Build a B2B Self-Service Portal with Shopware 6

B2B buyers in 2026 expect a B2C-like user experience -- available 24/7, fully digital, with zero wait times. 73% of B2B purchasing decision-makers are now Millennials or Gen Z (Forrester), and they bring clear expectations for self-service. In this technical guide, we show how to build a powerful B2B self-service portal with Shopware 6 -- from customer groups and tiered pricing to budget approval workflows.

Why B2B Self-Service Is Critical in 2026

B2B sales has fundamentally changed. While our article on B2B digitalization in sales describes the strategic framework, this guide focuses on the technical implementation of specific self-service features in Shopware 6.

The numbers are clear: According to Gartner, by the end of 2026, 80% of all B2B interactions will take place through digital channels (Gartner Future of Sales). At the same time, a Sana Commerce study shows that 75% of B2B buyers would switch suppliers if a competitor offered a better digital experience (Sana Commerce). And it's not just about small orders: 39% of B2B decision-makers are willing to place orders exceeding $500,000 purely digitally (McKinsey).

B2B Components vs. B2B Suite: Choosing the Right Foundation

Since 2025, Shopware has been pursuing a new approach: The classic B2B Suite is being gradually replaced by modular B2B Components integrated directly into the Shopware core. Starting with Shopware 6.8, the B2B Suite will no longer be supported (Shopware Docs).

For new B2B e-commerce projects, we recommend using B2B Components. They offer maximum flexibility and are actively developed by Shopware. Existing B2B Suite installations should be migrated promptly.

Setting Up Customer Groups and Custom Pricing

The core of any B2B portal is customer-specific pricing. In Shopware 6, complex pricing structures can be configured through the Rule Builder without writing a single line of code:

The Rule Builder enables flexible pricing rule definitions -- for example, an automatic 10% discount for orders over 100 units or tiered unit prices that kick in at 500 units. Combined with ERP integrations, framework contract prices and special conditions stay consistently up to date.

Quick Ordering by SKU and CSV Upload

For experienced B2B buyers who know their part numbers, the quick order function is indispensable. According to McKinsey, only 15% of B2B buyers want to speak with a sales rep when reordering (McKinsey). We develop custom quick order solutions based on Shopware 6.

• Direct SKU entry -- Enter article number and quantity, add directly to cart
• CSV/XLS upload -- Upload order lists from your ERP and auto-populate the cart
• Quick search with autocomplete -- Type article number or product name, get suggestions
• Save order lists -- Store frequently ordered assortments as templates
• Copy & paste from spreadsheets -- Paste SKUs directly from Excel or your ERP system

In our experience, quick ordering typically reduces average order time from several minutes to under 30 seconds -- especially for repeat orders with a known product range. This also frees up your sales team from routine tasks. One industrial supply distributor reported that after implementing CSV upload, over 60% of all orders were processed without any manual intervention from the sales team.

Configuring Budget and Approval Workflows

In many B2B organizations, not all employees have unlimited purchasing authority. Budget limits and approval processes are essential -- and can be mapped directly in the system with Shopware B2B Components. Especially in larger organizations with decentralized procurement, clear approval processes prevent uncontrolled spending and create transparency for controlling.

1. Define roles and permissions -- Buyers, department heads, management with different access levels
2. Set budget limits per employee or department -- Monthly or quarterly spending caps
3. Configure approval workflow -- Orders above a threshold require supervisor approval
4. Email notifications -- Automatic alerts for approval requests and budget utilization
5. Audit trail -- Complete traceability of all orders and approvals

Order History and Reorder Functionality

A complete order history in the customer portal is one of the most frequently used self-service features for B2B buyers. It eliminates back-and-forth with sales and enables efficient repurchasing:

The reorder function is particularly valuable: According to Dimension Data, 73% of business customers prefer the self-service portal over other channels (Dimension Data). Combined with saved order lists and SKU-based quick ordering, this creates a highly efficient procurement process.

