By Dylan Cranitch, Constructiv Digital. Last updated 16 October 2026.
The best B2B ecommerce platform for a building or landscape supplier is the one that handles trade pricing, bulk and cubic-metre products, postcode-based delivery and account payments without heavy custom work. Shopify and BigCommerce suit most small to medium suppliers. Adobe Commerce suits large catalogues with complex integrations. WooCommerce suits tight budgets with developer support.
This comparison is written for suppliers of building materials, landscape supplies, hardware and equipment attachments, not general retail. It covers what each platform does well, where it struggles and what to check before you commit. Our eCommerce team builds and manages supplier stores across Australia.
In this article
- What does a building supplier need from a B2B ecommerce platform?
- How do the main B2B ecommerce platforms compare?
- Which platform suits landscape suppliers selling bulk materials?
- How should trade and retail customers be handled on one store?
- What results can a supplier expect from selling online?
- Frequently asked questions
What does a building supplier need from a B2B ecommerce platform?
Most ecommerce platforms are built for parcels and retail shoppers. Building and landscape suppliers sell heavy, bulky products to a mix of trade accounts and homeowners, which brings specific requirements:
- Trade pricing. Different price lists or discounts per customer group, visible only when logged in.
- Units that make sense. Per cubic metre, per tonne, per pallet, per linear metre, with calculators for area and depth.
- Delivery by postcode and load. Truck delivery zones and minimum orders, not flat parcel rates.
- Quote requests. For large or custom orders that can't go straight to checkout.
- Pay on account. Trade customers expect 30-day terms, not a card at checkout.
- Accounting and stock integration. Links to systems such as Xero or MYOB so orders, stock and invoices stay in sync.
- Fast mobile browsing. Tradies order from the ute, not a desktop.
How do the main B2B ecommerce platforms compare?
| Platform |
Strengths |
Limits |
Best for |
| Shopify (with B2B features on higher plans) |
Easy to manage, fast, large app ecosystem, company accounts and price lists on Plus |
Native B2B tools sit on the top tier; bulk delivery rules often need apps |
Growing suppliers wanting low maintenance |
| BigCommerce (B2B Edition) |
Strong built-in B2B: customer groups, quotes, purchase orders, bulk pricing |
Smaller app ecosystem; theme customisation takes more work |
Trade-heavy suppliers with many account customers |
| Adobe Commerce (Magento) |
Highly flexible, handles very large catalogues and complex integrations |
Expensive to build and maintain; needs specialist developers |
Large manufacturers and multi-branch distributors |
| WooCommerce (with B2B plugins) |
Low licence cost, very customisable, runs on WordPress |
Relies on plugins; hosting, security and updates are your job |
Small suppliers with a developer on hand |
| Duda eCommerce |
Website and store in one, simple to manage, fast pages |
Lighter B2B tooling than dedicated platforms |
Suppliers with a focused range selling to homeowners and small trades |
Plan pricing changes often and is mostly quoted in US dollars, so compare current Australian costs, transaction fees and app subscriptions before you choose.
Which platform suits landscape suppliers selling bulk materials?
Landscape suppliers selling soil, mulch, sand, gravel and pavers need three things most platforms don't do out of the box: products sold by the cubic metre or tonne, a calculator that converts area and depth into quantity, and delivery priced by suburb and truck load.
Shopify and BigCommerce can both handle this with the right apps or custom configuration. The key test before you commit is to build one real order, such as 6 cubic metres of garden mix delivered to a specific suburb with a minimum load charge, and check it prices correctly end to end.
How should trade and retail customers be handled on one store?
Most suppliers sell to both, and mixing them badly frustrates everyone. The approach that works:
- One catalogue, two price views. Retail prices for the public; trade prices after login.
- Trade account applications online. An approval step before trade pricing is unlocked.
- Different checkout options. Card for retail, pay on account for approved trade customers.
- Reorder shortcuts. Trade buyers repeat orders, so let them reorder from history in a couple of taps.
What results can a supplier expect from selling online?
Results depend on range, pricing and how well the store is marketed, but the upside is real. Waratah Supplies, one of our eCommerce clients, reached more than $100,000 in online sales a month, with a 122 per cent increase in site traffic and a 65 per cent drop in bounce rate in the first six months.
The platform is only part of that. Clear product pages, accurate delivery pricing, fast mobile performance, and SEO and Google Shopping to bring buyers in all matter as much as the software underneath.
Frequently asked questions
What is a B2B ecommerce platform?
It's ecommerce software built to sell to other businesses, with features such as trade price lists, customer accounts, quote requests, bulk ordering and payment on account.
Is Shopify good for B2B in Australia?
Yes, for many suppliers. Its native B2B features sit on the higher plan tiers, and bulk delivery rules often need apps, so check both before you commit.
Can I sell landscape supplies by the cubic metre online?
Yes. Most major platforms can support it with the right configuration or apps, including quantity calculators and delivery priced by suburb and load.
Should I have separate trade and retail websites?
Usually not. One store with trade pricing behind a login is easier to manage and better for SEO than two separate sites.
Planning a B2B store? Talk to our eCommerce team or book a free consultation with the Constructiv Digital team.
