and approval rules | Via extension or custom | Built in |
| Payment on account / credit limits | Via extension or custom | Built in |
Adobe Commerce is a licensed product, while Open Source is free to use. Many mid-sized Indian businesses start on Open Source with selected B2B extensions and custom work; larger organisations with complex buying structures may prefer Adobe Commerce. The right choice depends on your scale and workflows, and is best decided during scoping.
Core B2B features explained
Company accounts and buyer roles
A distributor is not one person. A company account lets a buyer organisation have several users - a purchase manager, store staff, an accountant - each with their own login and permissions. The company admin can decide who can place orders, who can only view prices, and who can see invoices.
Customer-specific catalogues and pricing
This is the heart of B2B. Different buyers may see:
- Different products (for example, a dealer sees only the ranges they are authorised to sell).
- Different prices (distributor, dealer, institutional and retail rates).
- Quantity-based tier prices (lower per-unit price above a certain quantity).
In Open Source, customer groups plus tier prices and catalogue price rules handle many cases. Shared catalogues in the B2B module go further by assigning complete product and price lists to specific companies.
Quick order and bulk reordering
Experienced buyers know SKUs. Quick order lets them type or paste SKUs and quantities, or upload a CSV, and add everything to the cart in one go. Requisition lists let them save regular orders - "monthly stock top-up" - and reorder with a click.
Minimum order quantities and pack sizes
Many manufacturers sell in cartons, boxes or multiples. Magento can enforce minimum and maximum quantities and quantity increments per product, so a buyer cannot order seven pieces of an item sold in packs of twelve.
Request for quote and negotiation
For large or custom orders, buyers may want to negotiate. Negotiable quotes let a buyer submit a cart as a quote request, your sales team adjusts prices or terms, and the buyer accepts and converts it to an order - with the whole conversation recorded.
Purchase orders and approvals
In larger buyer organisations, orders above a certain value or from certain users need approval. Approval rules route orders to the right manager before they are placed, which reduces disputes later.
Credit terms and payment options
B2B buyers often pay on credit. Payment on account lets approved companies order up to a credit limit, with payment later. Other common options in India include online payment through gateways like Razorpay, bank transfer (NEFT/RTGS) with manual confirmation, and UPI for smaller orders. Payment options can be limited by customer group - for example, credit only for verified dealers.
India-specific requirements to plan for
GST details and invoices
B2B buyers need their GSTIN on invoices to claim input tax credit. Plan for:
- Capturing and validating GSTIN at registration or checkout.
- Correct tax classes and rules for intra-state (CGST and SGST) and inter-state (IGST) supplies.
- HSN codes on products and invoices.
- GST-compliant invoice PDFs, usually through an extension or customisation.
E-invoicing and e-way bills
Businesses above the notified turnover threshold must generate e-invoices (with an IRN) for B2B supplies, and goods movement often needs e-way bills. These are generally handled through your accounting or GST software, connected to Magento by integration rather than built inside the store. Confirm your obligations with your accountant.
ERP and accounting integration
Most manufacturers already run Tally, SAP Business One, or another ERP. A typical integration syncs:
- Products and stock levels from the ERP to Magento.
- Customer-specific prices and credit limits from the ERP.
- Orders from Magento to the ERP for invoicing and dispatch.
- Invoice and payment status back to the customer's account.
Our API integration and automation team typically designs this sync with clear rules on which system "owns" each type of data.
Sales team and WhatsApp workflows
Many Indian B2B relationships run through sales representatives and WhatsApp. Useful additions include:
- Sales reps placing orders on behalf of dealers.
- Order confirmations and dispatch updates sent on WhatsApp through an approved WhatsApp Business API provider.
- Lead and follow-up tracking in a CRM connected to the store.
Typical B2B store setups
| Business model | Common Magento setup |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer selling only to dealers | Login-only B2B store, dealer approval on registration, prices hidden from guests |
| Manufacturer with retail and dealer channels | One installation, separate retail website and dealer portal sharing stock |
| Distributor with many product brands | Shared catalogues per customer segment, quick order and requisition lists |
| Industrial supplies with custom orders | Request-for-quote flow, negotiable quotes, approvals |
| Exporter | Separate store view with currency, language and shipping rules for overseas buyers |
Common mistakes in B2B e-commerce projects
- Copying the retail store. B2B buyers need speed and accuracy - quick order, saved lists, account statements - far more than banners and lifestyle images.
- Hiding everything behind a login without explanation. Guests and prospective dealers should still understand what you sell and how to apply for an account, even if prices are hidden.
- Updating prices by hand. If prices live in the ERP, sync them automatically; manually maintained price lists drift and cause disputes.
- Leaving the sales team out. If representatives feel the portal threatens their role, adoption suffers. Give them tools to order on behalf of dealers and see their accounts' activity.
- Launching to every dealer at once. Start with a group of willing dealers, learn from their feedback, then roll out more widely.
Planning checklist
Before scoping a Magento B2B build, document:
- Your buyer types and how pricing differs for each.
- How dealers are approved today, and who can see prices.
- Order rules: minimum quantities, pack sizes, credit limits, approval needs.
- Payment methods by buyer type.
- GST invoice format and e-invoicing requirements.
- Which ERP or accounting system holds master data.
- Who in your team will manage the store daily.
- Which reports dealers and your sales team need - pending orders, invoices and account statements.
- How returns, replacements and warranty claims work for B2B orders.
- Whether dealers should see exact stock levels or only availability status.
Bring sample price lists, invoices and order forms to the first meeting - they reveal rules that are easy to miss in conversation.
Key takeaways
- Magento treats B2B as a core use case: customer groups, tier pricing and price rules come standard.
- Company accounts, shared catalogues, quotes, requisition lists and approvals come with Adobe Commerce B2B or can be added to Open Source.
- GST, e-invoicing and ERP integration are the main India-specific areas to plan.
- A single Magento installation can run both a retail store and a dealer portal.
- Decide the edition and extensions during scoping, based on your buyers and workflows.
Build your B2B store with us
MetaFox Technologies has a 25+ person in-house team in Jaipur, 6+ years of experience and 1,500+ projects delivered. If you sell to dealers, distributors or institutions and want to move ordering online, book a free consultation. We will map your buyer workflows and share a written scope and quote. Learn more about our Magento development services.
