B2B ecommerce: how it works and how it differs from B2C

A B2B ecommerce sells to other businesses, not to end consumers: the data required when placing an order changes (VAT number, SDI code), prices often vary by customer or tier, and so does the way invoices are issued. It's not enough to open an online shop and hope a business fills in the same form as a private individual: without these elements, the order gets stuck, or ends up being handled manually by email, with all the time and errors that this involves.

We work with several online shops that sell to both private individuals and businesses on the same site, often without even realising it until the first business order throws the invoicing process into chaos. This article explains what really changes between B2B and B2C, what is essential, and what is just added complexity without a real reason.

What really sets a B2B order apart from a B2C order

The difference isn't just who buys, but how they buy. A private individual buys on impulse, pays by card and expects a receipt. A business evaluates the purchase, sometimes involving several people before confirming, requires a proper invoice and often prefers payment methods other than immediate card payment.

• Who buys: a private individual with a tax code, or a business with a VAT number.

• Tax document: a receipt or simplified invoice for private individuals, an electronic invoice with a recipient code (SDI) for businesses.

• Decision times: longer in B2B, often with an internal approval step.

• Average order value: generally higher, less impulsive.

• Relationship: often recurring in B2B, occasional in B2C.

The data a B2B ecommerce must collect and verify

In Italy, electronic invoicing is mandatory for transactions between VAT-registered entities. This means that an ecommerce site that also sells to businesses must collect the customer's VAT number, tax code and recipient code (or certified email/PEC) at the time of order, and must be able to validate them before issuing the document.

If this data isn't collected at the right time, the problem doesn't stay hidden: it resurfaces in accounting, when someone has to chase the customer by email to ask for the correct details, risking an incorrect invoice or a delayed payment.

Prices, price lists and payment terms: the part a generic ecommerce doesn't handle

Many businesses that sell B2B apply different prices depending on the customer, quantity or commercial tier. When this logic becomes complex (tiers, dedicated price lists, volume discounts linked to the company's management software), the technical reference point becomes the integration between the ecommerce platform and the ERP: we covered this in detail in this guide on ERP integration and managing complex price lists.

Payment terms are a different matter. Many B2B businesses work on 30, 60 or 90-day terms instead of immediate card payment. Managing a deferred payment term also means managing credit, due dates and any reminders: this is a process that almost always requires human intervention on the administration side, not just a checkout form. Anyone selling B2B online needs to be aware of this limitation before promising automatic deferred payments.

Why generic ecommerce platforms struggle with B2B

Platforms built for B2C, in their basic version, don't include the collection of VAT numbers and SDI codes, the ability to hide prices from unregistered visitors, or differentiated price lists per customer. To get these features on PrestaShop, WooCommerce or Shopify, you almost always need an additional paid module, often more than one, with the risk that they stop working properly with every update to the main platform. You'll find a broader comparison of the different options in this comparison of ecommerce platforms.

Selling to both private individuals and businesses on the same site

In most cases, a separate B2B portal isn't needed: what's needed is an ecommerce site that distinguishes the type of customer right at checkout. On KeideaCMS this is managed natively: the shop distinguishes B2B orders from B2C ones, validates VAT number and SDI code when the order is placed, and handles multiple VAT rates with net amount breakdown, without needing a separate module. If you're considering a project that needs to serve both private individuals and businesses, this is the starting point for building an ecommerce site set up correctly from day one.

How much it costs and when a dedicated project makes sense

The cost of a B2B ecommerce isn't measured only by the starting price, but by how many modules are needed to actually manage invoicing, price lists and business payments. We've broken down the real cost items, including those often left out of quotes, in this in-depth look at how much it costs to build an ecommerce site. As for payment methods, you'll find a breakdown of fees and recurring costs in this guide to ecommerce payment methods.

Checklist: is your ecommerce ready to sell to businesses too?

• You collect and validate VAT number and recipient code (SDI) already at checkout, not after the order.

• You know how to issue an electronic invoice without manual steps on an external system.

• You manage different VAT rates and the net amount breakdown when needed.

• You're clear on whether you really need customer-specific pricing, or whether a single price list is enough.

• You've decided how to handle (or whether not to handle) deferred payments and who follows up on late collections.

If your answer to one or more of these questions is 'I don't know' or 'we do it by hand', your ecommerce is probably already losing time or orders on every business customer who tries to buy.