Start with the main system

Before you compare storefronts, decide what the ERP owns. If price, stock, terms, and order history live in the ERP, the online store should reflect that truth. If the ERP is incomplete, fix the source before you decorate the edge.

Question 1: Which system owns price, and who can change it?
Question 2: Which system owns stock, and how often does it change?
Question 3: Where do terms for each customer and credit status live?

Map the buying sequence

Write down the real steps a customer takes from need to order. Include the phone calls, spreadsheets, approvals, and problems that never appear in a demo.

Question 4: Can a customer see their product catalog and price without asking?
Question 5: Can they reorder a previous order?
Question 6: Can they upload a PO or spreadsheet?
Question 7: Where do shipping, tax, and terms get decided?

Test the complexity

Every B2B business has a product or rule that breaks the demo. Find yours before you buy.

Question 8: What happens with a configurable product?
Question 9: What happens with a price for each customer and a quantity break?
Question 10: What happens when a product is unavailable in one warehouse but available in another?

Plan the launch

The setup is part of the product. Ask who does the work, what the ERP team needs to give, and what support looks like after go-live.

Question 11: Who owns the connection and the data mapping?
Question 12: What does the first 30 days after launch look like?

If you can answer these twelve questions, you are ready for a better demo. If you cannot, start there.