Account Management and Employee Administration

A professional B2B self-service portal enables your business customers to manage their accounts independently. This typically reduces administrative effort on both sides by 30-50% in customer service (Reveation/BigCommerce).

• Manage employee accounts -- Create new buyers, deactivate accounts, or assign roles
• Maintain delivery addresses -- Multiple locations with different default addresses
• Store payment methods -- Purchase on account, SEPA, credit card per organization unit
• Assign cost centers -- Map orders to internal accounting categories
• View and accept quotes -- Quote management directly in the portal

The combination of roles, permissions, and organization units can map even complex corporate structures. A large customer with multiple branches can manage separate buyers, budgets, and delivery addresses per location -- entirely through self-service. The result: your business customers operate autonomously while you maintain full control over pricing conditions and access rights.

ERP Integration as the Portal's Backbone

A B2B self-service portal reaches its full potential only with a well-designed ERP integration. Real-time data on inventory, pricing, and delivery dates is not optional for B2B buyers -- it is a prerequisite. Our guide on ERP integration with Shopware and SAP covers the technical details in depth.

We integrate all major ERP systems: SAP Business One, Microsoft Dynamics, and JTL-Wawi. Shopware 6's API-first architecture enables a clean separation between shop logic and ERP data. Since January 2025, mandatory e-invoicing for B2B transactions has been gradually rolling out in Germany -- Shopware natively supports the ZUGFeRD format, allowing your business customers to download compliant invoices directly from the portal.

ROI: What a Self-Service Portal Actually Saves

Investing in a B2B self-service portal typically pays for itself within 12-18 months (BigCommerce). The savings are distributed across multiple areas:

In one case study, a distributor saved 11,000 hours of data entry per year through automation -- equivalent to six full-time employees (AHP Dental/BigCommerce). Companies adopting e-commerce report an average 41% increase in revenue (Digital Commerce 360), though figures vary by industry and starting point. Particularly noteworthy: 65% of B2B buyers are willing to pay more for suppliers that offer strong digital capabilities (Sana Commerce) -- making a self-service portal not just a cost factor, but a measurable revenue driver.

Practical Example: Automotive B2B Portal

A typical use case for a B2B self-service portal is the automotive parts trade: workshops and wholesalers need a vehicle selector to find the right replacement parts by manufacturer, model, and year -- combined with customer-specific wholesale pricing and volume discounts.

Implementation: Step by Step to Your B2B Portal

Building a B2B self-service portal with Shopware 6 is a project that requires careful consulting and planning. Based on our experience with B2B projects, we recommend the following phases:

1. Requirements analysis (2-3 weeks) -- Document existing processes, define customer groups, establish pricing structures and approval workflows
2. Concept and architecture (2-4 weeks) -- System architecture, ERP interface design, role concept and data model
3. Shopware setup and B2B Components (3-4 weeks) -- Base installation, customer groups, pricing rules, quick order and organization units configuration
4. ERP integration (4-8 weeks) -- Implement bidirectional synchronization of prices, inventory, customer data, and orders
5. Frontend customization and testing (3-4 weeks) -- Custom development of the customer portal, usability testing with real B2B customers
6. Go-live and onboarding (2-3 weeks) -- Pilot phase with selected customers, sales team training, phased rollout

Migrating to the New B2B Components

If you are already using the Shopware B2B Suite, migration to the new B2B Components is advisable -- at the latest before upgrading to Shopware 6.8. Our Shopware migration guide provides general orientation. For B2B Suite migration, the following points are particularly relevant:

• Create a feature mapping -- Which Suite features do you actively use? Which B2B Components cover them?
• Leverage Organization Units -- Map existing corporate structures in the new architecture
• Migrate Quote Management -- Transition quoting processes to the new integrated system
• Review customizations -- Test individual B2B Suite modifications for compatibility with the Components
• Plan a testing phase -- Parallel operation is recommended before fully decommissioning the Suite

Frequently Asked Questions

Whether you are building a new B2B portal or migrating your existing solution to the new Shopware B2B Components -- we accompany you from concept to go-live.