In B2B, Your Buyers Need More Than a Portal Stuck in the 90s

In most B2B organizations, the ERP is treated almost like a deity, worshipped, depended on, and turned to for everything the business needs. 

It sits at the center of operations, powering inventory, pricing, fulfillment, and finance. In other words, it’s the system which keeps the business running.

But the problem with ERPs is that they were never designed to face the customer. They serve operations, not buyers. 

So when customers began asking for digital access, to view orders, check invoices, or download product specs, the ERP couldn’t handle it. 

That’s when the classic “portal” was born.

The IT team spinned up a separate system (portal), tethered to the ERP, that handled that one missing function. 

It served its purpose, checked a box, and kept peace internally. 

The white-screen relic that looked like it was built for Internet Explorer 10, was so uninspiring to look at and so clunky to use that it’s almost reassuring. Nobody feels insecure because nobody actually uses it.

The sales team didn’t feel threatened, operations got what it needed, and leadership could claim they’ve “gone digital.”

But here’s the problem: what kept the peace internally has come at a steep price externally. 

The opportunity cost of clinging to these legacy portals has grown so high that it now threatens business continuity itself.

What’s Wrong With the B2B Buyer Portal

Let’s dive deeper and talk about what’s wrong with the portal and why your digital strategy needs more than a portal stuck in the 90s.

1. It’s built for internal comfort, not customer experience

Portals were created to make life easier for internal teams — not buyers. They’re designed around how data is stored in the ERP, not how customers actually buy. The interface mirrors internal workflows instead of intuitive shopping experiences, forcing customers to adapt to your systems instead of the other way around.

2. It hides your products — and your brand — from discovery

Because portals live behind login walls, your products are invisible to Google and potential new buyers. Your website markets the brand, but the portal holds the product data — creating a digital disconnect where no one can see your full offering until they already have an account.

3. It creates fragmented data and duplicated effort

Every time a new portal is added, it becomes another data silo. Product details, pricing, and customer records often have to be updated in two or three places. This fragmentation leads to version conflicts, slow response times, and internal inefficiency that scales with every integration.

4. It limits personalization and insight

Because portals are static and transactional, they offer little insight into buyer behavior — what customers search for, what they compare, or what they abandon. The ERP knows what was ordered; it doesn’t know what was considered. That missing context blinds your sales and marketing teams to real demand signals.

5. It undermines trust and brand perception

When your public-facing website looks modern but your portal feels outdated, it sends a subtle message that your digital operations haven’t evolved. For new buyers especially, that disconnect erodes trust — and they go elsewhere for the seamless experience they expect.

6. It doesn’t scale with buyer expectations
Every time a new customer request comes in, whether it’s for custom pricing, self-service quotes, or digital payments,  IT needs to patch the portal again. The model doesn’t scale. Instead of enabling innovation, it slows it down.

7. It splits ownership between IT and Marketing.

The website and the portal are usually owned by different teams. Marketing manages the website while IT owns the portal. One focuses on storytelling, the other on systems. But buyers don’t see two experiences; they see one brand. Until ownership unites around a single, customer-centric digital experience, the gap between what you say and how you sell will keep widening.

The Case for Connected B2B Commerce

Connected commerce replaces a maze of systems and logins with a single, unified digital experience, one that bridges the gap between your ERP, CRM, supply chain, and your customers. Instead of bolting features onto legacy infrastructure, it turns eCommerce into the front-end expression of your entire business.

When executed right, connected commerce doesn’t just sell products, it synchronizes operations, pricing, and customer experience in real time.

Here’s what connected B2B commerce looks like:

1. Real-time data from your ERP fuels a seamless buyer experience.

Inventory, pricing, and order status update instantly across channels. Buyers see exactly what’s available, when it ships, and at what cost. Meanwhile, your teams stop chasing updates and reconciling data across spreadsheets and disconnected systems.

2. CRM data personalizes every interaction.

Customer-specific pricing, payment terms, and purchase history flow directly into the storefront. Every logged-in experience feels tailor-made — from account credit to reorder preferences. Marketing teams finally get access to browsing behavior and intent signals, while sales reps can see what customers are exploring before they ever reach out.

3. Built for how B2B really sells.

A true B2B eCommerce platform doesn’t mimic retail — it reflects the complexities of wholesale and distribution. It supports:

• Custom pricing and negotiated terms by account or segment
• Customer-specific catalogs showing only relevant SKUs
• Flexible payment methods (purchase orders, net terms, ACH, or credit card)
• Account credit management with real-time balance visibility
• Approval workflows mirroring internal buying hierarchies
• Sales rep tools to build quotes or place orders on behalf of customers

These capabilities aren’t “add-ons.” They’re foundational to B2B commerce — and they only reach their full potential when powered by unified data from ERP and CRM systems.

4. Supply chain visibility becomes part of the customer experience.

Connected systems let buyers track fulfillment and delivery without picking up the phone. That transparency builds confidence and deepens loyalty, two currencies more valuable than discounts.

5. Marketing and IT finally operate on the same page.

With one connected platform, ownership unifies. IT focuses on data integrity and uptime, while Marketing drives engagement and conversion. Together, they deliver one continuous brand experience instead of two disconnected digital silos.

6. Your website becomes the single source of truth.

No more split between what buyers see and what your teams manage. The public website, customer portal, and commerce engine merge into one ecosystem, searchable, measurable, and scalable.

7. It becomes a powerful source of analytics and intelligence.

Unlike static portals, a modern eCommerce platform generates invaluable data: search queries, click paths, dwell time, cart behavior, and abandoned orders. This data reveals what customers are looking for, what they can’t find, and what they might buy next. These insights inform pricing strategies, product development, and marketing campaigns, turning your commerce site into a real-time feedback loop for the entire business.

8. It expands discoverability and market reach.

Unlike portals hidden behind logins, modern eCommerce platforms are searchable, indexed, and discoverable. Your products, once invisible to Google, can now be found by new customers, distributors, and partners worldwide. This visibility doesn’t just drive inbound demand, it opens doors to new markets and international expansion without adding new sales reps or offices.

9. It automates the mundane so teams can focus on growth.

Routine, low-value tasks like sending invoices, checking order statuses, or processing manual payments move online and self-serve. That frees up sales, operations, and customer service teams to focus on what truly drives the business, growing key accounts, entering new markets, and building new channels.

Connected B2B commerce isn’t about replacing your ERP or sales teams, it’s about getting the most out of them. 

By positioning eCommerce as the integration layer, you preserve the ERP’s operational strength while giving buyers the intuitive, data-driven, self-service experience they expect. 

Book a free consultation for B2B eCommerce implementation.